Small start-up businesses are often at a disadvantage when it comes to promoting themselves because they are restricted by low budgets and limited access to credit. However, part of ensuring success is making sure you get off the ground properly and get your brand known; so what can you do to strike a balance? Here are three top tips for helping you on your way. 

1)    Publicising your launch doesn’t have to mean holding a star-studded party, or even just a party. By all means you may want to create some razamatazz on your first day or even week, by holding an event or putting some opening offers in place, but steady business should be your goal. Think in terms of strategy when planning your offers and launch - offering good but slightly less wowing offers for a longer period could help you to gain returning custom. So, while a big bang is nice, a slower fizz can be more productive.

2)    Don’t dismiss tried and tested traditional methods of marketing, targeted leafleting and email campaigns. These are all inexpensive ways of making yourselves known to your customer. Again, you need to be sparing in your approach; blanket marketing doesn’t always work and can burn budget quickly. Make sure all of your marketing tools are branded and include clear ways to contact you, either by phone or email, and consider having good lines of communication in place an essential part of promoting your business.

3)    Take advantage of free social platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to promote your services and engage with your audience. Facebook is a great way to spread the word about your business - particularly if you are able to offer prizes to your ‘friends’ when they help spread your offering for you. Get savvy with how platforms like this and Twitter work and you will find there’s a lot of marketing you can do for free. A recent survey by Orange Business found there’s been a 663 per cent increase in people using Twitter to ask for business recommendations over the past two years alone, so take time to build a profile and establish yourself as an expert in your field.