How to Get Noticed Without Breaking the Bank

With the economic condition getting tighter and tighter, business owners should not cut back on marketing. Cutting back on your marketing will ensure an untimely demise for your business. However, there are ways to promote your business without breaking the bank. Below are several ways that you can promote your business, products and services without incurring great expense.

Reward Loyal Customers

One of the best ways to market your business is to let your loyal customers know how important they are to you. Something as simple as a quick note-not an email-or as complex as a gift sent in a timely manner will do two positive things for your business. First, it brings your name back to the forefront of their thoughts, and second, it solidifies their loyalty. Yes, an email may suffice, but a card in their hands will have a greater impact. In your card you could offer them an incentive.

When considering what type of thank you gift to send, whether it is a discounted event ticket to one of your events or a physical product, think like your customer. What would they be more apt to remember you for sending them? What would they find useful? Sometimes a branded pen or other item is perfect. While for the very best customers you might consider a box of chocolates.

Offer Referral Incentives

Offer referral incentives.  Giving back, in a real and tangible fashion is an excellent way of genuinely showing your thankfulness for referrals and generating additional referrals.

Put Your Business Card on Bulletin Boards

Have you been out and about and seen a bulletin board in a place of business or library with business cards tacked on it? Have you ever taken one down to use?  These are excellent free and inexpensive ways to market your business. Don't let this opportunity pass you by. Put your card  or flyer up and check back often to make sure you to replace it when you see it is missing.

Network

There are many groups and organizations that the business owner has at their disposal. Take advantage of the many organizations in your community, such as a Chamber or BNI group.  These are great ways to meet other potential business partners and customers.

Participate

Just joining is not enough. Once you join, if you don't participate you'll have wasted your time and money. Get involved, offer to help in any way you can and you will soon find the members more inclined to include you in their circle of friends. Think about the clubs and organizations in which you currently participate. If you aren't making headway, is it due to a lack of participation, or is it just not working. Clean house, chose again, and participate.

Provide Quality Content

Good content is paramount to good marketing. Misspellings in your marketing pieces, no matter where they are found, only makes you look sloppy and unprofessional. After all, who would hire you if they see the lack of care in your own information products and ads? Yet, typos and grammar errors are not the only things that can count against you. Stale or overused content too can create a sense that you aren't providing your reader with the information they seek.  Do your research, quote sources, but keep the content relevant and fresh.

Keep Social Marketing Fresh

Facebook and Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest, Four Square and LinkedIn, just to name a few, social media has taken hold. If you aren't participating you are missing the mark. Each time you comment or post you have the chance to go 'viral'. But, if you don't participate, you never will! Yes, these things take time. Schedule an hour a day to post on the forums and social media; that would be a good start.

Update Your Blog

It is imperative that you keep your blog fresh. If you can't come up with content yourself why not invite others to supply content for you. Hosting an author or business owner interview or blog tour are just a couple of ways to bring new visitors and keep your blog fresh. And, whatever you do, make sure your content is free of grammatical and spelling errors. Before you publish, read and rewrite your content. It isn't going to do you any good if your content is not relevant or of high quality.

Comment on Blogs

Here again is another oft overlooked marketing method. When you comment on another person's blog you usually have the opportunity to include your website link. These unreciprocated links are seen as some of the best SEO (Search Engine Optimization) boosters. Not only will you enjoy this benefit, but you will be opening your comments to a whole different set of eyes

Update your Website

When you look at your web presence does it make you smile? Is it well designed and easy to navigate? If you can't see beyond your current website or think it can't be improved, ask your customers. Their feedback may clue you into changes that you may not be aware of that need to be made. Sometimes, just updating or adding another page is all you need to do. At other times, you may want to give your site a complete makeover