8 marketing ideas to fall back on

Sometimes you can't match your larger-than-life ideas with the size of your wallet. Any small business knows the pains of trying to make a statement on a tight budget when it comes to marketing activities. But keep in mind that many of the great marketing ideas were low on cost. So for all those desperate times, here are 8 marketing strategies to fall back on when you've hit the proverbial wall.

Marketing partnerships

When you work with someone else, you're more likely to come up with more diverse content. Just imagine the new perspectives you can bring to your game. While marketing partnerships cost virtually nothing, they automatically expose your brand to a wider demographic and a completely new audience. Remember: rock group Arbovirus collaborated with Apex to bring out a signature line of shoes and it worked like a charm.

Collaborate with customers

Your customers are your best advertisers. A survey of 839 millenials found that user generated content is 20 percent more influential on purchase decisions than other media. Encourage customers to share personal stories on social media, give ratings, pitch ideas and interact in an open forum. For example, Lay's and Pringles frequently solicit new flavour ideas through fan competitions.

You can also help customers solve their problems by offering how-to content, responding to their queries and creating apps that address problems they might run into. Adobe shares a range of tutorials and guides for its users on YouTube and its website.

Try out new platforms

Don't hesitate to try out new channels and platforms to promote your brand. While most brands have a Facebook page nowadays, there might be a different social media outlet that will do the trick for you. Urban Truth enjoys most of its social media success on Instagram where it connects with young fashionistas who share pictures of their buys and outfits.

Involve your employees

Inc. magazine advises companies to "let employees be your biggest champions and brand advocates." Employee-engaged videos can be one way to do this. For example, employees of high fashion retailer Net-A-Porter staged a tribute to commemorate the retirement of their CEO, which was shot on camera and shared on YouTube. The official video was viewed over 1.1 million times, shared by thousands and covered by newspapers all over.

The VIP club

It goes without saying that loyal customers are the basis of any business' success. You have a 60 to 70 percent of chance to selling to an existing customer so make sure you make them feel extra loved. You could do this by making customers part of an exclusive club. Grameenphone's STAR users enjoy an array of benefits, from 20 percent off at Agora to complimentary dinner at the Westin.

Big data

By now it's well-known that big data can help you get in touch with customers before they even search for your products. A pizza chain is using big data to send out coupons to customers who are experiencing bad weather or power outages and Unilever is using it to produce specialty products in its local markets. The possibilities are endless.

Not enough money for a billboard?

With the rise in popularity of online marketing, many proven offline methods are simply forgotten when marketing campaigns are planned. There are lots of small and unique ways to engage with your customers in real life. Use chalk to advertise promotions on a sidewalk, hand out fun company stickers and other branded miscellanea, drop your business card with your tip at a restaurant or donate gift certificates or products as prizes. 

Blast from the past

A study from the Journal of Consumer Research found that people who were asked to think about the past were willing to pay more for products than those who were asked to think about new or future memories. Microsoft tapped into that nostalgia with its Internet Explorer video dubbed "Child of the 90s" which has over 49 million views on YouTube.

The search for the oh-so competitive edge is never-ending and even frustrating at times. So don't be afraid to try something that's never been done before. Have some fun, be silly – customers will love it.