How to advertise your business

Small business advertising, or small business marketing, is essential if you are starting a home business.  Small business advertising, isnt that hard, and with the right guidance, you will be well on the way to owining your own business. 

Ok, the best way to advertise your business is by word of mouth and testimonials.  How do you do this?  Produce good quality work and charge a fair price.  At the high level there isn't that much more to small business advertising or small business marketing.  Simple really!  Below are some other tips to get you on top of your small business marking.

 

Tip 1:  Create a blog:  Blogs are cheap or free to set up, easy to update and relatively easy to advertise through the web.  Include your blog address on your business cards and in the signature of your emails.  Your blog can contain up to date information on your latest products, or latest sales etc, and is easily accessible by your cliental.

 

Tip 2:  Set up an ezine:  A weekly ezine to your existing customers is a great way to stay in touch and detail your latest products.  Provide useful tips and tricks for your particular area or trade as well, and the response rate will be a lot higher.  Best of all ezines are practically free, they only cost you your time.  In our opinion this is a small business advertising essential.

 

Tip 3:  Consider U-Tube:    U Tube isn't just for watching videos of Santa tackling a shop lifter to the ground (although that was extremely funny!).  It is also a tool to promote your business.  Once you get over the initial concern of being on the Internet, you will find that it will increase your business exposure, in some cases quite significantly.  Many small businesses are advertising this way now.

 

Tip 4:  Online forums and communities:  There are a whole range of forums and communities on the Internet.  Find some that are relevant to your business and start contributing.  Your best bet is to answer questions that people have posted, and if allowed by the site, include a reference to your website or business in your signature.

 

Tip 5:  Word of mouth:  You can ask previous and current clients to write testimonials.  Also don't be shy to occasionally ask them to tell their friends about you.  If you are honest and do a good job, and the market is strong, then the rest will take care of itself. If you don’t have any, as a last resort ask your mum to write something.  But jeez, if you have to do this you shouldn’t be in business bro!  As we previously said, do a good job and your small business advertising will take care of its self.

 

Tip 6:  Guest speaking:  The best thing you can do for yourself and your business is to establish yourself as an expert in your particular field.  Guest speaking is a great way to achieve this.  You can talk about topics you know about to potential new customers.  The added benefit…it is virtually free.

 

Tip 7:  Advertise in your normal mailings:  If you send out bills, invoices and letters etc, why not throw in some additional advertising.  This way you are not doubling up on advertising costs.

 

Tip 8:  Advertise in local newspapers:  Local newspapers are generally cheaper than the major city, state or country wide ones.  If your primary customers are local then this method is even better.

 

Tip 9:  Advertise on local television stations:  Local television stations are sometimes surprisingly cost effective.  It is a great way to reach a large audience as well.

 

Tip 10:  Create an advertisement that gets noticed in the media:  create a really dodgy ad the pushes the boundaries and gets itself into the local media.  Hell Pizzas in NZ are good at this. But if you have any ethics you might not want to go down this route. Only for the desperate.

 

Tip 11:  Advertise on local radio stations:  Radio is good from the point of view that you can reach a large audience in your local area.  Rather than straight advertising you can also consider sponsoring particular shows or segments etc.  This also has the double benefit of showing you are supporting the local community.

 

Tip 12:  Advertise with other businesses:  Advertising with businesses nearby can lower your overall advertising costs, especially for mail outs.  Put a proposal together and see if any businesses in your area are interested.

 

Tip 13:  Join union and trade groups:  You will learn the latest information in your industry, receive advice, and can look at networking and sale opportunities.

 

So as you can see, small business advertising isn't that hard.  Do a good job, produce good work and follow these tips.