With today’s technology, launching a startup business isn’t the headache it once was. There are several low cost and even free strategies to consider before you invest a dime, or ask anyone else to. Here are four tips that provide powerful jumping off points for a startup.

Use Social Media

Websites and social media cost almost nothing, but you should still have a plan for how you use them. Professional website designers such as Designhill can help assess your needs and ensure you include all the social media buttons and links necessary to establish an effective Internet presence. Having a sound social media strategy gives your startup business a good chance of driving the right traffic to your product.

Prioritize Your Time Wisely

Time management skills are essential for launching a startup. You’ll be pulled in a hundred different directions a day, so you have to know how to prioritize tasks. Fortunately, there are several excellent time management tools available, many of them free. Google has a suite of products to help small business, from integrated email and calendar tools to social media to website analytics. These products are powerful assets that can help manage your time, your knowledge, and your business.

See Investors as Optional

Don’t assume you need investors to launch your startup business. There are a lot of steps you can take before investors need to enter the picture. If you have to, you can start your business without investors. People do it all the time.

If you think investors have to be part of your startup, reassess your business plan until you come up with something that works without investment. Slash all unnecessary costs, and be prepared to invest your own capital. After all, no one will want to invest in anything you haven’t invested in yourself.

Learn Marketing Skills

One of the first rules of marketing is to know your audience. Exposure in a big media outlet is might sound great, but if that outlet doesn’t have an audience who’s interested in your product, then your efforts, not to mention your money, will probably be better spent elsewhere. Use social media, as well as other marketing venues, wisely. Try to drive traffic to your audience and thus to your product. You can spend every dime you have on expensive advertising, but if it’s in the wrong place, it won’t get the results you want.

Launching a startup business is one of the most difficult things a person can do, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Following these tips can help make it one of the most successful, too.