50 Creative Ways to Market Your Business On a Budget

ABM (Always Be Marketing) Engage in at least 1 marketing activity EVERY day
Get business cards made and carry them with you all day, every day
Join a few email lists related to your industry, keep up on trends and best practices.
Learn to barter or form alliances; offer discounts to members of certain clubs/professional groups/organizations in exchange for promotions in their publications. You can also engage in cross promotions with alliances. Bartering is NOT dead!
Offer quick pay, cash or continuity discounts.

Publish an email newsletter for clients and prospects, send out weekly or bi-weekly with helpful tips and link them to your services.
Create and print a brochure of your services. Print small quantities at a time as budget allows.
When handing out business cards – which you should do on a regular basis – hand out two at a time, one to keep and one to pass along.
Create a flyer to give to clients and prospects.
Include “testimonials” from customers in your literature, on your website, in your newsletter and in your presentations or proposals.
Create a “signature file” to be used on all your e-mail messages. It should contain contact details, including your Web site address, and key information about your company that will make the reader want to contact you. Every email you send will be a promotional tool for your business.
Print a slogan and/or one-sentence description of your business on letterhead, fax cover sheets and invoices.
Create a slogan that promotes the results you can offer clients or prospects as opposed to a slogan promoting the service you offer. Think in terms of solutions to your target clients needs.
Develop your own Web site. (I can help you do that at a very reasonable cost.)
Announce free or special offers in your direct response pieces like direct mail, broadcast fax, email newsletter messages. Include the offer in the beginning of the message and also on the outside of the envelope for direct mail. Make it stand out by being creative.
Write a column for the newspaper, business magazine or industry publication, so that people begin to view you as an expert in your industry.
Contribute articles to industry-related websites or those where you know your target audience visits, blogs or email newsletters.
Write and submit articles to online article directories like EzineArticles.com, GoArticles.com, iSnare.com
Send timely and newsworthy press releases as often as needed to the local newspapers and online press release distribution services.
Appear on a radio or TV Morning Show. I know, easier said than done. Sign up for publicity opportunity alerts at Helpareporter.com (HARO) You will get email alerts every weekday about opportunities in your industry.
Submit ‘Tip’ or ‘Advice’ articles to newspapers.
Create a Press Kit.
Start a YouTube channel and make videos with tips appealing to your target market.
Start a Facebook Fan Page Invite your friends, update daily with tip of the day, link to your website or motivational quotes. There are many Apps available to truly optimize it as a great marketing tool for your business. Take a look some here.
Create a Twitter Profile and follow advice for point #24
Return all phone calls promptly!
Create a professional voicemail message for your business phone and if you are not able to answer and talk business, let the call go to voicemail and return the call promptly.
Set up an email auto responder system to capture prospect’s contact information and answer certain inquiries quickly, efficiently and professionally.
Spice up your voicemail greeting with a ‘tip of the week’ related to your industry.
Create a special area on your website for your customers.
Join a Small Business Association or Professional Group related to your industry and get involved. Also, publicize your membership on your website, bio and business cards.
Obtain a memorable website and email address and publicize on all your marketing materials.
Promote your business jointly with other small businesses via email newsletters.
Create and distribute promotional items such as pens, pencils, pocket calendars or mouse pads.
Consider a bumper sticker or car poster pointing to your website with your company name and tagline.
Place classified ads for a specific time period or at intervals throughout the year.
Advertise on popular websites that reach your target market.
Advertise on Facebook
Advertise through Google Adwords
Secure a booth at a fair or trade show attended or geared towards your target market.
Teach a class or seminar at a university or continuing studies adult education center.
Donate your product or service to a charity auction.
Write a ‘how-to’ brochure/pamphlet and distribute as a flyer.
Write an e-report or e-book and give away as a freebie on your website via your email auto responder system to build your prospect and contact list (something like the one you’re reading).
Start every day with phone calls to at least 2 new prospects.
Create and post regularly to a blog sharing your views on industry practices, general tips, etc. Position yourself as an expert in your industry. [Tip: The same content can be used in your email newsletter or vice versa – Repurpose your content!]
Make it easy for customers to deliver packages to you. If you work from home and want to protect your privacy and keep things separate, invest in a mailbox service.
Informally recruit an extended sales force by giving your brochures and/or business cards to your banker, lawyer, accountant, Doctor, printer, suppliers, etc. You get the idea.
Don’t spend money ad hoc on advertising. Make a budget or profit and loss statement for your business and allot a line item for advertising based on projected revenue. Revisit every quarter.
Conduct client surveys and ask what you can do to serve them better. Let your prospects in on the results and show how you have improved your offering going forward.