Free or low-budget advertising ideas exist and are readily available for small businesses to take advantage of if they put the effort in. We asked top small business professionals what they have found to be the best free advertising tip, and here’s their complete list.
1. Give your customer a discount.
Doing this is an effective way to gain repeat customers who might not usually return. When you give discounts on services or products, people are more likely to purchase them again. There is no downside to this method, but it can make some customers uninterested in continuing to offer them a deal because they don’t feel like you care enough about them. If they did care about you and your company, they would have chosen to use one or both of these methods when buying their product or service. On the other hand, there are several benefits of giving away coupons or discounts. The value is present in showing that you care for your customer and you want to help them grow their businesses. Some organizations even give out special deals for new customers. Just keep this in mind when considering any advertisement you may choose. After all, everyone loves free stuff.
2. Get personal selling
If you are a very active person, getting in front of people on social media and talking to them will get you many exposures. You might also consider signing up for newsletters or webinars. It is also easy to do since you only need to post weekly a few times. Many companies will also allow you to speak to potential customers from home if you find it convenient because they don’t have to travel miles to see you, and you don’t have to drive to the office. Most small businesses often use the internet to promote their company by driving traffic to the homepage and utilizing SEO techniques with keywords. This helps them the ability to target a specific group of consumers interested in their products or services. And since it is only you and your company speaking to the potential customers who might be interested in your products or services, anyone who sees your website is most likely going to go through your promotion and/or purchase your product. In addition, if they liked what you had to say or thought of your products or services, they’re more than likely going to share it with their friends. This can increase both brand awareness and sales. Once a deal has taken place, they can go to those friends to give them a discount or offer them an incentive to make sure they purchase another product from their line.
3. Use testimonials
Using reputable third-party sources, such as consumer reviews, real estate agents, or influencers to market yourself and your business is becoming increasingly popular. A check or reference can be beneficial to smaller companies when trying to convince people to buy their products or services. People want to know a trustworthy source is looking after them. This makes third-party validation crucial for small businesses, and it is easy to give them the information they want to build credibility. But you should do so in a way that is beneficial to you and doesn’t harm others. Giving too much is risky, and you could lose customers, but presenting negative items is never advisable. Using someone’s opinion against their own isn’t good or fair for them. Likewise, using testimonials from famous people and celebrities is always good advice. With regards to marketing, however, there is nothing wrong with giving credit where credit is due. Allowing someone to share their honest opinions or providing them with examples of their work is fine, but you need to remember that you can’t force or push people to buy something without their consent and approval.
4. Offer a discount coupon.
This is the least stressful of all tips but offers good results. Consumers love receiving coupons, especially ones that they can redeem at any time for something they want. They think that they are entitled to getting coupons while it’s convenient and part of their entitlement process. Most people don’t realize that there are many discounts online that many companies give away. These programs can be used for various purposes, and the main benefit is that they save money on their purchases.
Also, you don’t have to pay anything back because sometimes a customer forgets to pay. This can happen several times, too, so it is good practice to know when you are paying for something and to take into account that if one of your customers forgot to pay you (especially if they didn’t even have a receipt), they wouldn’t have to return it! Although you won’t receive a refund because you aren’t a responsible business owner. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t offer coupons to your clients if they forget to pay. So, how can you make sure you are offering discounts? First of all, check whether you are eligible for it according to the rules. Keep going over it in your head to avoid any surprises or confusion. Secondly, look at what kind of discounts and how much they cost. Then, check out the different coupons available in local stores or online and pick out the most relevant deals. You might be able to sell items that you have been hard-pressed to obtain on the high street or on eBay, which can bring extra income to your company. Finally, make sure to stick to the rules and regulations set by your banks and credit unions to avoid any problems later on. As mentioned earlier, many companies offer promotions with their bank that you can use to further reduce your bills.
5. Send emails to customers.
In today’s world, sending email is probably the easiest way to get past your competitors. Sending frequent newsletters that remind your customers about your offerings or your latest news will catch your email list in motion faster than you could ever imagine. Keeping track of your emails is a powerful tool for identifying trends and keeping your clients informed with regular updates. Emailing your subscribers is also great because you can send them informative things that would usually take time away from direct mail so that they can read them instead. Plus, sending emails helps you create a long-lasting relationship with your readers. Notifications about upcoming events and announcements help add excitement and interest to your newsletter and help to keep it fresh and exciting. Also, sending newsletters makes it easy to collect valuable data to inform future campaigns, primarily if your audience is engaged with the latest trending topics.
6. Make a postcard
It is common practice to place ads on every road in most cities around the country. Postcards are almost as old as advertising itself, but they still appear on thousands of homes and businesses across the nation. While traditional advertising can get expensive for companies, postcard ads can last a lifetime to hundreds of thousands of dollars of debt. Don’t let them scare you off from having your own business. A straightforward way to make and quickly put your company on the map is to create a public postcard campaign on TV of everything that happens in your community. Whether it takes the form of a brochure, an ad campaign, or a radio broadcast, a postcard is highly effective and will always capture people’s attention.
Simply put, try to find a topic, write down whatever comes up, and include it in your poster. Do it at night when people are most likely to pay attention. You can also create a series of posters that follow each other on television stations. Each card will contain information about what is on offer at your store, and it will show up each time your fans are drawn closer to it. Making your logo public is also a good idea as fans will see it when they visit your shop. However, make sure that your cards are not too large and visible, and legible for your intended audience.
7. Run a contest for free
It seems fun and cool to participate in a giveaway that shows your skills or talents to others. But, some companies have a competitive spirit that requires them to win money and, in turn, the prize money. To win, you need to submit a raffle or draw online and follow the instructions provided. Once you submit the entries, a lottery system picks out the winners with their respective prizes, and you win a cash prize. Usually, you have three days to claim your prize after the drawing. Even though participation is excellent, the winner is generally required to donate money to charity for their reward. Other companies will give away a tiny percentage of their profits to charity. However, if they do this, they must give away part of their prize so that they don’t lose their investment. The reason why is because that money goes towards helping the needy while their competitors will leave it in their pockets. Taking part in a giveaway exposes your company to new people and introduces them to those already in your industry, which could be a perfect opportunity. It brings customers on board and keeps them coming back to your business.
8. Write an ebook
Writing an ebook is bound to get you a few hundred thousand or even millions of copies published if you’re writing about anything or anyone. Creating ebooks has allowed you to give your audience a glimpse into your world with ease and a level of engagement. The key is to find an original story that you think is worth sharing with the rest of the world. Being featured in magazines and newspapers is also good at gaining your followers.
