Top Ten Frugal Ways To Market Your Small Business
by Bonnie Davis
Most, if not all, small businesses are built on a budget.
Available funds must be used to buy technology, additional
phone lines and marketing materials such as business cards.
In this article you will find ten low cost or no cost tips
that will help you get your first customer and build your
business.
1) Obtain free or low cost business cards at a company
such as www.VistaPrint.com. Add an explanatory tag line
to identify your product or service. While you are running
your normal errands drop off a business card at every business
you see such as drycleaners, restaurants, gyms, etc.
2) Have a new or rebuilt shopping center opening in your
town? Attend the grand opening and chat with the business
owners and staff and hand out your free or low cost business
cards.
3) Create flyers with your phone number on tear off tabs
and place them at the library, grocery store, coffee shops,
etc. Carry a few in your car with push pins so you never
miss an opportunity.
4) Hold a contest. People love freebies. When you’re handing
out business cards and designing flyers highlight your contest
for a limited time. Anyone who books at least two hours
of your time during the contest month is entered into a
drawing for a gift basket. Put together an inexpensive gift
basket with sample size coffee, a coffee cup, a business
book or best selling novel, cookies and crackers. Put the
names of the qualifying clients in a hat and have your child
draw the winning name. Take a picture of the gift basket
and your child drawing the name out of the hat, scan the
pictures and put them on your website along with the name
of the winner.
5) Write an article that would appeal to your target audience
such as small business owners, add a four to five line biography
with your e-mail address and web site address. Submit the
article to websites and e-zines that cater to your target
audience.
6) Create an informative presentation around your topic
area and contact your local Chamber of Commerce and offer
to speak at a monthly meeting.
7) Create coupons offering a free or discounted product
or a free hour of service for every two or three hours of
paid service. Give them out to prospective clients and to
organizations such as the Chamber of Commerce to use in
contests and give aways. Give the recipient an incentive
to by your product or use your services by giving the coupon
an expiration date.
8) Use the time you spend sitting in traffic to gain new
clients. For less than thirty dollars you can purchase a
sign for your car from www.iprint.com or www.webdecal.com.
9) Create a press release announcing the opening of your
business or some other milestone event. Send the press release
to editors at your local newspaper and to other free area
publications.
10) Ask for referrals. Give your business card to your
family members, neighbors, hair salon, etc. and ask that
they pass them on. Offer an hour of free service or a free
product to anyone who refers a client who signs a contract
for services and give them a link on your web site.
About the Author
(c) 2001, Davis Virtual Assistance Bonnie Davis may be contacted
at http://www.DavisVirtualAssistance.com Bonnie@ArticlesThatSell.com.
Click here to view more of their articles. Bonnie Jo Davis
is a Virtual Assistant specializing in frugal marketing
techniques. Bonnie recently published an e-book "Articles
That Sell" focusing on her favorite technique. Visit Bonnie
at http://www.ArticlesThatSell.com
|
