How to Place a Free Advertisement

The key to a good business plan is an effective and inexpensive advertising agenda. Good advertising is essential in helping your business flourish and if you're willing to put in a little time and effort, you can place free advertisements for your business almost anywhere. The following advertising ideas should help you get the word out about your business without taking any money out of your pocket.

Instructions

Place a Free Advertisement

1. Place a free advertisement in online classified ads. Some of the more popular free classifieds offer free ad placement for businesses. Choose a free ad site that ranks high in search engine rankings and allows you to target your customers based on locale. The best part about this free advertising avenue is that your ad will only appear to those who are looking for goods and services like those you're offering allowing you to reach a more targeted audience.

2. Join a forum devoted to your products or services. For example, if your business sells hobby supplies, join several forums devoted to model cars, airplanes, and train sets. Post on these forums often and always provide a banner that is directly linked to your website. Even if you don't own an online business, you can target customers in your area by joining a large forum that is subdivided by state, region, or city.

3. Place flyers in areas frequented by your target audience. For example, if you own a book store, you may want to place a flyer advertising your business at a local coffee shop. Have flyers printed that describe your business and offer a free or reduced rate service or product that you aren't offering anywhere else. Make sure the flyer says something like, "Mention where you saw this ad to take advantage of this incredible value." When a potential customer inquires about the ad, you'll know exactly which areas are producing results and which ones aren't.

4. Sell a product or service on Internet auction websites. Many auction sites will allow you to place a free link in the description section of the auction template. You'll reach only those already looking for your goods or services and you'll drive traffic to your website.

5. List your business in a search engine directory. Your business info will appear near the top of search engine result pages whenever anyone searches for similar businesses in your area.

Resources

• Other Great Free Advertising Tips