These are tough times especially  for start-ups. Mithun Bhardwaj shares tips on how to survive on a tight budget

Marketing during the pandemic has become a minefield for start-ups as they need to communicate directly with customers, especially now that physicality approach is no longer advisable. While it may not be the time to blindly push a product, it is the moment to show what the start-up stands for. Use that to make a play for customers’ attention, and, eventually, their money. Don’t rely on the same old banner ads. The good news is that’s it possible to deliver big marketing results, no matter how tight your budget.

If you have an idea for a brilliant invention and are thinking about pursuing it, you don’t need to invest much on marketing. Investing is not only monetary investment it also include thoughts.

Potential buyers care less about what you have to say about yourself, and more about what your customers have to say about you. People trust each other. People may be paying less attention to ads, but they’re paying more attention to what they hear. Turn your customers into advertisers.

Organic marketing on social media is when you get customers to come to you naturally over time, rather than “artificially” via paid links or boosted posts. This approach will produce long-term results that help you maintain your audience. Organic marketing is successful because it acts like word-of-mouth recommendations; if people are hearing about it or seeing it from other people, they are more likely to be interested. This will spread awareness about your product through publishing articles on several available websites.

This will often offer a bigger bang for the buck. Younger customers are not reading a magazine cover to cover. They see products on Instagram. It means to convert to a buyer is easier, and more effective through organic marketing. And now, it’s only one click away.

You must have heard this phrase earlier many a times. It’s really important to make people read about your product. It’s even more important to make people aware about your niche especially when content is known as the king of online marketing.

Focus on storytelling versus storyselling, you don’t have to use your website to merely tell your own story. The stories that matter are those of the people who have used your products and services and found them beneficial. Limited funds give you an excuse to flex your creative muscle and truly share your vision with the world.

Set up days dedicated to brainstorming, outlining, creating/scheduling, polishing, and promoting. Yes, the content production process is pretty tedious, but having a solid plan laid out in writing can make all the difference.

Digital is not the medium where you can wait devising your next canny move in a marketing strategy. Everything on social media happens in the twinkling of an eye and not days or hours count but minutes or even seconds. The faster you can react the bigger advantage you can gain over competitors.

Marketing during the pandemic has become a minefield for startups.  Startups need to communicate directly with their customers, especially now that physicality approach is no longer advisable.

While it may not be the time to blindly push a product, it is the moment to show what the startup stands for. Use that to make a play for customers' attention, and, eventually, their money.

Recommendations by influencers can be even more powerful, given their approach of creating content and connecting with the audiences. Barter with upcoming blogger/vloggers instead of big players, which are looking for opportunities and are good at creating content. Start-ups should use influencers during this time.

As many businesses and even influencers are in need to produce new content given that consumers stuck at home are spending more time than ever online.

Elasticity helps consumers find the best deals available, increasing demand, and creating strong brand loyalty. When the price of a product or service goes up, consumers will either pay the increased price or search for a substitute at a more affordable rate. Marketing helps businesses educate consumers on their products, services, and offerings, especially when they offer lower prices. The ubiquity of the Internet means the availability of substitute goods and services is almost infinite.

With search engines and other e-Commerce sites, consumers have more options than ever. Internet marketing uses the power of so many options to educate and inform consumers on the wide array of substitute products that are available at more affordable rates.

Marketing a lifestyle around a product increases the demand not only for the item, but for the culture it fosters. When the demand for a product is less about the item itself and more about the brand, price changes have less impact on consumer demand. Companies like can help you cultivate and maintain such a brand for your business.

The writer is Director, Zashed Fashiontech