You don’t need to have a large budget set aside to market you business. There are many great low-cost ways which can effectively promote your business.
1. Add Value to Your Customers
The basic rule of marketing is to create value for customers to gain value in return. Make your consumers feel special and let them know how important they are for your business. Don’t forget your old clients when making new ones.
2. Create Your Business Card
Make sure you have a business card to hand out to prospects with all vital contact information. You can also hand out notepads to your clients, with your business details printed on every page as they serve as excellent source of reminders and have fewer chances of being misplaced or discarded.
3. Have a Logo Designed for your Business
Have a professional design a distinctive logo for you. If you cannot afford the cost, you can get a logo designed from many websites offering the service for a low fee. A distinctive logo will help your prospects to differentiate you from others.
4. Get Active on Twitter and Facebook
Social marketing is a top priority for 45% of senior marketers. Interactive marketing in the US will hit nearly $55 billion by 2014. Social media is expected to increase to $3.1 billion by 2014. Adopt social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to grow your business. It is imperative to participate in social media to stay competitive. Social media is bound to accelerate your marketing efforts.
5. Start Your Own Business Blog
Start your own business blog to interact with your clients. Make sure that you post on regular basis. Stay relevant to your area of business to make sure you hold your client’s attention. It is a great low-cost way to stay in touch with your clients.
6. Offer Advice on Other Blogs
Get active on other relevant blogs and offer your expert advice whenever possible. This is an easy way to interact with prospects and boost your reputation in your area of business. Make sure that your comments don’t seem like an advertisement for your business.
7. Comment on Forums and Message Boards
Frequently comment on forums and message boards that are relevant to your business. This is an excellent way to gain visibility and acceptance among potential prospects. Make sure you stay relevant to the topic and comment on regular basis.
8. Register yourself on Google Places
If you are a traditional brick-and-mortar business, it is vital that you get yourself registered at Google Places. It is an effective no-cost way to reach out to customers as they are likely to search for available options online.
9. Go Viral
Viral marketing is an effective method to promote your business at hardly any cost. Get some expert advice if you are unsure about how to proceed.
10. Ask for Referrals
Asking you clients for referrals is a quick and easy way to get new clients. If you have a website; which you should; ask your clients for testimonials.
Eva has been helping small businesses to improve their promotions for the last 3 years. Her expertise is in custom promotional merchandise, through her work at Custom Gear, one of Australia’s fastest growing branding companies.
