Ways To Market Your Business On A Budget
For small business startups every penny matters. It can be tough to compete with bigger, better funded companies, but here are some tips to marketing your business.
Blog
Blogs are a great way to promote your company and expertise. Start a blog to generate traffic to your website by promoting products and services, or to share insights and news into your industry. Use the blog to build relationships with consumers. Read comments to gain insight and feedback, and be sure to regularly update blog so they don't become outdated.
Get free press
If you find the idea of a blog intimidating you can always have others do it for you. Find bloggers to promote your products and offer your products as prizes to bloggers who run contests. Similarly, ask local papers to include your business in their stories, offering your opinion and expertise about economic news in the area.
Get involved
Become a cornerstone in the community by sponsoring local art or theater groups. Set up a program that encourages employees to volunteer at local charities. Donate to community events as a sponsor or build charitable promotions into your pricing. Raise money for a local volunteer fire department by offering to donate a set amount for every product sold over the course of a month..
Reward loyal customers
Generate a mailing list of return customers and reward them with discounts on their next purchase. You can also set up a referral program that provides discounts for referring new clients. Direct mail is an inexpensive way to build relationships with customers, introducing your company and what you offer.
Be the best
Hold your company to a high standard when it comes to customer service. Go out of your way to make the customer happy and resolve complaints. No advertising campaign will match having a strong group of customers that love your level of service.
