Small business owners often ask us how they can affordably market their products and services. Below are some ideas that might help drive sales and won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Buy Sell Ads
This company provides a great way to advertise to specific vertical markets. It’s fairly affordable and they have packages that include banner advertising, twitter mentions and newsletter sponsorships.
This company provides sponsored links for all types of topics. Reddit has been around a long time but their
advertising model is fairly new. It’s really affordable, and the nice part is you can dial into many topics (niches) that fit your needs.
Stumble Upon
This is another company that has been around a while but is now gaining traction with visitors. Their paid advertising program is similar to Reddit and allows you to define your target audience.
Guest Blog Posts / Sponsored Blog Posts
If you have a favorite blog and it is reaching your target audience, contact them and offer your services (content, industry know how, expertise) for a guest blog post. Bloggers are always looking for content. If they have paid sponsorships, perhaps ask them about it. Make sure to request traffic numbers if you’ll be paying them. If possible, traffic statistics should always be verified by a third party.
Affiliate Marketing
We suggest a professional affiliate system like Share A Sale and Post Affiliate Pro. After you set up your account, invite affiliates to join your program and work with them for getting your link on their sites. Both services connect directly to Content Shelf and we can help with the technical stuff.
Promotions
Contact your current base and let them know about your new services and offer them a discount for signing up. You can also run promotions for the folks who visit your site. Content Shelf has a complete area for setting up coupons, promotions, and bundles, which can help drive revenue.
Other Ideas
Google Adwords – In a pinch and with the right budget you can do well. Just remember to choose your keywords wisely.
Paid Twitter Advertising – Again, another big company to work with but could work in no time at all, reaching large numbers of people.
Social Media – Turn up your social media presence with lots of images and videos, especially on Twitter. Make sure to use a social media platform that will reach your audience.
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Have an inexpensive marketing idea? Please take a moment to tell us by joining the conversation below.