10 Ways to Market Your Small Business for FREE (sent in another group I belong to)
6/30/2006
10 Ways to Market Your Small Business For Free!
One skill that a small business owner needs is the ability to stretch $1 in their budget into
$5! There are many little things you can do that will cost you virtually nothing to market
and grow your business. Here are 10 of my favorites:
1) Put Your Email On Your Payroll - Within your email setup, you have the option to
include a signature. This is true of your personal email as well! Next time you
forward that joke or inspirational email to your circle of friends…make sure you have
a signature attached that lists your company name and the URL to your website.
Don’t forget to include that snazzy slogan! Your friends will probably forward that
email out to their friends and in the process send out your signature line. You never
know who that information is going to reach and what that can bring!
2) Borrow “Craigslist†of Friends - Craigslist has become one of the largest
classifieds/bulletin board sites to exist since the Internet began. The audience it
reaches is phenomenal and is growing by leaps and bounds. Can you believe that
almost every posting that exists on Craigslist.org was posted for free! With local
boards in more than 100 cities around the word and with more coming, you have
the potential to tell millions about your business with a free ad. There is a new
wannabe rival to Craigslist called Postaroo (www.Postaroo.com). They allow free
postings as well but have not built the same audience size Craigslist has. Either
way…free is free. If one person reads your ad, it could be the one person who
needs your business!
3) This Ad is “CLASSIFIEDâ€! – Look to your local area’s classified ads. I live in
Raleigh, North Carolina and there are two very large classifieds sites that allow free
posts. A local station here (WRAL) allows free ads on their website that last for 7
days and RTPClassifieds.com allows free ads as well. That ad that took you 5
minutes to write and $0.00 to post could reach thousands and gain you much
exposure. Make sure you start a database of your classified ads that you can cut
and paste in quickly and easily when you find other free classified ad sites.
4) Donate “Cause†You Care – If there is a charity that may be related to your
business or maybe one that is close to your heart, I am sure it is looking for fundraising
items. If the charity is having an auction or giveaway, you could donate a
product or service from your business. You are not only helping them with their
cause, you are also showing your generosity, marketing your business and getting a
tax write-off all at the same time!
5) “Plant†a Business Card – Use area corkboards at grocery stores, libraries and
bookstores to post business cards of your business. Leave many in case a
prospective customer wants to take your information. Keep a list of places where
you have posted the cards and check them regularly to replenish as needed.
6) RIN-N-N-NG! Hello-o-o-o-o New Business! – Every year you get at least one
new set of Yellow Pages…put it on your payroll! Choose an industry that would
benefit from the services your business would offer. Check the yellow pages for a
list of businesses in that industry. Open your planner or your PDA software and
place the information about one of those businesses on your calendar for what you
consider your “light day†for your next week. Take a few minutes to “Google†that
company and find out what you can about it. Then call them. Tell them about your
company and see how you can become a value-add for them. Repeat this with a
different business regularly…once a month…once a week….once a day! It could be
the beginning of a beautiful “business†relationship!
7) Howdy (Corporate) Partner! - Do you have friends that run or work for a
company that could use your services? Ask about helping them! Keep in mind that
10 Ways to Market… - 2 -
outsourcing is a major trend in business today. Cold call large businesses in your
area and inquire about their small business partnerships. Put your business on a
partners list with companies so they know where they can turn when they need
assistance. Companies are always happy to align themselves with a company that
can provide services to them on quick notice versus going through an official hiring
process that could take weeks, maybe even months!
8) I Am Therefore I Write – The best way to let prospective clients and customers
know about you is to use the Internet forums (bulletin boards) to post your expert
opinions. Use your search engines to find online forums that address your area of
expertise. Become a member and spend a few minutes every day or so checking for
questions. It will give you an opportunity to show what you know. (Make sure you
include that infamous signature with your company’s information with your posts!)
You never know who is posting those questions…it could be someone asking on
behalf of a company that you could end up partnering with!
9) Become Your Own Best Customer – How can you expect your customers to buy
something you don’t even “buy†yourself! Maybe you make unusual
handbags…carry one! The general public has NO problem asking about where you
got something! Proudly tell them it is one of your originals! Do you design creative
and innovative brochures? Create one for your favorite charity (with their
permission, of course) and donate a few copies and the PDF version of your creation
(with a small “Designed by….†with your name and web address). You never know
whose hands that brochure may end up in! Paving the way to additional business!
10) Print Your Own Money – Wait! Let me explain! Don’t do anything that might get
you in trouble with the Feds but offer your best customers the opportunity to make
money! Design your own currency. When one of your clients sends you a customer
that buys from you, give that client a rebate based on what the new customer
purchases. Do you make items? Include that rebate offer inside the item for them
to share with a friend! Say that new customer ends up purchasing $1000 worth of
services or product. You could send the client who referred you a 10% rebate or
$100 in “Your Moneyâ€. The client can use your “dollars†to buy even more services
from you. Keep in mind…that is a 90% profit for you! In other words in this case,
that is an additional $900 in your pocket. Plus, a referral or customer testimony can
be your best marketing. Make it fun…express your creativity…make all
denominations and include fun pics of you or your products in use! Your clients will
love it! And the referral business will flow in to your business like water!
So I challenge you! Pick one of these ideas to try. Remember, results most likely will not
be immediate. Try it for 6 months and see what type of return you get. What do you have
to lose but a few minutes of your time? It may just be the thing your business needs to
take it to the next level!
10 Ways to Market Your Small Business For Free!
One skill that a small business owner needs is the ability to stretch $1 in their budget into
$5! There are many little things you can do that will cost you virtually nothing to market
and grow your business. Here are 10 of my favorites:
1) Put Your Email On Your Payroll - Within your email setup, you have the option to
include a signature. This is true of your personal email as well! Next time you
forward that joke or inspirational email to your circle of friends…make sure you have
a signature attached that lists your company name and the URL to your website.
Don’t forget to include that snazzy slogan! Your friends will probably forward that
email out to their friends and in the process send out your signature line. You never
know who that information is going to reach and what that can bring!
2) Borrow “Craigslist†of Friends - Craigslist has become one of the largest
classifieds/bulletin board sites to exist since the Internet began. The audience it
reaches is phenomenal and is growing by leaps and bounds. Can you believe that
almost every posting that exists on Craigslist.org was posted for free! With local
boards in more than 100 cities around the word and with more coming, you have
the potential to tell millions about your business with a free ad. There is a new
wannabe rival to Craigslist called Postaroo (www.Postaroo.com). They allow free
postings as well but have not built the same audience size Craigslist has. Either
way…free is free. If one person reads your ad, it could be the one person who
needs your business!
3) This Ad is “CLASSIFIEDâ€! – Look to your local area’s classified ads. I live in
Raleigh, North Carolina and there are two very large classifieds sites that allow free
posts. A local station here (WRAL) allows free ads on their website that last for 7
days and RTPClassifieds.com allows free ads as well. That ad that took you 5
minutes to write and $0.00 to post could reach thousands and gain you much
exposure. Make sure you start a database of your classified ads that you can cut
and paste in quickly and easily when you find other free classified ad sites.
4) Donate “Cause†You Care – If there is a charity that may be related to your
business or maybe one that is close to your heart, I am sure it is looking for fundraising
items. If the charity is having an auction or giveaway, you could donate a
product or service from your business. You are not only helping them with their
cause, you are also showing your generosity, marketing your business and getting a
tax write-off all at the same time!
5) “Plant†a Business Card – Use area corkboards at grocery stores, libraries and
bookstores to post business cards of your business. Leave many in case a
prospective customer wants to take your information. Keep a list of places where
you have posted the cards and check them regularly to replenish as needed.
6) RIN-N-N-NG! Hello-o-o-o-o New Business! – Every year you get at least one
new set of Yellow Pages…put it on your payroll! Choose an industry that would
benefit from the services your business would offer. Check the yellow pages for a
list of businesses in that industry. Open your planner or your PDA software and
place the information about one of those businesses on your calendar for what you
consider your “light day†for your next week. Take a few minutes to “Google†that
company and find out what you can about it. Then call them. Tell them about your
company and see how you can become a value-add for them. Repeat this with a
different business regularly…once a month…once a week….once a day! It could be
the beginning of a beautiful “business†relationship!
7) Howdy (Corporate) Partner! - Do you have friends that run or work for a
company that could use your services? Ask about helping them! Keep in mind that
10 Ways to Market… - 2 -
outsourcing is a major trend in business today. Cold call large businesses in your
area and inquire about their small business partnerships. Put your business on a
partners list with companies so they know where they can turn when they need
assistance. Companies are always happy to align themselves with a company that
can provide services to them on quick notice versus going through an official hiring
process that could take weeks, maybe even months!
8) I Am Therefore I Write – The best way to let prospective clients and customers
know about you is to use the Internet forums (bulletin boards) to post your expert
opinions. Use your search engines to find online forums that address your area of
expertise. Become a member and spend a few minutes every day or so checking for
questions. It will give you an opportunity to show what you know. (Make sure you
include that infamous signature with your company’s information with your posts!)
You never know who is posting those questions…it could be someone asking on
behalf of a company that you could end up partnering with!
9) Become Your Own Best Customer – How can you expect your customers to buy
something you don’t even “buy†yourself! Maybe you make unusual
handbags…carry one! The general public has NO problem asking about where you
got something! Proudly tell them it is one of your originals! Do you design creative
and innovative brochures? Create one for your favorite charity (with their
permission, of course) and donate a few copies and the PDF version of your creation
(with a small “Designed by….†with your name and web address). You never know
whose hands that brochure may end up in! Paving the way to additional business!
10) Print Your Own Money – Wait! Let me explain! Don’t do anything that might get
you in trouble with the Feds but offer your best customers the opportunity to make
money! Design your own currency. When one of your clients sends you a customer
that buys from you, give that client a rebate based on what the new customer
purchases. Do you make items? Include that rebate offer inside the item for them
to share with a friend! Say that new customer ends up purchasing $1000 worth of
services or product. You could send the client who referred you a 10% rebate or
$100 in “Your Moneyâ€. The client can use your “dollars†to buy even more services
from you. Keep in mind…that is a 90% profit for you! In other words in this case,
that is an additional $900 in your pocket. Plus, a referral or customer testimony can
be your best marketing. Make it fun…express your creativity…make all
denominations and include fun pics of you or your products in use! Your clients will
love it! And the referral business will flow in to your business like water!
So I challenge you! Pick one of these ideas to try. Remember, results most likely will not
be immediate. Try it for 6 months and see what type of return you get. What do you have
to lose but a few minutes of your time? It may just be the thing your business needs to
take it to the next level!
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