24 Low-Cost Ways
To Promote Your Business
by Janet Attard
An acquaintance of mine who changes "businesses" about as
often as a teenager changes clothes recently sent me a postcard announcing
his latest venture: Internet Business Consulting. He was, his announcement
proclaimed, ready to help businesses set up Web pages to do business
on the Internet.
This was the individual's third business in two years. Previous ventures
included selling advertising specialties and starting a niche-market
magazine, neither of which were successful. Remarkably, this gentleman
had only learned how to use a computer and modem a couple of months
prior to sending out that mailing.
Whether this newly minted Internet consultant ever found customers,
or knew enough to actually create a professional Web presence for anyone
is a matter of speculation. What isn't speculation, however, is the
hype surrounding the Internet. Big and small businesses alike are racing
to the Web expecting it to be a low-cost, no-effort alternative to traditional
advertising and marketing methods.
Not surprisingly, many are disappointed.
While a Web site lets you put information about your company and products
where it can be found by millions of people, it's not the answer to
every marketing problem.
Potential customers aren't going to find your web site unless you tell
them about it and give them a reason to want to visit the page. In other
words, you have to market the Web site.
So what can you do to market your business at low cost? Here are 24
proven methods to help get your business off the ground without spending
a fortune.
1) If you don't have a business card and business stationery, have
them made up -- immediately. Your business card, letterhead and envelope
tell prospective customers you are a professional who takes your business
seriously.
2) Get your business card into as many hands as possible. Call your
friends and relatives and tell them you have started a business. Visit
them and leave a small stack of business cards to hand out to their
friends.
3) Talk to all the vendors from whom you buy products or services.
Give them your business card, and ask if they can use your products
or service, or if they know anyone who can. If they have newsgroups
where business cards are displayed (printers often do, and so do some
supermarkets, hairdressers, etc.), ask if yours can be added to the
board.
4) Attend meetings of professional groups, computer user groups and
groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, Rotary Club, or civic associations.
Have business cards in a pocket where they are easily reachable. Every
time you start to say "My name is," reach in your pocket for
a business card. By the time you get to "I run a..." (type
of business), your business card should be deposited in the hand of
the person with whom you are speaking. Don't forget to ask what the
people you speak with do, and to really listen to them. They'll be flattered
by your interest, and better remember you because of it.
5) Become actively involved in 3 or 4 of these groups. That will give
you more opportunity to meet possible prospects. But remember: opportunists
are quickly spotted for what they are, and get little business. While
you won't want to become involved in activities that require a lot of
your time in very many organizations, you can -- and should -- make
real contributions to all of them by offering useful ideas and help
with small parts of one-time projects;
6) Look for something unusual about what you do, and publicize it.
Send out press releases to local newspapers, radio stations, cable TV
stations, or magazines whose audiences are likely to be interested in
buying what you sell. To increase your chance of having the material
published, send along a photo (but not to radio stations) with your
press release. Editors of printed publications are often in need of
"art" (drawings or photos) to fill space and break up the
gray look of a page of text.
7) Write an article that demonstrates your expertise in your field.
Send it to non-competing newspapers, magazines, and Web sites such as
the Business Know-How Web site. Be sure that your name, business name,
reference to your product or service and phone number are included at
the end of the article. If the editor can use the article, you get your
name in print, and possibly get your contact information printed for
free, too.
8) Whenever you do get publicity, get permission from the publisher
to reprint the article containing the publicity. Make photocopies and
mail the copies out with sales letters or any other literature you use
to market your product or service. The publicity clips lend credibility
to the claims you make for your products or services.
9) Contact nonprofit organizations, schools and colleges, and even
other businesses who have customers who may need your services. Ask
for work or leads.
10) Network with others who are doing the same type of work you are.
Let them know you are available to handle their work overloads. (But
don't try to steal their customers. Word will get out, and will ruin
your business reputation.)
11) Offer to be a speaker on subjects utilizing your area of expertise.
Volunteer organizations, libraries and online forums often need speakers
for meetings. After you've had some practice speaking (enough to feel
comfortable doing it and to have gotten some positive feedback), look
into working with speaker's bureaus to book speaking engagements for
you. You'll benefit two ways from such engagements: the fee you receive
for doing them, and the publicity you, your product or service gets
as a result.
12) If your product or service is appropriate, give demonstrations
of it to whatever groups or individuals might be interested. Or, teach
others how to use some tool you use in your work.
13) Find out what federal, state, and local government programs are
in existence to help you get started in business. Most offer free counseling,
and some may be able to suggest possible prospects for your business.
14) Send out sales letters to everyone you think might be able to use
what you sell. Be sure to describe your business in terms of how it
can help the prospect. Learn to drop a business card in every letter
you send out.
15) If you use a car or truck in your business have your business name
and contact information professionally painted on the side of the vehicle.
That way your means of transportation becomes a vehicle for advertising
your business. If you don't want the business name painted on the vehicle,
consider using magnetic signs.
16) Get on the telephone and make "cold calls." These are
calls to people who you would like to do business with. Briefly describe
what you do and ask for an appointment to talk to them about ways you
can help them meet a need or solve a problem.
17) Get samples of your product or your work into as many hands as
possible.
18) Offer a free, no obligation consultation to people you think could
use your services. During such consultations offer some practical suggestions
or ideas -- and before you leave ask for an "order" to implement
the ideas.
19) Learn to ask existing customers, prospects and casual acquaintances
for referrals. When you get them, follow up on the leads.
20) Use other people to sell your product or service. Instead of (or
in addition to) selling your products yourself, look for existing mail
order companies that would be willing to include your products in their
catalogs, or for distributors or sales agents who would be willing to
take over sales chores for you. Be sure your pricing structure allows
for the fees or commissions you will have to pay on any sales that are
made.
21) Have sales letters, flyers and other pertinent information printed
and ready to go. Ask prospects who seem reluctant to buy from you: "Would
you like me to send information?" Follow up promptly with a note
and a letter that says "Here is the information you asked me to
send."
22) Run a contest. Make the prize something desirable and related to
your business. It could be a free gift basket of your products, for
instance, or free services.
23) Take advantage of any opportunities you have to get free ads, or
to have your company and its product or service listed free of charge
in a directory. or . Professional associations often publish such directories.
24) If your target market would be likely to use the Internet or online
forums, participate in discussion groups and consider putting up a web
page. But, if you do make it online, be sure to include your email address
and your web page address (if you have one) on your business cards,
in your promotional materials, in print ads and even on your letterhead.
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About the author
Janet Attard is the owner of Attard Communications, Inc., which
provides editorial content, online community and web development services.
She is the founder of the award-winning Business Know-How small business
web site and information resource. Janet is also the author of The Home
Office And Small Business Answer Book and of Business Know-How: An Operational
Guide For Home-Based and Micro-Sized Businesses with Limited Budgets.
She can be reached at (631) 467-6826 or by email at attard@businessknowhow.com.
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