Marketing is one of the most important factors behind getting your new business off the ground, no matter what size it is or what it trades in.

Remember, your company could offer the best products or services around but if it isn’t marketed properly this won’t count for much and your business could suffer as a result.

Larger businesses usually have the resources to employ orchestrated marketing campaigns, however, small businesses don’t always have the finance to do the same.

Despite this, there are ways small businesses can get around this with come creative strategies to build a brand without breaking the bank.

Here are some ideas to get those creative juices flowing:

Use branded goods

Why not promote your business with branded promotional items that can be given away as freebies. Choose promotional giftsthat you can rely on, such as the tried and tested pens from the professionals at Ideas by Net.

This strategy can be very effective but make sure that you don’t go overboard and spend too much time and money in this area.

Customer service

Excellent customer service is perhaps the most effective way of leaving your mark as a business and getting people to spread the word – and has the added benefit of being cost-free.

Set up a twitter account to give people a platform upon which to discuss your products and services. This way, you can also engage with your customers and let them know of any deals you are offering at the time.

Product updates

Make sure that you communicate all your products to your customers and keep them updated on any new products that come in, so they know they can come to you if they need any of these.

You can do this by setting up a regular newsletter that can be sent via email to keep costs to a minimum, or by the increasingly popular way of using an SMS marketing service, which allows you to contact customers quickly and cheaply. In this social media age, there are few creative limits that hold you back so be sure to take advantage.

Run a competition

Try giving your products or services away for free – this is another cheap way to raise the profile of your business and engage with your customers.

Again, use free-of-charge social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to promote the competition and encourage word-of-mouth while keeping your costs to a minimum.