Marketing is Free
Some of your best marketing results can come from free marketing techniques.
“There is no such thing as a free lunch.”
The free lunch may not exist, but many effective marketing methods are free. Of course, most free marketing will take time, and your time has value. However, if you have more time than money and you are trying to energize sales, free marketing can be just what you need.
Make a few phone calls. Call past customers and see how you can help them now. Call current customers and ask for referrals. Then, follow up on those referrals.
Get publicity. Write a press release about your business and email it to your media list. If you don’t have a media list, spend a couple of hours online or at your local library compiling one. (Or get a custom media list created just for you.)
Offer gift certificates. Gift certificates are often a way for current customers to introduce you to their friends and family members. Let customers know you have gift certificates available.
Get online. When you participate in online forums, your potential customers will learn about you and you can develop a reputation as an industry expert. Some service providers get 30 - 50% of their new clients through participation in online groups frequented by those who need their services.
Produce an ebook and give it away at your web site. Put together tips or how-to information that will be of value to your prospective customers, and make it available as a free download. News travels fast on the Internet, so if you offer something of value, you will soon have lots of new prospects.
Teach a class. Many local community colleges offer continuing education courses. Leisure Learning Unlimited <www.LLU.com offers classes in everything from computers to cooking to dancing and more. Although you won’t make a lot of money teaching, you get increased visibility in catalogs, credibility from the fact you are teaching, and the class itself will bring potential customers to you to learn.
Book a speech. Prepare a short educational talk and offer it to community organizations. They will be happy to hear from you, and it is more exposure for your business.
Write an article. Show what you know by writing an article and offering it to publications read by your customers. You may get paid for the article, but even if you don’t, appearing in a publication can be a form of free “advertising.”
Volunteer. Offer your services to a cause you support, or serve on the board of a charity or professional association. You will get more visibility and come into contact with people you might not otherwise meet.
Get others to pay for your marketing. Do a co-op mailing or advertisement where you share the cost with others who are trying to reach the same market. In an arrangement such as this, it is typical for the person coordinating the mailing to participate without paying the fee, or even to receive some compensation for the time and effort contributed.
Whatever your marketing budget, invest some time in free marketing to build your reputation and attract new customers.
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