13 ways to market your business without socials
People think they need their business to be 'everywhere, all the time'. That’s not true.
Yes, social media can be a marketing option for your business. But it's not mandatory.
You might want to deprioritise socials for a few different reasons:
you don't like how it feels spending hours a week (or days!) on these platforms
you don’t know how many people actually see your content and whether they’re even interested
you’re trying to share a message in a very loud space and you don’t know who you’re speaking to
you have concerns around how your information is being used
you want to keep socials for your own personal use
you value your privacy and building relationships in person
We support clients in marketing their products and services in ways that FEEL good to them. Remember, it's YOUR business; you get to decide the rules of the game.
“But how do I reach people if I’m not on social??”
I know, it can seem like instant death to a business to not have a presence on the social platforms. But remember, businesses were thriving before Instagram was a thing. And they will continue to.
Being completely intentional across each channel is the most effective way to use social media – different audiences means different conversations and different messages. If you don’t have content that is relevant to a channel and the audience that frequents it, it’s best not to waste time adding to the noise.
Actually, we wonder if marketing ‘sans socials’ is a great way to get creative, stand out from others in your industry and give folks a reason to talk about your business.
Here are 13 ways to connect with clients and customers without social media:
Send a postcard to businesses you'd love to work with. Tell them a little bit about what you do and give them a way to connect with you. (QR codes can be great here to take people to a landing page which also lets your track the effectiveness of your marketing.)
Create a merch line and have your fans become walking billboards for your business. The guys at Speak & Share, the mental health organisation do this really well with their hoodies. They cleverly have a marketing channel that promotes their workshops AND generates revenue.
Send personal emails to friends and family telling them about your new business, or that you've got capacity for more customers or clients in your existing business. Ask them if they'd be willing to pass your details on to anyone they know who might be interested. This is a great way to get new business without pressuring friends and family. And if THEY need what you're selling, they now know you're available!
Put a sign up in front of your office / coworking space / home saying what you do with your phone number or website. When I moved into my new home last year, the neighbour next door had a sign on the front gate about her massage business. I called her, introduced myself as her new neighbour and booked a massage that week. I’ve been back multiple times.
Approach businesses for potential collaboration. Teaming up with a business or brand that aligns but has a slightly different customer base puts your business in front of a new audience. I love this one between sunscreen brand Standard Procedure and Messina. The tagline of 'lick, slop slap' makes me smile.
Keep a stash of business cards in your bag or car and sprinkle them around your neighbourhood and on community notice boards.
Pitch yourself to the media to be interviewed or to write an article on whatever it is you make or sell. Journalists are always looking for new and interesting stories and will snap you up on your offer if it makes their busy lives easier!
Sponsor an industry event, expo or a local community group. A familiar logo does a lot to build the 'know, like, trust' factor in a new client or customer.
Get out and introduce yourself to people who have complimentary businesses. We work with some awesome freelance photographers and it makes for a win win. When we have clients who need photography, we've got great recommendations. And if they have clients who need help with their marketing and branding, we're an obvious referral.
Set up a newsletter (also known as an EDM) and send it regularly. Email marketing has on average a far better ROI than socials with up to $42 back for every $1 spent. You own your email list. You don't own your Instagram followers. We love this strategy so much we created our Done-For-You Newsletters offer.
Start your own podcast. The content has a far longer shelf life than a fleeting reel or story. I regularly get emails and coaching enquiries from episodes I published years ago.
List your business in online directories so people who are searching for what you offer can easily find you.
Send personal emails to past clients or customers. Genuinely ask how they are going, give them an update and ask if they would like to hire you / buy again.
You don't have to do all of these. In fact, we strongly recommend NOT doing them all!
Pick one. And commit to it for 30 days.
The aim is not to spread yourself too thinly.
It's about being intentional with where you're spending your marketing resources (both your time and your money) and making sure it makes sense to the people who most need what you're selling.
Go forth and have fun!