5 Advertising Tips For Your Business

Advertising budgets can make up a significant amount of expenses for a company. As a result most organizations are always looking for ways to get free press or market in more cost-effective ways to get the most bang for their buck. The more creative you are the more likely you will be to reach a larger audience for your goods or services while keeping expenses under control. When you're self-employed or work from home it is even more crucial to get your brand out there on a razor thin marketing budget. The following are some efficient marketing ideas to help advertise your business and hopefully get new customers.

Tip #1 - Always Have Business Cards

Regardless of the size of your business always have business cards printed and available for distribution to current and potential customers. Modern technology and the Internet haven't obviated the need to have business cards for networking purposes. Many individuals and businesses still rely on drawers full of business cards to get a phone number or refresh their memory about someone they may have met years earlier who provided a service. Be sure to include all relevant information including links to social media to make your business card even more worthwhile.

Tip #2 - Issue Press Releases

Press releases are still an important part of letting the business community know about changes or updates to your businesses information, products or services. You can download a press release template from any number of online resources which you can then fill out and send to multiple publications. It takes time and effort on your part to pull together the relevant contact information but it's worthwhile since it's free and often results in increased exposure.

Tip #3 - Maintain an Online Presence

Publishing a newsletter and providing an RSS feed for your website or blog can also be a great way to advertise for your business while keeping costs down. This is because there are many specialized applications which will read RSS feeds built for tablets and smart phones. This allows business and consumer users to receive timely information about your company on the most convenient platform for them. Newsletters are also something which many people subscribe to since it eliminates the need to visit multiple websites through the course of the day.

Tip #4 - Community Involvement Is Key

Make your business a part of the community by sponsoring various events or participating in fundraisers. It might seem old school but sponsoring a Little League team or a small-town fun run can provide great exposure for your business usually for a few thousand dollars. While this can still be cost prohibitive, hundreds if not thousands people will instantly recognize your organization and brand. There's really no other way to get this type of coverage in such specific concentration at this low-cost.

Tip #5 - Frequent Industry Trade Shows

Participating in trade shows and distributing brochures and flyers is a low-cost alternative to advertising on television or radio. State fairs and local Chamber of Commerce events feature a captive audience were distributing brochures may make sense. Make sure it is okay with the event organizer first and don't overstay your welcome. You don't want to instill the perception of overbearing and intrusive when marketing your business.

There are many other ideas available for advertising your business so don't limit yourself to the tips above. The more creative you are the more likely you will be to get increased exposure for your business whether by more traditional means or by going viral. Not all marketing campaigns have to cost tens of thousands of dollars and even if you spend that much there's no guarantee they'll work. Advertising in an efficient and cost-effective manner means freeing up financial resources to grow your business.