Free and Affordable Ways to Market Yourself Or Your Business

In these tough economic times, many people and businesses know they need to market to get visibility that leads to sales, but have little or no extra capital to do so. However, there are many ways one can market themselves or their business with little or no money. Here are some proven effective marketing strategies for people and businesses with little or no money to spend.

1. Create a website: A website will allow you do tell the world about yourself and what you do. There are many services that allow you to build your own website with easy to follow instructions. Therefore you don’t have to worry about the cost of hiring a website developer to build your site. The most important thing is you want to get as many people to know about you and what you do as possible. Having a website will allow you to share yourself and what you do with others, getting the word out.

2. Develop Strategic Relationships: In building strategic relationships, you create referrals, and referrals mean business. You can join and attend organizations, clubs and associations that share your interest. For example: if you are a realtor you can join the Financial Planners Association, where there are so many professionals that come into contact with people that need to sell or buy real estate. You can create relationships, where you agree to refer clients that need financial advice in exchange for referrals of people that need to sell or buy real estate.

3. Create a unique style or logo: You want to allow people to easily identify you as being different and unique from the competition. Every successful business has a logo, from Microsoft with its four colored window representing its famous operation system windows. You want to create a logo that represents what you do in an image.

4. Write Articles or Newsletters: Write articles or newsletters relating to what it is you do. For example, if you are a wedding planner, you can write an article: How to have a superb wedding on a limited budget. You can add your contact information, your website address and the services you offer generating potential leads.

5. Become a Speaker: Many non-profits, universities, organizations, associations and other entities are always looking for people that can offer knowledge and expertise in many different areas to their members. For example, is you provide senior care, you can contact your local senior citizens center and arrange to discuss what to look for in choosing a senior care provider.

6. Get Social with Online Social Networks: There are many free social networks that allow you to connect with others who share your interest and together you can achieve your goals. You can create a profile or business page for free. For example is you are a florist you can connect with wedding planners which could lead to potential sales, or if you are a drummer looking for bands to play with you can join music groups on social networks and post an ad looking for others in your area to play with.

7. Create a blog: Blogs are free, you just need to write interesting topics that are helpful to the group you are targeting. The more you write the more popular your blog becomes, you can also post comments on other leading blogs.

I hope these marketing strategies will help you in making you and your business a great success.

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