Marketing is an essential activity for any business. It doesn't have to be expensive. In fact, some of the most effective ways to market your business are also the cheapest. Here are several ways to promote your business without spending a lot of money.
Establish a website for your products. This is one of the best and cheapest ways to promote your products. Once you have a website, you can put your website address on all of your business stationary, on your cosmetic labels, and you can register your website on the internet. Establishing a professional looking website does not have to be expensive. Doteasy.com is my personal favorite. You can get a domain name, website hosting, and web based email there for $25 a year. They also provide a web building tool which you can use to get a nice looking website up and running in under an hour.
Hand out business cards to everyone that might have an interest in your products. Make sure that your business cards have your mailing address, phone number, email address and website address. Visit your local office supply store for business cards that you can print on your home computer, or order stock business cards from your local print shop.
List a few of your products at an online auction site like eBay. This is one of the cheapest ways to promote your business. Many online vendors list products at eBay, and then put their contact information in their "About Me" page, or send their business contact information enclosed with their eBay orders.
Send out a press release to tell others about your business. One of the most popular sites for sending out press releases online is Prweb.com. You can send one for free using their service. You should also send out a press release to your local newspaper. Local papers are hungry for news about the community, and telling them about your business should get your business some exposure.
Look for companies in your community that could use your service or products and tell them what you have to offer. You can either visit them in person, or send them something by mail and then make a follow up phone call. If you need help doing this then ask or hire someone to do it for you.
About the Author
Ololade Franklin publishes business ideas at the Mom's Biz Report. Visit her site at http://www.moms-biz-report.info