10 Free Ways to Market Your Business
Published in Advertising & Marketing
Send a message to your email list
Send an email to your email marketing list. If you don't have one yet, there's never been a better time to start.
Create and use an email signature
Create a signature for your email and attach it automatically to every email you send out, even to friends and family. You never know when someone will need your product or service so keep it in front of them every single time you communicate with them.
Participate in online communities & forums
Search the Internet for online communities, forums and newsgroups related to your product or service and participate in them regularly. Attach a signature to your posts or emails advertising your business.
Write articles relevant to your industry
Write articles that will get you noticed as an expert in your industry. It is a good way to gain recognition and respect as well as traffic to your site. Most websites will include a biography of the author with links to their sites.
Submit a press release to newspapers and online
Submit a press release to all the newspapers in the area and online at PRWeb. If published, they can give your business free publicity which can lead to articles, interviews and more. Look at this article on PRWeb for Press Release Writing Tips.
Exchange links with other websites
I woudln't reccommend exchanging links with direct competitors... instead, exchange links with sites offering products or services that compliment your own. For instance, if you sold clothing you could link to a site selling accessories. If you sold website templates you could link to a site offering website hosting.
Get listed on search engines
Registration is still free for most major search engines, including Yahoo and Google. Get registered with every one you can and make sure your website is search engine friendly. For more information about submitting to search engines, read Search Engine Submission Tips on Search Engine Watch.
Run a contest - give something away
This is not exatcly free, but it won't cost you anything out of pocket. If you've got some inventory you can let go of it can be a great way to increase exposure to your company. Contests and promotions get a lot of publicity. Everyone wants something for nothing, and you can collect information about applicants to the contest such as name, email address, address, age, etc. You can use this information for marketing demographics or to build a newsletter subscription base. Just be sure to detail exactly how you will use their information in the contest information.
Participate in community events
There are tons of events going on every month in your town or city. Participating in community events even just as a volunteer can create a large amount of exposure for your business. You may even get your business listed on t-shirts and printed material as a contributor, even if you didn't actuall contribute money.
Public speaking opportunities
Speaking in public can be a frightening thought for some people, but it is an excellent way to get noticed as an expert in your industry and get your business publicity. Organizations and community groups are always looking for speakers for public events and chamber of commerce meetings. You could get free advertising and build credibility and respect at the same time.
About Brandon Eley
I am an Internet entrepreneur and own several e-commerce companies. I started 2BigFeet.com in 1999 and have shipped big shoes to all 50 states, most provinces and over 40 countries all over the world. We have a warehouse and retail store in LaGrange, GA.
I also work as the Interactive Director for Kelsey Advertising & Design. I am responsible for enterprise level web applications for Fortune 100 companies as well as e-commerce websites and other client projects.
I also run several content websites and write for several publications, including SitePoint where I am also a Community Advisor, The Apple Blog and others.
