Low cost marketing strategies

You do not have to spend a lot of money to get your marketing message out there.There are many low cost and even no cost ways of marketing your product and your business to your target market.All that you have to do is know what methods are available to you and how you can take advantage of these low cost marketing strategies.To many people, some of these strategies may be new and different and therefore slightly intimidating to try for the first time.However if you never try anything different, you will never discover something better.After all, operating a business is full of taking the risks that you believe will pay off in the end.

1. Press releases - If you are introducing a service or a product that you believe is news worthy, write and distribute press releases to newspapers, magazines, and television and radio stations.Even if only one of the media outlets that you send your press release to writes about your company, you will have marketed to thousands of people for next to nothing.Make sure that your press releases are concise, have attention grabbing headlines, and are interesting to read.
2. Trade shows - Trade shows are where other businesses and interested consumers gather to share ideas.While renting space at a trade show can cost a few hundred or thousand dollars, it is usually a good investment because you can get your most interested and eager buyers to come to you.Hand out materials and collect contact information so that you have somewhere to turn for leads when the trade show is over.
3. Internet - Internet marketing is growing faster than any other marketing strategy in history.Setting up a home page for your business is relatively inexpensive and can draw in customers from all parts of the world.Even if you do not want to do business online, including your local contact information will provide potential customers with a way of getting in contact with you that, had you not set up a home page, would not have existed.You can take your marketing strategy a step further by using common search engines to advertise your site.
4. Phone book - Marketing by buying a page or ad space in the phone book may not seem like the latest and greatest marketing strategy, but it is still usually a better alternative to something like direct mail, as far as longevity is concerned.When you advertise in a phone book, chances are that the customers who get that phone book will likely hold onto it for at least a year.Few other methods of marketing have such a lengthy stay in the home of a potential customer.
5. Sponsorships - A great way to market and to do some good at the same time (which of course doesn't hurt company image) is to volunteer to do good in the community.Donating products with your company's logo and volunteering time at community, school and charity events is a great way to introduce your business and to build a positive reputation with those in your community.
6. Promotions - Sales, giveaways, and grand openings are all great marketing tactics that get consumers excited about visiting your establishment and cost relatively little for you to organize.Prize drawings for larger items, sale prices and giveaways of items with your company name printed on them will help your marketing dollar to continue working long after your even is over.Building excitement is a great way to motivate others to spread the word about your business event and get your customers in your front doors.