Inexpensive Ways To Advertise Your Business

By Apryl Duncan, About.com Guide

Most companies are looking for the best, inexpensive ways to advertise because they don’t have millions, or even thousands, to spend on advertising. Make the most out of the ad dollars you do have, no matter how limited you are. These cheap ways to advertise give you a variety of options to choose from when you’re on an ad budget diet while giving you a good return on your advertising investment:

Create a Flyer
Creating your own flyer to advertise your business is simple, inexpensive and it’s a great way to generate buzz about your company. If you really want to make your flyer an effective advertising tool, offer incentives or discounts to people who bring in your flyer. This also gives you an informal way to track how many people are coming in just because they saw your flyer.

Advertise on Cable
Wait! Before your eyes skip over this section, thinking it’s just for those who can afford a TV commercial, keep reading. You can advertise on cable through crawls, full screen ads and above program listings. These alternative advertising methods are very affordable. Crawls can cost under $10 a day.

Use Your Web Site to Advertise Your Business
Many business owners think they only need a Web site if they sell products online. No matter what type of company you have, you need a Web site. Potential customers hit the Internet looking for companies in their local area. If your competitor’s online and you’re not, guess who has the advantage. Build a Web site that’s beneficial to customers, though. You want to make a positive, lasting impression and having a poorly built Web site is a terrible way to advertise your company.

Post Your Commercial on YouTube
If you do have a TV commercial, get more shelf life out of it without having to pay for more air time. YouTube is an often-overlooked advertising vehicle. It costs nothing to post your commercial on the site and you can promote it on your own Web site so customers in your area can watch your commercial(s) online.

Cross-Promote Your Business Through Partnering
National companies partner every day because it’s an excellent ad tool to reach new customers and cut the advertising costs at the same time. But partnering isn’t just for corporate giants. Going in with other businesses helps you save advertising money while increasing your exposure to customers.

Produce a Newsletter
A newsletter helps you keep in touch with your current customers and tap into a market of potential customers. Your newsletter shouldn’t be used to send ads to your customers, though. Use your newsletter to provide your customers with valuable information that makes you the company they remember when they’re ready to buy.

Podcast Ads
Podcast ads are easy for you to create on your own and podcast ad time is a very reasonable buy. If you can find a popular podcast that’s related to the types of products and services your company sells, sponsoring that podcast may also be a good option for you to consider.

Whatever Method You Choose…
Your advertising will be much more professional and effective if it is well designed. It doesn’t make sense to spend any amount of money on advertising if your materials are poorly designed and your message is unclear. Let Creative Instinct guide you through the effective ad design process. You will love the results! Call Gwen Canfield at 501-244-0573. To see marketing materials we’ve designed for other businesses – visit our website at www.creativeinstinct.biz.