Article Surfing Archive

Many new business owners find themselves overwhelmed by the concept of marketing, and it can certainly be difficult when you*re not sure where to start or what to do. So how do you go about getting customers or clients?

Business promotion doesn*t have to be hard or expensive, in fact, there are 5 easy and inexpensive things you can do to spread the word about your business:

Business cards:

Modern technology has enabled business owners to create their own quality business cards inexpensively. Many software programs like MS Word and MS Publisher have built-in templates for making business cards, so the only items you need are a decent printer and business card stock (which can be purchased from almost any business supply store). Then you simply type in your information, add your logo, and print them out. Don*t forget to encourage people to call you or visit your website by putting a special offer on the back.

Another easy and affordable option is to order them online at places like VistaPrint.com. But don*t go overboard and order thousands at a time; 100 or even 250 will be more than enough for you to get started.

Website:

Millions of people are using the Internet everyday to search for information or to shop online, so having your own website will allow you to tap into a worldwide market. You can purchase a domain name from GoDaddy.com for a few dollars, and hosting can be had for as little as $5 from places like HostGator.com. Many hosting companies have a built-in website builder which will make it easy for a beginner to get their website online, or you can do a search for pre-made website templates.

If you sell products and will need a shopping cart system, you'll be better off using an all-in-one service like PappaShop.com or WahmShoppes.com. For a small monthly fee you will have an online store and shopping cart that will work with the popular merchants like PayPal.com. Adding products and pictures is super easy when you use a system like this. And again, you can purchase a pre-made store template from a place like HeavenDesignz.com to really give your website a professional look without the expense of hiring a designer.

Seminars/Teleseminars :

Offering a free seminar or workshop on a topic related to your business is a great way to generate buzz and bring potential customers and clients directly to you. You can do this alone, or invite other business owners in your niche as guest speakers. Having guest speakers adds value to your seminar, but it also helps you build a contact list for future joint ventures.

Joint Ventures:

A joint venture is when you team up with other business owners on a project in order to promote your respective businesses. You can work together to create a new product, a membership program, or just to put together a seminar.
*
The first step to creating a joint venture is to find other businesses within your niche that are not your competition, but rather businesses who will compliment your own. Then you simply approach the business of interest and ask if you can work together. For the most part, joint ventures mean that you will equally share all costs and profits, and the project offers benefits to both partners.

Press Releases:

Press releases are a great marketing tool, not to mention completely free. A press release is nothing more than a 1-2 page article that informs people of a newsworthy event relating to your business. You can announce your grand opening, a fundraiser, or even a special promotion, and submit it online and to your local media. If a reporter or editor likes what they read, they may contact you for an interview that could land you in the paper or on television.

Your press release may be a reflection of your business, therefore it should always be professionally written. To learn the correct format to press release writing, you can search online for information and samples, or you can hire a writer to do write it for you.

Promoting your business is not going to be a one-time thing, it's something that must be done on a regular basis. So get those business cards out there, submit press releases regularly, tell others about your website, and hold seminars to bring those customers and clients* right to you. All your hard work and dedication will eventually pay off, and the results will be worth the time and effort that you must put in to marketing your business.