- Network. Show up early and often to business networking events and start meeting potential clients or making connections with people who can benefit your business. Print a busload of business cards and pass them out like candy on Halloween night.
- Send out an e-newsletter. The start-up fees and monthly dues are very affordable. Once you have your template, it’s a breeze to update and send on a regular basis. Just make sure that your newsletter offers a real value to your subscribers, or you’ll quickly end up in their spam box.
- Blog. This is a no-brainer. It helps your company be found organically through the search engines, and lets people know your areas of expertise. And sites like this one (through WordPress.com) are completely free!
- Update your website. Archive your e-newsletters on the site, add an e-newsletter sign-up form, update your client list/products/portfolio and get rid of out-of-date information.
- Get some free publicity. This may take some creativity on your part. Give a talk at a local networking or trade event, send a press release to local papers that presents your company in a manner that has a newsworthy angle, hold a charitable event with other companies, start a guerrilla marketing (i.e. street) campaign, or dream up a creative publicity stunt. It won’t come without some creativity and sweat, but it can be affordable if you plan it that way!
Got your own ideas for inexpensive marketing? We’d love to hear ‘em. Leave a comment below with your suggestions!
Tags: affordable marketing, blog, e-newsletter, inexpensive marketing, marketing budget, networking, PR, publicity, top 5, website updates