1. Advertising coop- Many businesses, especially work
at home businesses, offer advertising coops. They will send
people to your business for a fee. Usually the fee is
relatively small. This is nice because you already know that
these people have at least some interest in your business.
Although they may not spend a penny with you, you at least get
the exposure.
2. Website-The age of the internet has expanded the
possibility of owning your own business to an almost unlimited
number of people. It also has expanded the advertising
audience to a tremendous amount of new people, world wide, who
otherwise you would never have been able to reach. Although
websites will cost you to get hosted, you can advertise it
many ways for free. Things like link exchanges and article
submissions allow you to get exposure to your website with no
cost except for you time. And as we will see in a moment, your
website can be advertised many other ways for free. The
advantage of a website is that it centralizes all your
business and products into one central location. It gives you
somewhere to send people so that you don't have to do as much
selling because you let your website do the selling for
you.
3. Answering Machine-Change the message on your
answering machine to reflect the fact that you are now in
business for yourself. You could say something like," Hello.
You have reached the home office of John Doe of My
Business.com….." That way when you call that person back, they
may ask you about your business and thus the door is open to
discussing your business.
4. Put a sign in your front yard or in the yard of a
friend or relative with your name and website address on it.
This is a good way for your neighbors to find out about your
new business as well as any people that ride by your
house.
5. Place a magnetic sign or bumper sticker on your car.
Now, when you are riding down the road, sitting at a stop
sign, or leaving your car parked at the mall or grocery store,
you are getting free advertising.
6. Wear your ad-Place your website on a sweatshirt,
tee-shirt, or a hat. So, when you are out in public, people
will see you ad and again it will open up the door to
discussing your new business.
7. Flyers-There are many places that will allow you to
place a flyer about your business. Businesses like grocery
stores, libraries, laundromats, hair salons and others will
let you place a free ad on their public bulletin board.
8. Business cards-Don't leave home without them. You
never now when the chance to hand one out will happen. You may
see an old friend, meet someone looking to get out of the 9-5
rut or who is in need of a new opportunity.
9. Free Classifieds-Use the internet and the many free
classified ads on it to advertise your business. A search
using "free classifieds" will give you an almost limitless
number of places to submit your website and ad.
10.Ezines or electronic magazines are also a good place
to advertise your business. Some charge a fee for placing your
ad in the best location, some let you advertise for free.
Again a web search will allow you find numerous ezines to
place you ad in.
11.Place your web address in your e-mail signature.
12.Place a flyer or business card in your out going
mail.
13.Word of Mouth-The least expensive form of
advertising and maybe the most effective way to advertise your
business is word of mouth. Simply tell those you come in
contact with that you are in business for yourself. They will
tell others and they will tell others and it can go on and on.
Sooner or later someone will take a look at what you are
doing.
Obviously, there are many more ways to advertise your
business for little or no money. The point is you don't have
to have the big bucks to successfully advertise you business
or product. There are many people who have started and become
extremely successful in their business on a shoe string
advertising budget. There is hope for the small business
owner. All you need is a website or add, a little creativity,
a little time, and you too can advertise your way to success
without going to the poor house.