Advertising a Small Business for Free

Getting the word out

When you run a small business, your advertising budget is often equally as small. The cost of printing business cards and flyers and placing small ads in local papers can add up quickly. By setting aside a portion of your time each day or week and using some initiative, you can do effective free advertising. Advertising simply means getting the word out about your business and telling people what you can offer them. There are ways to do this for free, and as you try the different ways you'll find yourself coming up with even more ideas.

Things You'll Need

• Computer
• Internet service

Instructions

1. Spread the word to as many people as possible. Tell everyone you know about your business and ask them to tell others. Without being too pushy, find ways to introduce your business into conversations with people that you meet throughout the day.

2. Build a free business website. There are many services that offer free hosting for basic websites. Keep it simple, but include important information about your business.

3. Join some blogging websites and write interesting and entertaining posts each day about your business. If the blogging website allows, place a link to your business website below your signature.

4. Write short informational articles on subjects that have to do with your type of business, and submit them to free article directories. Under your signature you can put a short bio about yourself and the business, as well as a link to your business website.

5. Find businesses that complement yours and contact the owners about trading website links. For instance, if you are in the business of selling flowers, you could have a link on your website to a greeting card business. That business could then link back to your website.

6. Join message boards with topics that interest you and post to them regularly. Include a link to your business website below your signature.

Tips & Warnings

• If your business cards don't already have your website address on them, write it on in pen.

• Give your business website an interesting and memorable name that will stick in people's minds.

• Create a separate email address for your business.

• If you see any ads from people who want to help you advertise your business for free, be wary. Somewhere in there they are trying to sell you something.

• Devoting time to your free advertising is important, but don't overextend yourself. Take time away from your business now and then or you may risk suffering from burnout.

Resources

• Directory of blogging sites
• Directory of free web hosting services