METHOD:1:Marketing Online
1:Start a Web presence. Harness the power of the Internet to draw attention to your business. The Web is full of free outlets that can potentially reach hundreds of thousands of consumers. Set up a business email and make sure you have at least one logo that you can use consistently in your icons before you get started.
2:Use Twitter. Setting up a Twitter account is free, and it allows you to interact with customers on an immediate and personal level. Nab a handle that's as close to your business' name as possible and tether your business email to the account. Use your logo as your avatar. Follow current customers, family members, friends and other businesses you admire or whose products your business uses. Promote your business in your tweets, but keep it fun, too - host giveaways or give shout outs to loyal customers. Give people a reason to follow your business. See Twitter for Business for more information.
3:Create a Facebook page. Setting up a business page on Facebook is free, and allows you to interact with your customers and other businesses. Host giveaways limited to people who "like" your profile or share one of your posts, and offer special Facebook-only deals via messages to customers who follow your activity. Many businesses forgo creating their own website and simply list their Facebook pages as their business sites. See Facebook for Business for more information.
METHOD :2:Using the Media
1:Get media coverage. Did you just open your business? Are you supporting a charity drive around the holiday season? Did you just wrap up a special project? Pitch your story to your local media outlets and see if they're interested in covering you. Try newspapers, broadcast news and radio shows.
2:Contact columnists. Some newspapers have columnist who specializes in writing about good deals and new businesses. Try them as a first point of contact. Additionally, look for columnists who reach your niche audience - for example, if you run a fishing tackle shop, get in touch with your local newspaper's outdoors columnist.
3:Work for charity. Many newspapers will print special coverage of charity endeavors, particularly during the holiday season around Thanksgiving and Christmas. Host a small charity drive during which you accept canned food or used-good donations to give to your local shelters or assistance organizations...................
METHOD:3:Building Connections
1:Rely on word-of-mouth. Offer a discount or a freebie to current customers who send you referrals. You could hand out specialized referral cards for them to give to new customers.
2:Build alliances. Team up with other businesses that offer complementary services and refer customers to one another. For instance, if you sell greenhouses, network with fertilizer suppliers and floral shops.
3:Host seminars, workshops and other educational events. If you own a space that can accommodate several people at once, consider hosting an even to help familiarize people with your product. For instance, wine shops can host tastings and craft stores can host workshops on any number of crafting techniques.
tips
- Offering good information and advice through social media, print or seminars, without constantly promoting your brand, is a great way to build trust with your client base. For instance, if you sell flowers, offer to help people decode the symbolic meanings of certain flowers for free around a holiday like Valentine's Day.
