Comments on: How can I market on a shoestring? http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/ Editors from FSB magazine answer your pressing small-business questions. Tue, 15 Dec 2009 12:52:55 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Tom Klein, Atlanta, GA http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-133 Tom Klein, Atlanta, GA Mon, 23 Jul 2007 11:54:57 +0000 http://askfsb.blogs.fsb.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-133 If your customers start their buying process on a search engine, the smartest thing you can do is optimize your website for very local search terms. Consider precisely how your targeted customer segments would go about finding your site - what would they type into a search engine (e.g., health safety columbus georgia). Then, you can simply optimize your site so that it performs well on organic search results (not the advertising results). All of this can be done for the cost of a good book on search marketing - maybe $20. We have some good ideas for other tools as well as more advice on search marketing (all free!) at our site - <a href="http://feedgrowth.com" rel="nofollow">feed growth!</a>. Best of luck to you. If your customers start their buying process on a search engine, the smartest thing you can do is optimize your website for very local search terms.

Consider precisely how your targeted customer segments would go about finding your site – what would they type into a search engine (e.g., health safety columbus georgia).

Then, you can simply optimize your site so that it performs well on organic search results (not the advertising results).

All of this can be done for the cost of a good book on search marketing – maybe $20.

We have some good ideas for other tools as well as more advice on search marketing (all free!) at our site – feed growth!.

Best of luck to you.

]]> By: Dan Burke, President, Burke's Direct Mail, Omaha NE http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-121 Dan Burke, President, Burke's Direct Mail, Omaha NE Fri, 06 Jul 2007 20:05:50 +0000 http://askfsb.blogs.fsb.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-121 Mr. Dennis - Direct Mail Marketing is an excellent low-cost method of marketing. Plus, it is much more trackable than other forms or marketing such as print ads, radio, tv, etc. Find a good direct mail service provider that can also provide a quality list for you based on your potential client base and they will create an ongoing, consistent direct mail campaign that gets results. Good Luck! Mr. Dennis – Direct Mail Marketing is an excellent low-cost method of marketing. Plus, it is much more trackable than other forms or marketing such as print ads, radio, tv, etc. Find a good direct mail service provider that can also provide a quality list for you based on your potential client base and they will create an ongoing, consistent direct mail campaign that gets results. Good Luck!

]]> By: Dale Sturdevant (Marketing Manager Samscreen Incorporated), Conklin, NY http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-115 Dale Sturdevant (Marketing Manager Samscreen Incorporated), Conklin, NY Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:19:18 +0000 http://askfsb.blogs.fsb.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-115 There are so many ways to market on a shoestring it is unbelievable. I am a firm believer in Guerilla Marketing. If you get a chance, buy the book, as there will be a lot more solutions than I can ever give you. However, a few suggestions would be to write up press releases for everything that you might consider newsworthy; whether that be a new website launch, a new employee hire, etc. Also, if you have the opportunity to contribute to a newspaper by providing commentary, or by simply writing a letter to the editor, seize that opportunity! You might also want to provide free services, as a way to entice more clientele to come through the door (notice I did not say free goods). In your case a free seminar series may be seen as a community service and at the same time allow you to market some of your goods thru usage in the seminar. Just a few ideas. There are so many ways to market on a shoestring it is unbelievable. I am a firm believer in Guerilla Marketing. If you get a chance, buy the book, as there will be a lot more solutions than I can ever give you. However, a few suggestions would be to write up press releases for everything that you might consider newsworthy; whether that be a new website launch, a new employee hire, etc. Also, if you have the opportunity to contribute to a newspaper by providing commentary, or by simply writing a letter to the editor, seize that opportunity! You might also want to provide free services, as a way to entice more clientele to come through the door (notice I did not say free goods). In your case a free seminar series may be seen as a community service and at the same time allow you to market some of your goods thru usage in the seminar. Just a few ideas.

]]> By: Geoff Walker, Gladwyne,Pa. http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-114 Geoff Walker, Gladwyne,Pa. Sat, 16 Jun 2007 20:03:15 +0000 http://askfsb.blogs.fsb.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-114 Once you have identified your target audience...an inexpensive way is to go to "infousa.com" and go thru the building of a prospect list with whatever criteria you want...distance from your office...sales...# employees etc. Once you have completed the simple process, you can purchase as many names as you would like to test via personal letters and phone calls...for as little as $.03 -.050 per name. this would allow you to mount a very simple campaign in addition to the networking that you should be doing in your own community. Geoff Walker Once you have identified your target audience…an inexpensive way is to go to "infousa.com" and go thru the building of a prospect list with whatever criteria you want…distance from your office…sales…# employees etc.
Once you have completed the simple process, you can purchase as many names as you would like to test via personal letters and phone calls…for as little as $.03 -.050 per name.
this would allow you to mount a very simple campaign in addition to the networking that you should be doing in your own community.
Geoff Walker

]]> By: Mushtaq Maxwell, Hobe Sound FL. www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com http://smallbusiness.blogs.cnnmoney.cnn.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-112 Mushtaq Maxwell, Hobe Sound FL. www.caribbeanbusinessdigest.com Sat, 09 Jun 2007 04:21:29 +0000 http://askfsb.blogs.fsb.com/2007/06/07/how-can-i-market-on-a-shoestring/#comment-112 Not only are Chambers of Commerce important but also non-business groups as well: charity organizations, Toastmasters, youth organizations etc. Also, perhaps you could volunteer to teach classes at a local community college or partner up with another local business to have a health fair. For the most part you would only have to invest time. Not only are Chambers of Commerce important but also non-business groups as well: charity organizations, Toastmasters, youth organizations etc. Also, perhaps you could volunteer to teach classes at a local community college or partner up with another local business to have a health fair. For the most part you would only have to invest time.

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