1. Create a simple, clean website that includes keywords about your business so that people looking for your products or services can find you easily.
2. List your business on all free directory sites available to you: Google Local Business Centre, Yahoo! Local, Yelp, YellowPages.com, and SuperPages. These are just some of the online business directory services that allow you to create a free listing. Add details such as your company website URL, a map, phone numbers, or business hours.
3. An email newsletter is a great way to connect with your loyal customers. Create an email that includes a quick update on new products or services, and perhaps a printable coupon or promotional code. You can also add an image, a link to your website or a video you’ve posted on YouTube.
4. Social networking is here to stay, so your company needs to get involved. Start by creating a Facebook business page and a Twitter account in your company’s name; both are free. If you have video content about your business, create a free “video channel” on YouTube. Encourage your customers to sign up for your pages by printing your Facebook address and Twitter handle on all your marketing materials.
5. Try offering different types of promotions: downloadable and printable coupons that people can bring in to your shop or office, a 10%-off coupon for signing up for your email newsletter or a refer-a-friend discount to be redeemed online. You can promote these discounts via your email newsletter, in-store banners, Twitter, and Facebook.
6. Use Google, Twitter, Facebook, and other search engines to find similar businesses in your city and in other areas to see what marketing tricks your competitors are using. Check out their social networking pages, websites and latest promotions. Sign up for their email newsletters. You’ll be able to see what’s worked for companies you admire, and fine-tune your own marketing strategies to compete with them.
7. There are many sites where experts can provide answers to people asking questions: Yahoo Answers and LinkedIn Answers are some of the most popular. Search all of these sites for questions related to your business or service expertise, and then provide answers to them. Offer thoughtful, expert advice people can really use; that’s great PR for your business.
8. Most people prefer to 'see' something rather than 'read' something – so create some videos for your business! Create simple marketing videos for free then add your company’s URL, phone number and address. Post your videos on your Facebook Page and on YouTube, and use them on your website and in your email marketing campaigns.
