The real key to successfully advertising your business is how creative you are - not how much money you spend. The web has spoiled us, now some businesses think the most they need to do to advertise their business is have a web presence and customers will come running. Not true.
How will customers know you are there? SEO. Please, let's be honest, how much of a person's day is spent in random searches for what you have to offer? Do you do a search for this forum everyday or simply come to this location? Most people get on the web with a destination in mind, and once online they may travel around to several sites but they have a general idea of where they are going.
I don't have all the answers but I thought I would start a list of creative solutions that cost little or no money but can help a business get it's message out there. I am talking both online and off-line solutions. Feel free to add on:
Creating an event online or in your community that draws attention to your business - food classes, web seminars, fashion shows, How-to classes, trade fairs, sponsor a team, champion a cause and create a contest.
Guerilla marketing - "is an unconventional system of promotions, running on a very low budget, by relying on time, energy and imagination instead of big marketing budgets. Typically, guerrilla marketing is unexpected and unconventional, where consumers are targeted where they would not be expecting, which can make the idea that's being marketed memorable, generate buzz, and even spread virally."
I stayed general because there are so many different types of businesses here. If you want to talk about your business and what you can do, ask the question and let's see what the forum thinks.
Iwrite
How will customers know you are there? SEO. Please, let's be honest, how much of a person's day is spent in random searches for what you have to offer? Do you do a search for this forum everyday or simply come to this location? Most people get on the web with a destination in mind, and once online they may travel around to several sites but they have a general idea of where they are going.
I don't have all the answers but I thought I would start a list of creative solutions that cost little or no money but can help a business get it's message out there. I am talking both online and off-line solutions. Feel free to add on:
Creating an event online or in your community that draws attention to your business - food classes, web seminars, fashion shows, How-to classes, trade fairs, sponsor a team, champion a cause and create a contest.
Guerilla marketing - "is an unconventional system of promotions, running on a very low budget, by relying on time, energy and imagination instead of big marketing budgets. Typically, guerrilla marketing is unexpected and unconventional, where consumers are targeted where they would not be expecting, which can make the idea that's being marketed memorable, generate buzz, and even spread virally."
I stayed general because there are so many different types of businesses here. If you want to talk about your business and what you can do, ask the question and let's see what the forum thinks.
Iwrite
