The most common businesses in Kenya are cosmetics shops, jewelry and clothes shops or importing handbags from Uganda. These are businesses that do not require a lot of start up capital. If you start one of these businesses, how do you market it on a tight budget?
Advertising on radio or television media is expensive but here are a few tips to promote your Kenyan business on a budget:
Social media
Reach out to your personal friends through social media. You can also create pages on social media for your business and engage your customers. This is the cheapest ways to market your business.
Market all the time
Bumped into a friend in town do not forget to mention your business. In the office, at home…you could compliment some random stranger in a matatu and finish off with “I am into this business, if interested we could hook up.”
Networking
It can be quite hard if you are not the extrovert or outgoing person. It takes time but building a network enables your business to thrive. Someone you met and shook hands with will refer your business to their friend or family.
Have free samples
Business such as cake making can be an ideal platform for this strategy. Offer your customers free samples before they decide on which cake flavor to order. This builds confidence in the customer that you will provide the best service and that their choice is right.
All the best when marketing your business.