Six things to do with the last of your FY23 budget

With the end of the financial year in sight, many marketers are under pressure to use their remaining budget or lose it.

While there may not be enough left in the kitty to commission that big research report on your wish list, you may be able to squeeze in that blog post, white paper or case study you’ve been meaning to get to. Also, consider refreshing existing content so it continues to work for your business.

Here are some ways you could put any leftover marketing budget to good use.

1. Create evergreen content. Evergreen content is search engine–optimised content that remains relevant and useful for a long time – even indefinitely. This type of content includes ‘how-to’ guides, ‘listicles’ (like this one!), product reviews and tutorials. Evergreen content can drive website traffic and generate leads long after it was initially published. It can also establish your business as an industry authority by providing valuable information that readers will find useful over time.
2. Establish yourself as a thought leader. Writing a blog post or LinkedIn article could be the first step to becoming a trusted authority in your industry. Relevant, insightful and well-researched content helps build credibility and trust with audiences, which can lead to increased brand recognition and customer loyalty. This in turn could give you a big competitive advantage – particularly in the business-to-business world, where trust is valued so highly.
3. Write a whitepaper. Want to explain a complex concept to a specialist audience while subtly promoting your company or a product? Brochures are still a staple sales tool, but if your customers are discerning business buyers, a white paper may be more compelling. It will allow you to drill down into technical details and explain the business benefits of your product or service in more depth.
4. Work with customers to tell your story in a case study. Customer advocacy is still one of the best ways of enticing prospects to contact your business or even seal a deal, with 40 per cent of B2B buyers reading case studies when researching a purchase according to a Demand Gen Report survey. If a case study proves too difficult, consider asking for a testimonial quote instead. See our blog post on how to write effective case studies.
5. Diversify with video or a podcast. Short-form video has been a top marketing trend for a decade, for good reason. According to a Wyzowl survey of marketers who used video marketing in 2022, 91 per cent said it had increased traffic to their web site and 87 per cent said it had increased sales. But it’s not just a matter of firing up a microphone or camera – you need to prepare a script. See our guide to creating podcasts.
6. Treat your team to a long lunch or team-building event. After the upheaval of the last few years, we’re sure they deserve it!

Yes, okay, we admit to some self-interest here. But that’s not to say that these ideas aren’t well worth pursuing – either inhouse or through a provider like us. If you don’t have time to worry about it, get in touch. We have the professional editing and writing skills you need to make your content sing.