A couple of weeks ago, we promised you ten low cost advertising tips for small businesses. We gave you five and we’re making good on our promise for the second set of five. So we’ll start right out with tip number six and that is to determine your advertising budget BEFORE you open your checkbook. A good place to start is by doing a little homework. It’s a good idea to reach out and determine the cost of media in your area. Check out all of your resources but keep one thing in mind; spending too little spread over too many media avenues will severely dilute your message. If you spend an afternoon with our book Your Ad Here: De-Mystifying the Business of Media and Advertising, you’ll have a much better idea of how negotiating and buying media really works. We’ve kept the reading light and informational so it shouldn’t be too tough for you to get through. We offer all kinds of tips and advice on contacting the media outlets, we even give your sample contact emails and beyond that some suggestions on getting no cost help with figuring out what your budget should be.
Once you’ve contacted the media outlets and have set up a relationship with them, go ahead and use them as a bullhorn. And that’s tip number seven. Have your bio and your press information ready to go. Really let your account rep know who you are. They are out and about everywhere every day. As a result, they know everyone and may even become a resource to you for finding new clients. Often times that will be willing to direct you to the right place to get some much needed publicity. Help them understand what it is you’re trying to accomplish with your business and in most cases, they can help make that happen.
Tip number eight is to use the power of email. Build your contact list. Get the email addresses of your current clients and look into purchasing lists of businesses that may be interested in your goods and/or services. If you’re not sure how to go about doing this, there are services out there that sell lists. Two of the largest lists sellers are www.infousa.com and www.hoovers.com. Once your list is built, our suggestion is to try Constant Contact for your first marketing blitz. It’s free to use for 30 days and has simple templates that make your initial foray into email marketing much less intimidating. You will find them at www.constantcontact.com.
So now you’ve got their attention. How do you go about keeping it? Tip number nine is to “Think unique”. “Think different.” Try out of the box. We’ve found that www.moo.com offers unique ready to go business cards, logos, mini-cards and post cards. Try embedding a QR Code on your card. This is easy to do when you use www.qrcode.kaywa.com. Offer a special promo right on your card that will entice your prospective clients to keep the card. But be sure to explain that there’s a promo price when they use the QR code so they understand the significance.
And finally we’re at tip number ten. This is a big one. We tell business owners to “do what you love, work hard and the money will come”. Try some of the tips we’ve offered you through the two articles in the journal, add a dash of passion, keep your nose to the grindstone, put a good team together and you can’t fail. Remember it’s necessary to work hard but it’s also important to remember that at all times, you need to work smart.
So there you have it. Ten low cost advertising tips that will help you jump start your business. Even if your business has been around for a while, maybe you just want to try another avenue, give these tips a try. Plus we’re always here to help. We’ve received rave reviews on our book from many, many small business owners so we are confident it will be of use to you. Check us out at www.youradherethebook.com for a copy of the book and many advertising tips. We’ll look forward to hearing from you at any time.
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