Build Profits: 7 Step Marketing Plan plus How To Market With No Cash

Jay Conrad Levinson is known for his “gorilla marketing”  advice.  He recently listed on Rich Shefron’s blog his 7 Step Simple Marketing Plan.  I read this today and thought you might like it before we get to the main topic. This is a very good guide to remember.  Here they are: (for the complete blog article Click Here )

1) What is the purpose of your marketing? (What action do you want them to take?)

2) What is the main competitive advantage you stress to achieve that action/purpose? (What main benefit do you offer that your competitors do not?)

3) Who is your target audience?

4) Which marketing “weapons” will you use to achieve that action/purpose? (Expressed as a list.)

5) For your market niche, what do you stand for?

6) What is your identity, your personality?

7) What is your marketing budget? (as a percentage of your projected gross sales)

How To Market Your Business With Little or No Cash

Most consultants and authors offering training programs and services assume you have the cash to implement a sound marketing plan.  That is often a misguided assumption and this begins  to address a common issue of marketing with little or no cash. Many entrepreneurs and companies are experiencing a cash crunch.

The following steps are essential for marketing your business when you have no cash. They are also essential when you do have cash. Cash will help you advance your results faster.

The  Most Important Step – Always –  and There Are No Exceptions:

Spend Most of Your Time Marketing Your Business. This is a mindset coupled with a commitment and knowing what is productive time. Jay did not list this. Most do not. This is the number one item I work on with companies and with people I coach. This is the number one item I work on for my own ventures.  This is also a challenge for most people since it is easy saying “I was busy today”.  I say if you are not working on building new business and strengthening what you have,  most other activities are just busy work.

Second Step: Know How To Use The Tools Requiring No Money and Those Most Helpful When You Have Money

If you are reading this you are on line somehow and I realize there is a cost for a connection. A computer and a connection are required.  They cost money.  They are essential tools.  This article is how to market when you have little or no cash. You have to have a connection to market even if you are an off line based business.

How To Market When You Have Little or No Cash.

1. A web site is now required for credibility  and I recommend using  blog technology in most cases. If your business needs an html based web site fine.  You still need a blog.
2. Use social media to drive traffic to your blog.  The primary social media sites for driving traffic are Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.
3. Your goal is strengthening the relationship with your visitors and encouraging them to become part of your list. Even when you are selling a product on line, your primary goal when using the no money marketing approach based on social media traffic is to move your target audience from your social media network to your list where you can communicate with them.

Facebook groups have similar characteristics of an email list.  However, at no time will pounding on your network to buy from you be an effective marketing  strategy.  The Build Profits Group on Facebook is a good example.  All the content sent to the group is intended to be of value. At the same time there is no secret as to my business ventures and professional services.

I used and continue to use Facebook, Twitter and YouTube for the development and growth of three businesses that have cash profits this year. Last year two of the three did not  exist.  Two of the Three took less than $100 cash. Manifest Mastermind was less than $1,000.  Today all are marketed using social media.. time yes, cash no.

Manifest Mastermind:
New Digital Media, Inc
IR Consulting, Inc

I use one autoresponder account for all businesses and lists. I use one hosting account for all domains. If you have no cash you can use blogger and by-pass the autoresponder.  When you have some cash, convert your blogs to a WordPress based platform with individual C-Panel access. If you don’t know why you need these tools,  learn. I feel an autoresponder is a must have tool for building a list. No matter what is being discussed in social media circles, email is still very important and valuable.  So if you cannot afford an autoresponder, then track your email list manually until you can afford it.

Once I had built some cash flow, I outsourced certain of the work required to continue building the social media network and continue to do so.  Notice earlier I mentioned I do not spend cash on marketing. However, I do leverage my time which is very valuable. I view the development of your own social media network essential for business and your social media network is an  asset. I work on this everyday – everyday.

I do not outsource content origination meaning blog articles, posts to Facebook groups,  Tweets and autoresponder messages. Some of this work can be outsourced. I do all of it now and some of it soon, will be  outsourced.  However, some content cannot be outsourced as it is my voice.

I will cover key points in building your social media network in the next article.

The easiest way to follow this series is to become a member of  my Facebook Group Build Profits. Register for my list.  What is in it for you?  Candidly the information you receive here in most instances is more valuable than programs you will pay hundreds and even thousands of dollars for.  Why do I offer this information?  Because some people will want me to become part of my Executive Coaching Program,  some companies will want my consulting services and some will want help in building their social media network. Most of all some people will write and say ” I followed what you wrote and it worked – thank you”  That my friends is the greatest reward of all.

Sending you energy of health, happiness, prosperity

Steve Pohlit

Business Consulting, Executive Coach
Turnaround/Crisis Management
Temporary CEO, CFO, Controller Services
International Business Resources

Social Media Services
New Digital Media, Inc.

727-587-7871
Email

About: Steve Pohlit is a CPA,MBA and has been the CFO of several major domestic and international companies.  Steve is a business owner and an expert business consultant focused on building profits and net asset value. He is very experienced with Internet marketing and social media marketing.  All articles published by Steve unless specifically restricted may be freely published with this resource information.

Author: Steve Pohlit

Managing Partner Time To Be Great, LLC Global Independent Distributor Healy, Vollara, Xelliss, BEMER Business and Real Estate Coach, Consultant Professional Speaker, Author

18 thoughts on “Build Profits: 7 Step Marketing Plan plus How To Market With No Cash”

  1. I couldnt agree more about low cost or free marketing, I think a lot of people go into online marketing thinking their is no work involved. Well we all know the falacy of that it is a lot of work to get your web site and your business noticed. I use trffic exchnges a few safelists and a whole slew of free advertising sites, used all in conjunction they can have some effect in the long run you must be persistent.

  2. Excellent informative article. Thanks for being so generous with your knowledge! I’ll be re-reading this one from time to time to make sure I stay on track.

  3. Hi Steve,

    I have just connected with you via Twitter, so in some way I am just proving your article to be right 😉

    Anyway, thank you for a great article, and I sure will add your rsss to my feed.

    Michael

  4. I found this information to be very helpful in marketing my new network marketing business. I have bookmarked this page for future reference. I’m new to the network marketing industry and open to suggestions in marketing my business online & offline.
    Sincerely,
    EvolvLadyTexas on Twitter

  5. Social marketing is one of the best resources for expanding your online business. I’m a big fan of it and write about it a lot… I too have a hard time outsourcing much of my business, wanting things to be published “in my own voice”. It seems that when I have commissioned articles to be written in the past, that I ended up re-writing much of them because they missed the point I wanted to make or they made assumptions that were not, in my experience, necessarily true.
    Great article, BTW… Glad were connected on Twitter… gwcalvert

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  7. I enjoyed your article, especially the bit about marketing constantly.

    I recently set up a division in my massive 3 man repair business and now pay a web designer and have studied seo and social media to increase the reach of my company and have just launched repairman academy aimed at repairmen who have no time to market them selves apart from business cards.

    My next goals is to sit down and study copywriting because I enjoy sharing, but lack the flair to make my articles and books captivating, Here I go though and loving it.

    yours positively
    Richard

  8. I followed what you wrote and it worked.

    Ok you made me say that but its true 🙂 The message is timeless and it works. So thanks for sharing the post as I continued on with the low cost to no cost advertising. Love the way you put it together.

    Looking forward to reading more of your pearls of wisdom.

    Thanks
    Gregory Brus

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  10. All great ideas, but I would really urge someone to pursue an autoresponder as early as they can. Many services will allow a free trial period. Use this time to do whatever it takes to be able to fund one. Aside from marketing your own business dedicate a good period of time marketing as an affiliate for the autoresponder.

    The sooner this tool can start paying for itself the smoother your growth will be. Not many feelings can compare to knowing that your autoresponder subscription bill is paid for every month.

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