Five Cheap Tricks for Promoting Your Business

If you're like me, you're always looking for ways to promote your business - without spending a ton of money. Well, you're in luck. This article lists five of my top 10 favorite ideas for promoting your business or organization for next to nothing (and in some cases, completely fr*e). While these ideas are a start, there are plenty of other ways to get the word out about your product or service and build relationships with potential clients. Use this list as a jumping off point to brainstorm more cheap ideas that may work wonders for your business. And stay tuned for the other five tricks, which will appear in my Nov. 2004 newsletter, "Marketing Tips from The WriteShop."

1. Volunteer your services or donate your products to a local nonprofit. This tactic doesn't just help spread the word about your products and services, but it also allows you to help a worthy cause. Many nonprofits are happy to promote their donors in their own marketing materials, and nonprofit leaders are also good people to know because many of them are well-connected in their communities (and happy to give referrals).

2. Educate friends and family about your business. Simply utilizing the relationships you already have is one of the easiest but most often overlooked forms of marketing. Nobody wants to hear about your business or products all the time, but it's a good idea to make sure your family and friends understand what you do - you never know when they might have an opportunity to send business your way.

3. Become active in online forums related to your industry. Many business owners and marketers turn to online discussion groups for advice or to vent frustration, and you might be surprised how frequently discussion pals become clients or referral sources. By maintaining your professionalism and sharing your own advice freely (remember to give, not just receive), you'll earn respect from other forum members, who may turn to you when they need your products or services.

4. Make yourself available to local media. Reporters for newspapers, business publications, television and radio are constantly looking for expert sources to interview about various topics. If they know about you and your areas of expertise in advance, chances are they'll contact you when they need a quote or expert insight about your particular field. If you don't have relationships with media already, start by locating the reporters who usually report on your areas of interest. Introduce yourself in a personalized letter or e-mail, and include a list of issues for which you would be willing to comment. Follow up occasionally with press releases or other information the reporters may find interesting or newsworthy.

5. Sponsor local events in your market area. Consider hosting an after-hours event for a local business organization at your office or home. Sponsor a Little League team or a nonprofit fundraising event. These types of activities will not only keep your name in the spotlight, but they'll also help establish your company's reputation as a generous, community-minded business.

Copyright 2004 Nancy Jackson

About The Author

Nancy Jackson of The WriteShop helps companies better market their products and services with powerful written communications including newsletters, articles, Web content, brochures and custom publications. Learn more, contact her, or sign up for her free monthly newsletter at www.writeshoponline.com.

---

Teaming Up Marketing and Sales

The Pitchers: SalesLet's say you have a new baseball team... Read More

Online Mentorship Programs: Cash in on Your Expertise

Whether you're a former retail store owner known for your... Read More

Produce More Sales from your Email Promotions Five Ways - Part 1

Do sales come from your ezine regularly? How many well-written... Read More

Thinking About More Business

What does an old Russian joke have... Read More

How to Magnetize Your Business

Do you ever wonder how some businesses always seem to... Read More

How Much Is Your Popcorn Worth? Powerful Lessons In Marketing & The Psychology Of Selling - Part 4

Let's continue to discuss the various marketing principles that are... Read More

7 Simple Marketing Tips

Here are 7 simple marketing tips to help you boost... Read More

Is It Time To Revisit Your Marketing Strategy?

Small & Mid Sized Business owners, have you revisited your... Read More

Non Products Exist in this World

"Both the market and the distributive channel are often more... Read More

Business Postcard Marketing: 35 Ways to Use It

Postcards are an effective way for many business owners and... Read More

Have Something Good To Say

If you don't get this right, you can just forget... Read More

A Look at Color Brochure Printing

Brochures have become vital in today's workplace, serving a wide... Read More

What You Must Know When Marketing Your Business

Marketing is both an art and a science. Anyone who... Read More

5 Ways to Give Your Web Site a Big-Company Look and Feel

We all DO judge a book by its cover, and... Read More

GoogSpy: Business Counter Intelligence for Everyone

So, you want to know what your competitors are up... Read More

Principles of Marketing 101

Marketing results should be measured in only one way ?... Read More

How To Be A First Class Marketer?

Did you now how to follow up a new customer... Read More

Marketing Flat? Is It Your Plan or Your Vision?

60+ hour workweeks, cash flows that constantly keep you up... Read More

Are Keywords Destroying the Flow of Your SEO Copy?

With all the shuffling that's been seen in the search... Read More

Attracting Clients With Ease

Whether you are already running your own business, or still... Read More

Are You Marketing Backwards?

Marketing is like rowing a boat. When you know how... Read More

Using a Marketing Calendar Template

Owning a small business isn't easy, especially if you are... Read More

Qualify Prospects Using Direct Mail Marketing

When a prospect responds to your lead generation sales letter,... Read More

The Seven Vital Steps You Must Know To Ensure Direct Mail Success

1. Your Most Valuable AssetA mailing list of valued customers... Read More

Marketing Hesitation Costs Dearly

Timing is everything. Hate to be late? The early bird... Read More

8 Lessons in Strategic Marketing A La Daddy Daycare

I bet you thought the movie "Daddy Daycare" was a... Read More

Tradeshow Booth Cures - Living Color

Feng Shui is the Ancient Chinese practice of configuring home... Read More

8 Instant Ways to Create Consistently Successful Marketing Campaigns

It's almost a given that when I speak to a... Read More

Walking Talking Advertisements

So you've made a sale. Great!Now what? You're not just... Read More

Are Your Marketing Efforts Working...Or Could They Use A Little Help?

Marketing is a broad business subject that encompasses a range... Read More

Marketing 101: The Power of Marketing

When you hear the word "marketing" what comes to mind?... Read More

Top 10 Marketing Pitfalls

Ten Marketing Pitfalls By Stuart ReidIf you want to make... Read More

Focusing Your Marketing Efforts

One of my favorite quotes is often used to describe... Read More