25 Free/Cheap Advertising Ideas...

[MakinBacon]

1. Flyers. When you buy your morning paper, slip some flyers in with the rest of the newspapers.

2. Participating in online discussion forums is an excellent way to get the word out about your business, and it is free. Build relationships first and use your signature file to let everyone know what you do
and who you are.

3. Mail out postcards.

4. Bookmarks for libraries, do not forget to talk to your librarian first.

5. Word of mouth (friends and family).

6. Forwarded emails or replying back to unsolicited email. Add your testimony to your signature line---got an uncle who likes to send you forwarded e-mails every 15 minutes? take HIS or HER e-mail contacts list and E-mail THEM! Worst they can do is delete it!

7. Welcome baby cards for hospitals or talk to a local apartment complex or rental agency and ask if you can put together a "Welcome Home" packet for new tenants!

8. When you go to a garage or yard sale, ask if you can leave a few of your flyers there.

9. Put a business card in all outgoing mail including anything that has a postage paid envelope. Paying a local bill? Add a card or postcard with your payment---who knows! The person opening mail on the other end might love to host a show!

10. Visit establishments you do business with (doctor offices, health food stores, karate/dance studios, etc) and ask if you can leave flyers, catalogs, or business cards.

11. Car magnets. You can put magnets all over your car---anyone interested can take a magnet for themselves!

12. Leave your business card in restrooms at restaurants or on cork boards around grocery stores.

13. Get a booth at school events and share what you offer. Donate items to raffles, fundraisers, silent auctions, etc.

14. Look into putting an ad in school sponsored publications (directories, PTA booklets, yearbooks, etc). Usually not too expensive.

15. Set up a free giveaway box in any store that will give you permission. Offer up a few inexpensive give-away items for free if people sign up using their contact information! Draw one winner a month and rake in the contacts!

16. Post flyers at apartment complexes community bulletin boards if they will allow it.

17. Place flyers under windshield wipers of cars in grocery store parking lots, etc.

18. Buy a personalized stamp and put your ad on it. Stamp the back of any envelopes that you mail. Use your consultant stamp to stamp ALL outgoing mail. Send ALL your personal correspondence (online and not) with your "signature" with your website and contact info!

19. We all get junk mail with the postage paid envelopes. Just send a flyer back to the company and use their return envelope. Even if you're not interested in what THEY are selling doesn't mean that they're not interested in what YOU have to sell!

20. Personalized Tshirts. Walmart sells iron-ons for CHEAP!

21. Leave a business card with your tip for your waiter/waitress.

22. Reply to ALL spam email with your own business advertisement.

23. Give your business cards to friends and family and ask them to give them out to people they know who would be interested in part time income.

24. Ask your local takeout restaurant if you can post a flyer in their window or at their register.

25. Business cards with a magnetic back really stick in people's minds as well as on their refrigerator.

There are many ways to promote your business without spending a fortune. Think outside the box. Most people notice things that are different,
something that draws their attention or even makes them laugh.

Keep it simple, keep it cheap and before you know it your success will be achieved without going broke.

 

[MakinBacon]

26. When you travel and stay in hotels, leave your catalog, business card, or coupon behind in your room, lobbies and other places that people congregate. I like to leave my business card with my hotel housekeeping (maid) tip.

27. Contact local area bridal stores, bridal supply stores, caterers, tux rental centers, dj’s, photographers, etc. if your company/business offers a bridal registry. See if you can leave them your business cards!

28. Daycare Centers: You can get a lot of business from the parents who use daycare centers so contact them about leaving your business cards or flyers.

29. Join your local Chamber of Commerce! They always hold local business events in your area. This is a great way to network and to make new business contacts.

30. Contact your local area hospitals and see if you can add your business info to their New Mommy Diaper Bags. A lot of hospitals give out free bags filled with goodies to all the new moms who have babies at their facilities! Or Contact your local medical offices, particularly the Obstetrics & Gynecology Offices and the Pediatrician Offices. A lot of those offices also give freebies to expecting or new moms. See if you can add your information their freebie packages.

31. Donate a prize or a gift certificate to your local radio station for their numerous prize giveaways and contests. This gets you free business exposure. Often times, they will also list you as a prize sponsor on their website too.

32. Donate a prize to your local area Bingo Halls! They are always looking for prize donations.

33. Call your local Chamber of Commerce to find out when there will be local job fairs in your area and get a booth at one or at the very least attend one so you can make some new contacts in your local area.

34. Call your local area colleges and trade schools to find out when their next local area job/employment fair will be. A great way to market your home business opportunity to others who might be interested.

35. Contact local area car dealerships. I make up small packets of business information, my business card, my coupon and a small freebie. Ask them if you can drop off 100 packs to them to hand out to others who come in for those FREE test drives.

36. Contact your local area gyms and fitness centers. A lot of times you can get a table and market your business for an economical fee of $25.00.

37. Contact local small companies and shops to see if you can offer an exclusive discount to their employees. Companies like to offer perks to their employees such as shopping discounts from various local businesses.

38. Get a low cost outdoor banner ad printed up to market your business during outside community events such as: sporting events, music concerts and so forth.

39. Take your business on the road during the nice weather seasons. Contact your local area parks and recreation centers to see what kind of events are coming up and inquire about getting a table or booth at their outdoor events.

40. Contact local area pizza shops, diners, deli’s and coffee shops. Most of these types of businesses have paper placemats where you can buy ad space and have your business ad placed on them. People do READ these ads!

41. Contact local area bars, restaurants and clubs to see if you can buy some advertising on their paper beverage coasters.

42. Hold a local community block party at your home or at your local community center. Families are always looking for something to do on the weekends!

43. Get T-shirts printed up with your business information printed on them. Hand them out to your friends and family members and ask them to wear them when they are out in the community running their errands.

44. Get some canvas tote bags printed up with your business information on them. Pass them out to a few lady friends and ask them to use them when they are out and about in the community attending events or running errands.

45. Wear a business name tag every time you go out in the community. People do read them and do notice them!

 

[msmileyface]

Thank you for these tips. It just made my day, thinking of all the ways I can continue my new business after my personal referrals run out. I do appreciate your time and thought into this!!

 

[wmrmgr]

I especially enjoyed the one about snagging the email contacts from the friend who consistently sends those chain emails! What a great idea!

 

[DebbieJ]

2. Participating in online discussion forums is an excellent way to get the word out about your business, and it is free. Build relationships first and use your signature file to let everyone know what you do
and who you are.

Be careful with this one.

 

[NooraK]

I especially enjoyed the one about snagging the email contacts from the friend who consistently sends those chain emails! What a great idea!

Personally, I would consider this spamming. I hate, hate, hate it when people send me chain letters and do not use BCC to mask all the recipients. I don't need other people getting my email just for this reason. My best friend actually received an email from a PC consultant that she did not know, and had no idea where they had gotten her email from, and this is our best guess. She was not very happy with it.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

Personally, I would consider this spamming. I hate, hate, hate it when people send me chain letters and do not use BCC to mask all the recipients. I don't need other people getting my email just for this reason. My best friend actually received an email from a PC consultant that she did not know, and had no idea where they had gotten her email from, and this is our best guess. She was not very happy with it.

I totally agree. In fact, I worked a Craft/Vendor Fair in the Fall, and a Tupperware Lady, Southern Living Lady, and a Shaklee Lady ALL took my email (must have either gotten it from emails sent out to the vendors or picked up info from my booth - because I wasn't at their booths) and have been sending me info CONSTANTLY - I've actually asked to be removed from their lists, but it hasn't happened, so I've started just marking them as Spam when they come in. I shouldn't have to be bombarded with junk email that I didn't sign up to receive. Tacky Tacky Tacky!

 

[DebbieJ]

Personally, I would consider this spamming. I hate, hate, hate it when people send me chain letters and do not use BCC to mask all the recipients. I don't need other people getting my email just for this reason. My best friend actually received an email from a PC consultant that she did not know, and had no idea where they had gotten her email from, and this is our best guess. She was not very happy with it.

I totally agree. In fact, I worked a Craft/Vendor Fair in the Fall, and a Tupperware Lady, Southern Living Lady, and a Shaklee Lady ALL took my email (must have either gotten it from emails sent out to the vendors or picked up info from my booth - because I wasn't at their booths) and have been sending me info CONSTANTLY - I've actually asked to be removed from their lists, but it hasn't happened, so I've started just marking them as Spam when they come in. I shouldn't have to be bombarded with junk email that I didn't sign up to receive. Tacky Tacky Tacky!

I agree with these ladies as well.

 

[babywings76]

I also agree. The other one that also made me question if it was appropriate, was where it said to put your flyers in with the other newspapers after you buy your paper. People pay money to advertise and get their coupons and flyers added to the newspaper. Sneaking yours in doesn't seem like a fair thing to do.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

For the OP -

Alot of those are good ideas - so I don't want you to think that you are being blasted - you gave people a lot of ideas to think about. There are just a couple that are questionable, and we tend to be a very "vocal" bunch.

Thanks for sharing - there are several on here that I hadn't thought to try!

 

[NooraK]

For the OP -

Alot of those are good ideas - so I don't want you to think that you are being blasted - you gave people a lot of ideas to think about. There are just a couple that are questionable, and we tend to be a very "vocal" bunch.

Thanks for sharing - there are several on here that I hadn't thought to try!

I was just thinking the same thing... great minds think alike!