Advice on low cost advertising?

Question

Have started a small new business delivering candy and flowers and have tried mailings, flyers and one ad in the local newspaper. Nothing has worked and I am down to about $100.00 in cash for the new business. Any ideas how to best use this last little bit?

Answer 1

you don't have to spend any more money if you try the press, cause really it's advertising. Write a letter to the editor (small business and minimum wage is a hot new topic) Also contact a reporter about women's issues women in local business(suggest a piece or series, and likely they will use you as their first story) and or lifestyle. Also try ( i know it's hard to afford) donating goods to charities; something they can auction off. They will put you in the program and get your product out there to a local audience. You know that who ever walks away with the prize has paid more than it has cost you, and when the get your 100% satisfactory service they will think of you every time they need candy and flowers, and will recommend you to their friends.

Answer 2

A few free resources – check out the sources box for links:

1) Create a blog pertaining to your field

2) Use Yahoo! Local & Yahoo! Groups – Be sure to read the TOS for each one!

3) Write articles pertaining to your field and/or expertise.

4) Advertise on Craiglist

Also, consider signing up for an affiliate program. These programs enable you to advertise on other's sites (your affiliates) and once a sale is made to you, your affiliates & the program are paid a commission.

I listed a few handy sites & articles relating to marketing, promotion & advertising. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

* 301 Do-It-Yourself Marketing Ideas: From America's Most Innovative Small Companies by Sam Decker
* Off The Wall Marketing Ideas: Jumpstart Your Sales without Busting Your Budget by Nancy Michaels, Debbi J. Karpowicz
* Guerrilla Marketing for Free: Dozens of No-Cost Tactics to Promote Your Business and Energize Your Profits by Jay Conrad Levinson
* Entrepreneur Magazine's Ultimate Small Business Marketing Guide: Over 1500 Great Marketing Tricks That Will Drive Your Business Through the Roof by James Stephenson

Hope that helps! I wish you much success & happiness in all your ventures!

Answer 3

Try contacting your local media to get some free publicity for your business. Local newspaper, tv and radio stations love community and human interest stories. Want to really get their attention? Give them some free candy and flowers!

Have some flyers made up and distribute them every place you can think of: laundromats, apartment complexes, office buildings, etc. Just make sure you ask permission first.

Also, I'm really big on word of mouth advertising. Just tell everyone you meet about your business. Sooner or later it will pay dividends for you. Best of luck to you!

To your success,
Dale King, Owner
http://guruknowledge.org

Answer 4

I would recommend you using the remaining $100 to create a logo graphic design for your company if you haven't already. A logo adds credibility to your company and you can use it for a lot of things from T-shirts, to flyers, to customer bags, and of course, your website.

To advertise your company, find areas that you think are prone to being interested in your product and services (i.e. offices, downtown sidewalks, colleges, airports, bus depots, etc.), and personally hand out good looking invitations to try your company out. Offer them a free gift with their first order and perhaps a money back guarantee. Set up a good quality website (looks first, content second) if you haven't already and direct as many to it as possible. There are many local classifieds on the internet that are free. Talk to other local business owner's and find out what works for them. Believe it or not, I watch the TV show, "The Apprentice" to get marketing ideas.

I have provided you with a few classified websites to get started. You can do a search for "free classifieds" to find more online classified websites to advertise locally online for little or no cost.


Bottom line: make your money work for your business as efficiently as possible. examine your options before you spend any money towards your business. you would be surprised how much money is saved by finding it at the local library or on the internet.

-Small business owner since 1996

Answer 5

Here are a few:
Magnets with logos (Many People collect magnets)
Affiliate with local established companies which correspond with your business. Example, Hallmark stores are used by many people shoppping for gifts, cards, etc. See if you can place some ads at their counter top. Offer them a rental fee for their space (Say $40 /month) if they say no at first. Talk to a manager...

Their are many companies you can associate with, just figure out which ones would be best suited but not feel like competition.

Also, did you know you can talk to store managrs of many different companies to try to get your product on their shelves. Look into this, it could be very lucrative if you caught on with say a supermarket chain.

Advertise heavy at specific times of year pertaining to your craft. Example: Valentines Day.

June/July are heavy favorites for wedding months. Go to a bridal shop and try to get some ads going on there. Suit rental stores. Limousine rental places. Funeral parlors. etc.. etc...

Make a bumpersticker and place it on your car.

Good luck!

.

Answer 6

Who's your target market?
What's your USP? (the unique selling proposition: what is unique about your service?)

Most of the answers above are about "media" which is _how_ you contact prospects.

But that's only one ingredient - as you've discovered, unless you contact the right people WHO (those who are inclined and able to buy what you're selling) with the right message WHY, you're wasting money.

Answer 7

Make online banners. Make links. Tell people.Talk about it on Forums. All of those are free. I run a website and would be more then happy to post a link for your (If you had a website). Feel free to eMail me at [e-mail]. Good Luck!

Answer 8

print attractive name cards, place it in hospitals, gym, convenient stores, etc.