Advertisements are always an expensive affair, but with a bit of creativity, you can get them for free. Let me share an old experience of mine.
When I built Makeyourcards, I had no idea how to market it. Some friends suggested SEO, but I wasn’t confident about it at the time.
What Was Makeyourcards?
Makeyourcards was an online portal where customers could send personalized greeting cards that resembled traditional postal letters. At the time, there was no similar online service offering this kind of experience, making it a fresh and intriguing idea.
Back then, running ads would have cost me ₹3,000–₹5,000 per month, and even if I spent that, there was no guarantee of results. (Later, when I started my own company, I did SEO myself and saw the results, which finally made me believe in it.)
That’s when I approached Vanitha Magazine with my portal. They loved the idea and published an article about it. Only later did I realize that if I had paid for such an advertisement, it would have cost me around ₹5 lakh!
I got it for free because the portal had a unique concept—something that caught their attention and had the potential to attract their audience.
The Lesson in Organic Marketing
Back then, we had only magazines, newspapers, and traditional media for marketing. But today, the opportunities are 100 times greater with online media and influencers.
These media platforms and influencers are looking for just two things:
- Money
- Content that attracts their followers
If you don’t have money, you need to create something unique and engaging—something that naturally grabs their attention.
It’s not enough to tell people that your product is different; they must be able to see it for themselves. Either they should find you, or you should find a way to reach them in a way that makes them want to feature you. If done right, you can get free promotions.
When I talk about uniqueness, think about Biryani—just adding an extra ingredient won’t make it unique. It requires careful observation, creativity, and proper execution.
Final Thought
This experience taught me that creativity can replace money in marketing if used the right way. The media and influencers are always looking for fresh, engaging content. If your idea is truly unique and valuable, they will come to you—just like Vanitha Magazine did for me.
