Answers to Everyday Questions : How can I promote my business for free ?

Small business owners usually feel they can’t spend money to advertise their products or services, making it an advantage for competitors. Although traditional advertising requires you to invest money in exchange for publicity, the world we live in today offers an equal battleground for small businesses and the big boys. If you have no budget for advertising, but would like to promote your products or services without spending a cent, you can. Just follow the tips below:

Build your online presence – Whether you only a have small business or a large one, building a website increases your client base. If you simply don’t have money to invest on a website, you can get a website hosted without charge. Make sure you provide useful content and functional navigation to attract new and repeat clients. If you can’t hire someone to do the website for you, there are thousands of ready-to-use templates you can use to make your website. Once you have developed your website, include your URL and e-mail address in all your marketing items, such as brochures, business cards, posters and other materials. Submit your website to search engines and directories to complete your online presence. Update your website regularly.

To promote your website and business, you can create a blog and write about your industry. If you’re promoting a hardware store, you can write about do-it-yourself projects. Whatever you plan to write about, make sure it is related to your industry and you provide useful information to your readers. In addition, make sure you include a link to your website every time you make a post.

Advertise online – The internet provides plenty of websites where you can post an ad without charge. One good example of such sites is Craig’s List, which is used by millions of advertisers from over 20 countries worldwide. You can also try to find websites that offer listings for your city, so you can target your audience more precisely. Take advantage of these websites because they’re absolutely free and it would never hurt to spread your marketing techniques online.

If you’ve created a website, maintained a blog, advertised online and held successful marketing techniques using the Internet, you can still promote your business in the real world by getting involved in your local community. By providing free services, donating your products to charity or volunteering in local projects, you are expanding your network, which would in turn help promote your business. As long as you follow these tips, you can compete with the industry without spending a cent.