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MARKETING STRATEGY : 9 Free Business Marketing SolutionsMarketing should be the last activity you eliminate or you risk an even faster downward spiral. Business marketing and attracting new customers should be an ongoing process, and there are many things you can do that cost absolutely nothing. In these times money might be tight but the need for revenue is continuous, here are just a few suggestions. Free Business Advertising Solution 1. Become the expert Submit marketing articles related to your business to the local paper, trade journals and professional organizations newsletters. Choose a topic that reflects your expertise on the subject and make sure your business is mentioned. You might also find a website that may be interested in letting you host a guest column. Whenever you get published, make copies and send them to all your current and potential customers. Free Business Advertising Solution 2. Be a great public speaker Professional meeting planners are always looking for presenters and workshop leaders for conferences. Research contact names in the Directory of Meeting Planners or start with your local Chamber of Commerce or Rotary Club. If, like most people, you dread the thought of public speaking, join your local Toastmasters [http://www.toastmasters.org/] club; this is also a great way to meet potential customers. When you do get the opportunity to make a presentation, be sure to collect business cards for a drawing to win a book or other prize related to your business. Free Business Advertising Solution 3. Teach an adult education course This is an excellent way for customers to see you as an expert and help advertise your business. This works especially well for service-oriented businesses such as financial planning, healthcare or tax preparation. Simply call your local school district or community college where adult education courses are offered. Better yet, offer free or inexpensive seminars at libraries, restaurant event rooms or a friends office. Free Business Advertising Solution 4. Reward referrals One of the best ways to get new customers is to enlist the help of your current ones. Offer a reward of free merchandise or services for any lead that turns into new business. If you publish a catalogue, include a card where customers can provide the name and address of someone else who might want to receive one. When you get a new customer from a referral, be sure to send the source a personalized thank you note along with their reward. Free Business Advertising Solution 5. Send out an e-zine Its crucial to keep in touch with your current customers as well as potential ones, and what could be easier than sending out a regular newsletter? After you obtain permission from the recipients, you can describe new products, offer coupons and provide links to articles online your customers might be interested in reading. Keep it simple with pure text or include photos and other graphics. Free Business Advertising Solution 6. Make the most of (free) public relations Whenever there is an event of any significance in your business, be sure to send a press release or a simple e-mail to all the local newspapers and TV stations. Whether its a new product, a big order or expansion plans that might result in new jobs, they will probably want to hear about it. Local radio stations also look for interesting people to interview, so find the producers contact information and let them know youre available. Free Business Advertising Solution 7. Give back Any time you do anything for a charity such as sponsoring an event or donating free materials, make sure the press knows about it ahead of time. They might send a reporter to cover the occasion, but if not, send them photos to publish afterwards. Free Business Advertising Solution 8. Start a blog or contribute to a forum This can be a great way to drive web traffic to your website and keep a conversation going with your customers. There are several free blogging sites to get you started, I recommend Blogger, WordPress or Tumblr. Here you should post any type of news, promotional messages or information related to your product or services. Another way to get your name out there is to contribute to online discussion groups (without making it obvious youre advertising). Find the forums that relate to your business by typing in keywords at the top online group websites. I recommendGoogle,YahooandMSNgroups. Be very careful when using forums to advertise. Many discourage users from bombarding discussions with their own links or promoting their business. Find a forum built for this type of promotion, otherwise you could lose credibility. Free Business Advertising Solution 9. Partner up If you sell any type of product used by families, contact your local PTA and offer a special shopping night where a percentage of the proceeds will be donated to the school. Source: August 10,2009 - http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/personal-finance/on-topic/small-business/free-advertising-solutions/ Strategy for Marketing Your BusinessQ: How can a professional web designer come up with a business marketing strategy? I am a webmaster in Florida. From what I read and what people tell me, the skills I have for designing websites and web development are still in high demand.....Marketing your Internet BusinessSo you've got a fantastic idea for a business, a product that absolutely everyone wants. so now what? It's time for a marketing strategy and plan; the lifeblood of any successful product lies in its ability to reach out amongst the ....Free Sample Marketing PlanA marketing plan for a small business typically includes Small Business Administration Description of competitors, including the level of demand for the product or service and the strengths and weaknesses of competitors....Marketing Plan EssentialsEvery marketing plan has to fit the needs and situation. Even so, there are standard components you just can't do without. 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Here's a sample press release template...Other related Articles: Mobile Marketing Strategy for Small Business Sep 3, 2010Mobile Marketing Strategy for Small Business is an increasingly effective way to tap into a younger customer base. While it might not be a perfect fit for every business, check out the marketing potential in geo-location apps like Foursquare, Facebook Places and Yelp...Free Recession Marketing Strategies Aug 22, 2010Those of us running our own home based business need to find a way to ramp up our marketing campaigns despite our dwindling budgets. Here are four free marketing strategies during recession...5 Online Marketing Tools for your Small Business Feb 11, 2010Entrepreneurs, start-ups and other small businesses often wonder about the online marketing tools that can be used...Online Marketing Success by Planning Now Feb 9, 2010As every marketer knows, planning online marketing is a lot of work. 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Below are tips on how you can transform ...9 Free Business Marketing Solutions August 10, 2009Marketing should be the last activity you eliminate or you risk an even faster downward spiral. Business advertising and attracting new customers should be ...7 Secrets for Marketing Online August 1, 2009If you operate an online business, chances are that you do not have a large advertising budget set aside. However, this does not mean that you should completely ...Start a Web Marketing Business August 1, 2009You may not even know what a Web Marketing Business is, but I am able to tell you that even if you dont, it could be the ideal company for you. ...10 Rules for Quick and Easy Public Relations July 5, 2009A good public relations strategy is an alternative to advertising. 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