Cogent SEM

Time and time again I hear small business owners complaining that they don’t have the capital to launch an effective advertising campaign. The simple fact is there is absolutely no truth to that statement. There are several inexpensive ways to promote yourself, your business, or product that are very effective. The four methods of advertising that I’d like to share with you are:

• Networking & Word of Mouth
• Community Involvement
• Giving Something Away
• Performance Based Marketing

Each method, if implemented properly, can have a large impact in your business’ overall success. Combined, these tools create an advertising weapon like no other.

Networking & Word of Mouth

You’re a business owner right, so let people know it. All too often we forget to promote ourselves when speaking with others. When you meet someone, introduce yourself and let them know who you are and what you do at the same time. If people don’t know that you own a business or have a product or service that can benefit others, then they aren’t going to share it. The power of networking is huge! When people think you have a great product or service they’re going to tell everyone they know about it. They will then tell their friends, and then they’ll tell their friends and so on. Also, make sure you have plenty of business cards and be sure to hand one out every time you meet someone. This alone is a very simple, yet effective, way to promote your business.

Community Involvement

Getting involved in the community is an excellent way to let others know about you and your business. One way to get involved is to open your store or office up for special events. You can also sponsor a local charity or non-profit organization. Often times charities are looking for local companies to sponsor an event or meeting and give their sponsors special recognition in their printed promotional materials.

Giving Something Away

Consumers love giveaways and freebies. By giving a little away up front, you potentially can make it back in the long run. Sometimes you don’t even have to give something up but by merely letting consumers think you’re giving them something for nothing is enough. For example, an automotive repair shop may advertise a free vacuuming with each oil change. In reality it’s something they do anyway. The appearance is that the consumer is getting something for nothing. Little things like this can get people talking and grow your business.

Performance Based Marketing

Using a performance based marketing firm is a very low cost and highly effective means of advertising. Performance marketing firms like Cogent incur the upfront costs for advertising and only bill you for the leads or sales they generate. If no sales or leads are generated then you have no obligation to pay. Many firms will allow you to place a limit or cap on the number of leads or sales generated too. Sometimes small companies just aren’t staffed to handle a high volume of leads. It’s also important to make sure you review all advertising materials/media prior to launch. This will enable you to ensure your public image, brand, and name are protected. Performance based marketing is probably the easiest and quickest way to get your name or product out to the public.

If you want to grow your business and find yourself wondering how to stretch your advertising dollar, then give us a call. We can discuss how performance marketing can help you reach new customers and boost sales today.