Time is everything when you’re building a startup.
You’re likely juggling a million things at once—securing funding, maintaining consistent quality in products or services, and ensuring market fit.
Amidst all this, you need to spread the word about your awesome product or service. That can feel like a huge hurdle, especially when a full-time team isn’t in the cards. Turns out, there are some pretty smart ways to handle this.
Here, we’ll share some strategies that will help you scale up without adding a single full-time marketer to your payroll.
#1 Automate Repetitive, Time-Consuming Tasks
Why spend precious time on tasks that technology can do?
Automation is the secret to handling routine marketing activities efficiently. It frees up your time, which you can spend on other business activities.
Keeping your social media buzzing is important, but it can take up a lot of time. Instead of spending hours posting manually every day, use automation tools to schedule your posts in advance across various platforms.
These platforms do more than just scheduling; they often provide analytics to help you understand what’s working best.
Email marketing remains a powerful way to connect with your audience. According to Startups Magazine, one of its biggest draws is delivering consistent ROI year on year. Use platforms with automation capabilities to send targeted messages without manual effort for each interaction.
Invest in customer management software as well. You will be able to effectively handle customer engagement, track leads through the sales funnel and automate key sales and marketing activities.
#2 Hire a Fractional CMO
Can’t afford a full-time Chief Marketing Officer (CMO)? No problem. Get yourself a fractional one.
A fractional CMO is an experienced marketing executive who offers their expertise on a part-time basis. In other words, you gain top-tier marketing expertise without the full-time price tag. They typically dedicate 5, 10, or 20 hours per week to your business, depending on your needs.
Grit Daily News reports that businesses seeking high-level expertise minus the burden of a full-time executive’s salary are turning to fractional executives.
So, why should you consider hiring them? Mandel Marketing explains that they can offer your startup strategic guidance, expertise, and resources. That way, you can build a strong market presence and grow your customer base.
They also bring fresh ideas from working across industries, so you can stay ahead of competitors.
One of the biggest advantages is flexibility. Fractional CMOs work on a project basis or as required, so you aren’t locked in long-term contracts. You can scale their involvement with your company’s growth.
#3 Use Guerilla Marketing on Social Media
Don’t have a hefty ad budget to make waves online? Guerilla marketing has your back. It can help you create buzz on social media and make people talk about your brand.
Effective guerilla marketing thrives on surprise, humor, and crafting moments so compelling they instantly become shareable, capturing attention and driving engagement.
Case in point—Coca-Cola’s “Happiness Machine” campaign. At St. John’s University in Queens, NY, a Coca-Cola vending machine surprised students by dispensing more than soda.
The soft drink manufacturer secretly filmed students’ joyful reactions to unexpected treats, which went viral on YouTube. Surprisingly, it has garnered more than 11 million views to date.
To come up with your own guerilla marketing ideas for social media, think about what would genuinely surprise or delight your target audience.
Could you create a short, funny video that plays on a common pain point in your industry? Perhaps an interactive survey or quiz related to your product or service?
Don’t be afraid to leverage trending topics or memes. But make sure your approach feels relevant and humorous rather than forced.
#4 DIY PR Because Free Publicity is the Best Publicity
PR is one of the most powerful marketing tools out there. And guess what? You don’t need a fancy PR firm to get media coverage—you can do it yourself.
Before you craft a press release, define your brand story. To be impactful, a press release must have a compelling headline to draw readers in. It must also have a clear lead paragraph that answers the fundamental questions of who, what, when, where, and why.
Include supporting details, quotes from key team members, and your contact information. Keep them short, newsworthy, and straight to the point. No fluff.
To maximize your reach, build a media contact list of journalists, bloggers, and influencers covering your area. Tools like HARO (Help a Reporter Out) and Muck Rack can help you find relevant contacts.
Personalize your pitches when reaching out. Mention their previous work and explain why your story would be relevant to their audience. Keep your emails brief and to the point, and always follow up politely if you don’t receive an initial response.
Scaling your startup’s marketing without a full-time team is not only possible but often a smart and resourceful approach. Follow these strategies, and you’ll achieve significant growth without a massive marketing budget.
Don’t try to do everything at once. Pick a few strategies that make sense for your business, test them, and double down on what works. And you’ll grow efficiently without burning through your budget.
