If you’re a startup founder or marketer trying to build momentum with little to no budget, good news: Being scrappy is the best place to start. Some of the most effective marketing I’ve ever done — from the early days of my career to my time at Drift — came from moments when there was no budget at all.
When you don’t have big dollars to hide behind, you’re forced to get creative, move fast, and figure out what actually gets attention. You learn by doing, not by building 40-slide decks to ask for $50,000.
In this piece, I’ll walk you through real examples of scrappy marketing tactics that worked, and how you can steal them for your own playbook.
My Own Experience With Low-Budget Marketing
My first job out of college was at a PR agency. This was back in 2009, and the “playbook” was pretty traditional. I built a list of reporters, cold pitched them, hoped for a hit. But social media was just starting to change the game. I realized I could skip the outdated tactics by connecting with reporters directly on Twitter.
I‘d follow their work, comment thoughtfully on their posts, and DM them pitches that showed I actually understood their beat. This wasn’t rocket science. But at the time, no one else was doing it. And, it worked. I started getting quick wins, and internally, people were wondering what my “secret” was. The truth? I was just scrappy and curious.
I also used to ghostwrite for one of the executives at the same company. I would spend all day finding blogs and drafting comments on blog posts, back when blog comments were a community builder.
That would lead to coverage. Thoughtful comments would turn into future opportunities because you’d be seen as an expert. The reporters would say, “Wow, this is a really good comment on this article. Hey, let’s feature this person in the next article.”
Early in my career, I read and devoured everything about social media marketing, digital marketing, and online marketing. I loved the world of posting on Reddit and answering questions on Quora.
Later at HubSpot, I helped launch the company’s first podcast, The Growth Show. I’d find relevant subreddits and creatively promote the podcast. We got a lot of links and a lot of love. I just kind of fell into this scrappy level of marketing.
At Drift, I applied that same mindset at scale. We didn’t buy billboards across San Francisco, but we did buy one billboard outside a key customer’s office for $1,200. We put a screenshot of her tweet on it, and she ended up taking a photo in front of it. That tweet did more for us than any display ad ever could.
Or take the time we went to SaaStr. We didn’t have a booth. Our CEO had a speaking slot, and I flew out with my podcast gear in my backpack. I recorded interviews, wrote articles, and created a ton of content — all for the price of a plane ticket.
So, how can you make a big impact with a small budget? Here are my biggest learnings.
4 Tips for Marketing Without a Budget
1. Play where you have leverage.
The fastest, most cost-effective place to start is social media. It’s where people hang out, whether they’re buying software or shoes.
When I say social, I don’t just mean paid ads or promo posts. I mean actually showing up where your audience spends time. That might mean posting on LinkedIn, replying to threads on Reddit, or sharing insights in niche Slack groups.
2. Create shareable moments.
The best scrappy plays are often the most memorable. At Drift, we sent handwritten notes and shirts to new customers. Why? Because they took pictures and shared them. It created organic reach and goodwill.
When I launched my book, I paid $5K to plaster posters around Boston like a musician would promote a show. People saw them, took pics, and spread the word.
3. Start with content, not spend.
Most marketers ask, “How much can we spend on this campaign?” But instead, they should ask, ”What’s the most helpful or interesting thing we can make?”
No matter what you make, content that connects is actually high quality, unique, and interesting. I find a plain-text newsletter with real insights much more engaging than a beautifully designed send with custom graphics. A podcast with low-fidelity audio can be more valuable than one made in a state-of-the-art studio.
Focus on getting information into the world that adds value for your audience. You can iterate, then put money behind plays that work.
4. Use scrappy plays to de-risk bigger bets.
Scrappy experiments are low-risk ways to test ideas. Before you invest in a large sponsorship or campaign, test the message organically. Does it get traction on social? Does it resonate with customers? If so, then double down with spend.
Don’t think of being scrappy as an alternative to having a budget; instead, you can use it as a testing ground for great ideas you can double down on.
Scrappy marketing is a mindset.
There’s nothing wrong with spending your marketing budget — after you’ve earned the right to. Budget should amplify what’s already working, not compensate for a weak idea.
Your spend should follow signal. If something scrappy works, put money behind it. Maybe that means sponsoring the event where you had organic momentum. Maybe it means turning your plain-text newsletter into a beautifully produced podcast.
What I don’t believe in is starting with spend. I’d rather make $5K go 10x further with a smart idea than burn it on a booth no one remembers.
Remember, scrappy marketing isn’t just for early-stage startups or underfunded teams. It’s a mindset. It’s about staying close to the customer. Moving fast. Testing before scaling. Creating great content and building trust in places that matter.
That’s the game I’ve always played. And, I’d bet on it every time.
