Tips for small business advertising

Small businesses that have been running stable for a period of about 5 years or longer have a tendency to be static and use the same marketing strategies that worked for them in the past. In the era of internet marketing this could be a costly mistake with serious consequences in the future even if your business is still running smoothly and you’re making good profit. A clever small business owner should always pay attention to how times are changing and develop his marketing strategies in accordance. Recent events in world economy make it even harder for small businesses to adapt, so paying attention to details and spending your marketing budget wisely is paramount for any businesses success.

• Facebook ads are inexpensive and easy tool for surveying your target demographic. With Facebook ads you have a number of options and you can target specific groups according to their age, gender, likes, or education. It is certainly value for money since you can run ads on Facebook with a rather small budget.

• Create partnerships with other companies whose target audience matches your own. Propose a joint marketing plan you couldn’t afford on your own and create enough buzz from which both you and your partner can profit.

• Your website should have a simple and effective design. Many people will form their opinion of the services you provide by browsing your website. However, don’t splash a large portion of your budget on expensive web design and focus on usability. 
• Spending your marketing budget on Search Engine Optimization can reap great results which can be measured within just a couple of days or weeks, depending on the services you’re offering. For example, if you own a small taxi company or a car service, enabling SEO could bring in a lot of new customers, especially if you’re based in an area dense with population.

• Engage bloggers to write about your products or services. Discover relevant bloggers from your geographic area and offer them something so they will promote your product or service. Easiest way to get a blogger to write about your product is to give them something for free in exchange for exposure. Blogger reviews provide personal insight about products or services which people can relate to.

• TV advertising can be expensive but if you know who you’re targeting it could easily pay off. Contact your local cable TV provider about prices and their options for TV advertising. Most cable providers have demographic information which could prove helpful when choosing in which area you want your ad to be broadcasted. This can help you reach those that are most likely to use your products or services.

• Flyers and various promotional merchandise are often underrated as a form of advertising. They’re inexpensive to design and produce, and you can always get a young relative to distribute them for small compensation. If you’re planning on a large scale distribution of flyers, you may want to consider hiring high school or college students.