How do you promote your small business on a small budget? How do you get people to know about your small business without spending much?
Most startup owners are faced with daunting tasks such as creative ways to promote their small businesses.
It’s a big problem, after all, the main motive of setting up a business is to be able to make money. But how do make money with your business when people don’t know about it?
Many startups have failed to last more than a year because they couldn’t make enough sales to sustain the business.
The fact is that big brands have the resources to market their business and get people to know what they do. Small business owners can not do this because they don’t have the resources.
However, as a small business owner, you can still be able to market and promote your small business on a small budget.
You wouldn’t have to spend big if you are creative and ready to try other means of promoting your business rather than the popular and conventional means.
How to promote your small business
How creative are you? Can you make people smile? The very best way to make your small business stand out in the midst of others is to be creatively unique in the ways you promote it.
We all know that people don’t easily forget something unique; something that makes them smile will surely remain in their memory! Even if you have this idea of making a T.V. commercial that’s unique, as a small business, you may not be able to have the fund to finance it.
The fact is that not many people spend their time watching television these days. Even a radio commercial may not have super effects on your small business. Below are some creative, unique, and unconventional ways to promote your business:
#1]. Make promotional t-shirts
Make t-shirts with information about your business, products and services printed on the t-shirts. This is a very good and effective way to promote your small business without spending big.
As a matter of fact, you can make the t-shirts for your kids and ask them to wear them to school and all their school events. This is especially effective and efficient if you have a business that deals with kids’ stuff like stationery, toys, etc.
Even if your kids can’t read the information on the t-shirt, other people that see them with the t-shirts can read. I must confess that this type of business promotion and marketing works. I have seen this at some outdoor summer!
Making some promotional t-shirts does come cheap at times compare to the huge amount of money you will have to spend if you want to do a T.V. or radio commercial.
#2]. City bus advertising
Another way to promote your small business without spending too much is through city bus advertising. City bus advertising or bus stop advertising and municipal public bus advertising is a great way to reach the general public.
This type of advertising is particularly effective for small businesses targeting local people. As a small business owner, you can get bus advertising and bus stop advertising to promote your business within your city.
Public transport is usually a popular form of transportation in a city with a huge population and small business owners can jump on the opportunity to make their business known through public bus advertising.
Due to the great visibility and low public bus ads costs to advertise on buses, posting an ad on bus displays on the outside and inside of city bus lines – or on bus shelter advertising displays – produces high impressions at a low CPM.
#3]. Distribute flyers to your neighbourhood
You can also get your neighbourhood informed about your small business by distributing promotional flyers. This is a very cheap mean of marketing your business and it always comes good returns.
House-to-house flyer distribution is a popular way to promote business. I have used it in the past and I must confess that it worked and it doesn’t cost much.
Lots of small businesses in your neighbourhood might have already been doing this. Probably you have not noticed the flyers in your letterbox, they come in different shapes and colours!
#4]. Car and pizza box stickers
If you have a car that you often drive, you can stick some stickers containing information about your business on the car. You just never know who might be looking!
Another thing is that you can create stickers with your business information and cut a deal with some locally owned pizza joints to place your stickers on their pizza boxes.
However, it might be difficult for you to work with the big chains. But the local pizza shop may be more willing to place your stickers on their boxes in exchange for some free banner advertising on your website.
Remember you are both targeting the same local audience. The investment is minimal – but the potential for return is great.
#5]. Get some promotional items
Almost all of us like free stuff especially if it’s stuff people use almost every day. You can surely cash in on this for your business promotion and marketing.
When you give people free stuff that has your business name and contact – especially your business website, it is possible that these people might decide to visit your website to see what your business offers.
I used to get lots of free stuff with promotional information on them, especially when attending a birthday party or music festivals in the summer. You could even double up this idea by offering special discount codes or coupons on your advertising treat!
Social media marketing and list building are pretty cheap ways to promote your business.
Hi Christopher,
You are very right, social media marketing offers a much more better and cheaper way to market a business. Thanks for reading and commenting
When it comes to promotion of our business we all prefer not to spend too much. An effective way you don’t have to spend too much and carryout promotion is by banner publishing.
To avoid spending too much in promoting a business, these tips are helpful. There are things that should be considered so that you can live with the budget. But, I also consider online promotion so that other people will also familiar with the business and get interested to it.
This is the best and easy methods to promote our small business, e.g city bus advertising