Earlier in the week WatchMeFranchise.com, a blog sponsored by the Roni Deutch Tax Center®, posted an entry on 10 ways to market your business for under $200. Check out some of the tips below.
1. Business Cards
Despite what many think, business cards are actually quite affordable. There are hundreds of sites online with all kinds of sales and discounts; just make sure to find one that lets you upload your company logo. Then give these cards out to everyone you meet. The person you give your card to might not need your services right now, but at least they will have your contact information in the future.
2. Mailers
Try creating mailers or a monthly newsletter to send out to your clients on a regular basis with special offers or news. You want to make sure you stay in touch with your clients so that they do not forget about your store. Also, by offering free information in a newsletter you can help establish trust with your clients.
3. Create a Referral Program
By creating a referral program you can basically put your customers to work for you! By offering a small discount to current clients you can generate dozens of new clients with almost no direct cost to you.
4. Newspaper Ads
Try taking an ad out in your local newspaper or magazine. This is a great way to reach out to local customer opportunities, and support your community at the same time. If your area newspaper is too expensive, then you could try a discount publication such as the Penny Saver. Even better, you could even reach out to your local paper and offer to write a new article on a subject related to your business.
5. Online Presence
Having an online presence these days is pretty much essential for a small business. If you do not already have your own website, or a page on a corporate site, then you should definitely consider creating one. It does not need to be a big budget production, just a simple page with a picture and some contact info. Remember, having a website means that you can put the address on your business cards, letterhead, etc.
6. Submit to Google Maps
Once you have your store location, you can submit your address to Google maps. You do not even have to have a website to do this, although we recommend you do. This will make it so that customers searching in your area will find your store when they check Google Maps.
7. Networking Events