More Cheap Tricks for Promoting Your Business

Home
>
Advertising
>
More Cheap Tricks for Promoting Your Business

More Cheap Tricks for Promoting Your Business

In a recent article, I shared five of my top 10 favorite tricks for promoting your business without spending much (or any) money. Several readers wrote and said they enjoyed the first five tips, so I'm hoping the next five will be just as helpful.

There's nothing like getting valuable exposure and new clients for your business without spending a dime (or perhaps spending just a few). Here are five more of my favorite tips for doing just that.

1. Submit an article to a business magazine or newsletter. Chances are there are lots of publications out there that are geared to your target audience. For instance, I receive numerous publications about marketing, communications, and running a business. These types of business publications are almost always looking for articles and information that will be valuable to their readers. And most of them welcome articles that are submitted by experts in the field (i.e., people like you). If you're not already, familiarize yourself with the publications that your target audience reads, such as those published by trade associations or your local business newspaper (many are found at www.bizjournals.com). Then start pitching articles - not only will you get exposure in front of those who read the publication, but you can send copies of your article to clients and prospects. (For specific tips about how to write publishable business articles, see the August 2004 issue of my newsletter, "Marketing Tips from The WriteShop." It's available at www.writeshoponline.com/newsletter_writeshop.shtml.)

2. Advertise in local, low-cost venues. If your business is local or focused in a specific community, don't waste your time and money with advertising that reaches audiences much larger than your target. For instance, advertising in a large metropolitan newspaper is unnecessary if your target audience is actually located in two or three suburbs of the metropolis. Instead, consider low-cost advertising venues, such as high school football programs, alternative newspapers or community newsletters. They'll be more tailored to your target audience and will be much easier on your budget.

3. Keep in touch with customers via e-mail. Convenient, easy and virtually fr*e, e-mail offers powerful marketing opportunities. If you don't already, start collecting customers' e-mail addresses (with their permission, of course). Sending e-mails too frequently can annoy your customers and be counterproductive, so don't take advantage of the medium - but using it wisely can be an effective, inexpensive way to keep in touch. Clients will usually be glad to hear from you, especially if you're using e-mail to send information that is valuable to them, such as announcements of special events, discount offers, helpful newsletters, or articles that interest them.

4. Network, network, network. We've all heard that it's not what you know that matters; it's who you know. Simply getting to know people is possibly the least expensive and most valuable activity you can undertake to help promote your business. If your business is local, attend networking events in your community, many of which are cheap or even fr*e. (Check your newspaper's business section for listings.) And don't be stingy with your network - when you have two acquaintances who could do business together, introduce them to each other. When you share your contacts, you simply broaden your network and others will be more likely to introduce their own contacts to you.

5. Ask for referrals. We all love to get referrals, because they often bring business - or at least interested prospects - with little, if any, effort from us. But referrals are few and far between if you simply wait around for them. Instead, those who really want to succeed in building word-of-mouth business must develop a referral system. When you've pleased a client, don't be afraid to ask for referrals. You'll get more success if you explain clearly what type of clients you're looking for. And when clients refer you to their friends or contacts, be sure to thank them appropriately. For instance, one of my clients, a carpet cleaning company, asks every customer to refer their friends and neighbors. When those friends turn out to be clients, the company sends the referrer a coupon, which is redeemable for cleaning services or cash. That way, everybody wins - the new customer, the old customer, and of course, the carpet cleaning company.

About The Author

Nancy Jackson of The WriteShop helps companies better market their products and services with powerful communications including newsletters, articles, Web content, brochures and custom publications. Subscribe to her free monthly newsletter at www.writeshoponline.com or e-mail info@writeshoponline.com for a free quote for marketing communications services.

In The News:

CBC.ca
GM says Super Bowl ads too expensive and bows out
Philadelphia Inquirer
The Detroit automaker said Friday that it won't be advertising on the Feb. 3 spectacle because of a steep price hike demanded by CBS, the network broadcasting the game. "We understand the reach the Super Bowl provides, but with the significant increase ...
GM Drops Another Advertising Bombshell -- On the Super BowlForbes
GM Says It Won't Advertise During Next Super Bowl GameBusinessWeek
Recommended: GM won't advertise on next Super Bowl, report saysmsnbc.com

all 305 news articles »

Christian Science Monitor
Advertisers and Facebook face an uphill battle. But it could be worth it.
Christian Science Monitor
General Motors' decision to invest significantly less advertising dollars in Facebook inspired some to suggest that the world's most popular social network needs to grow up. By Megan Riesz / May 18, 2012 Facebook increased the size of its initial ...
Is Advertising on Facebook Worth the Expense?TIME
Companies ask: Does advertising on Facebook pay?Seattle Post Intelligencer

all 13,909 news articles »

Oakfield marketing students dive into advertising
Fond du Lac Reporter
Marketing students at Oakfield High School delved into the world of "Mad Men" recently by creating an advertising campaign for a local business. Fondy Sports Park teamed up with the high school's marketing department to give students a realistic ...

CIO Today
Does Advertising on Facebook Pay?
CIO Today
By Peter Svensson And Tom Krisher GM's advertising spending is a tiny fraction of Facebook's total 2011 advertising revenue of $3.15 billion. But the automaker's decision to cease advertising on the social network could be symptomatic of Facebook's ...
Facebook Advertising Shows 'A Lot Of Potential But It's Not A Slam-Dunk'Huffington Post
Advertisers weigh in on the value of Facebook adsExaminer.com
Why I Lost My Faith In Facebook AdvertisingForbes
New York Times -AdAge.com -San Francisco Chronicle
all 204 news articles »

USA TODAY
GM Says Facebook Ads Don't Pay Off
Wall Street Journal
By SHARON TERLEP, SUZANNE VRANICA and SHAYNDI RAICE General Motors plans to stop advertising on Facebook after the company's marketing executives determined their paid ads had little impact on consumers. Sharon Terlep has details on The News Hub.
Facebook's biggest problem is that it's a media companyWashington Post
Do Facebook ads work? IPO, GM spotlight issueUSA TODAY
Facebook sparks divide: GM, Ford advertising strategies divergeDetroit Free Press
Chicago Tribune -Forbes -WebProNews
all 939 news articles »

Dragas Mortgage Company Selects JASE Group LLC as Advertising Agency of Record
PR.com (press release)
JASE Group LLC (jasegroup.com) will serve as the Inbound Marketing & Creative Advertising agency of record for Dragas Mortgage Company (dragasmortgage.com) of Virginia Beach, VA. Virginia Beach, VA, May 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Dragas Mortgage Company ...

AIADMK spent crores of public wealth on their advertising: Karunanidhi
Daily News & Analysis
Place: Chennai | Agency: PTI DMK President M Karunanidhi on Sunday flayed the Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu for its advertising campaign listing its "achievements" on completing one year in office, saying it had spent a "huge amount" of ...

and more »

Presidential TV advertising onslaught begins, but is Pennsylvania really a ...
The Republic
The advertising onslaught of the fall presidential election has begun in Pennsylvania and a handful of other states that may be up for grabs between President Barack Obama and his Republican challenger, Mitt Romney. Republicans and Democrats both ...

and more »

Successful Merger Creates New Integrated Advertising Agency for Automotive Dealers
PR.com (press release)
New Jersey based automotive wholesaler, Vincent Grace, gained a substantial partner this week, RDI Inc, an automotive advertising & marketing firm. Teterboro, NJ, May 20, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Dealers nationwide will be presented a direct mail marketing ...

Speedway green flags advertising
Post-Tribune
With Fuzzy's Ultra Premium Vodka and Shell Oil Co. signs hung on the walls of turns three and four, Speedway CEO Jeff Belskus is predicting double-digit percentage increases in Indianapolis 500 advertising and sponsorship revenue.

and more »

Google News