Ways to Market for Next to Nothing
Part One – Get Noticed
By Victoria Munro          

Getting the word out about your business without spending a fortune is a challenge for most entrepreneurs today, but it can be done. Using time, energy, creativity and a little persistence can net you new clients and improve your bottom line almost for free.

Before you get started, it’s crucial to clearly define your market and understand their pain—the fears and frustrations you can alleviate. In this series, we’ll cover several strategies are easy to implement and cost little or nothing.

Speak Up
Become known for what you do best and enjoy doing. Speaking to groups on your topic is an excellent way to get the word out and let potential clients see you as an expert.

Program directors for trade association and service club meetings are often on the lookout for interesting speakers. If your speaking skills need polishing, join a local Toastmasters Club or, if you live in the Denver area, attend Joe Sabah’s How to Speak for Fun and Profit seminar or a Presentation Dojo with Angela Libby Jankousky of Turning Point Presentations.

Angela specializes in helping entrepreneurs shine in front of audiences. She recommends that, before speaking to a group, you talk with the person scheduling speakers and find out as much as possible about the audience, their demographics, interests and what they enjoy. Then, as you prepare to speak, tailor your message to be relevant to those people. “Always respect the time slot you’re given. And,” she warns, “be prepared to be cut by ten minutes if their schedule is running late.”

Remember to include a ‘call to action.’ This should be the audience’s natural response to what you have shared. Most service clubs don’t want you to sell, so your call to action might be to suggest they set up a meeting with you. Always bring branded handouts that include your contact information.

“When you speak, it’s so important to be likeable,” Angela says. “If they don’t like you, they won’t set up a meeting with you or buy from you.”

For more tips on speaking to get noticed, check out Make-it-Fly's Small Biz Blog frequently.

Put It In Writing
Another way to become known as an expert is to write about your topic. Submit articles. Recycle your speeches as articles. If you can’t write, but have the knowledge, hire someone else to write for you. Lisa Stormes Hawker* of BrainStormes Unlimited recommends that you scrutinize carefully the website of any writer you are considering hiring. “Ask yourself, Are there typos on the landing page?” she says. “Is the writing clear, concise, full (but not too full) of personality? Is the writer based in the US? You’d be amazed by how many writers for hire aren’t native English speakers/writers.”

Lisa also warns against putting your faith in automatic article-writing software. “Readers know when they’re reading something that was generated by a computer,” she says. “The language is stiff and often full of unintentionally hilarious malapropisms.”

In Parts Two and Three of this series, there are more ideas on how to get the word out about your business for next to nothing.

About the Author: Victoria Munro is co-founder (along with husband Dave Block) of Make-it-Fly® LLC, a company dedicated to creating success for small-business owners through creatively designed programs and tools. Victoria has started and run nine different businesses. To receive FREE business success articles with tips to help you with your business, sign up for their award-winning ezine, “In-Flight Refueling,” at: www.Make-it-Fly.com, and receive a free copy of the eBook, Get More Done in Less Time: 101 Quick and Easy Time Tactics & Tips.

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