5 Low Cost Creative Marketing Ideas

Whether you are just starting a business or need new ideas to get more business, you can find creative and low cost ways advertise. You don't have to spend a ton of money on expensive ads or gimmicks to advertise your product or business. If your looking for ways to stand out these ideas are easy and cheap and leave a lasting impression. These ideas can work for both an online or offline business.

1 . Use your car to advertise. Bumper stickers are out. Try a new way to drive traffic to your business. An inexpensive way you can do this is to use window clings to stick on your window. Get the ones you can put through a printer and print your company name and information on it. Window clings are easy to apply and remove. If you want to pay a little more and you don't mind putting something permanent on your car you could try I.D. IT Plates. These look a lot more professional than plain old bumper stickers. The I.D.IT plates are more difficult to remove but can also be reapplied it to another vehicle.

2. Not sure what to do with all those old magazines lying around your house? After you're finished with them make labels that say "compliments of" and include your business information and leave them at doctors offices, repair shops, car dealerships, or any business with a waiting room. Leave a business card in the magazine so your potential customers will be able to take the information with them.

3. I love a parade. Any place where there's a lot of people gathered is a great place to get out your message. Take a business card, punch two holes in it and thread a lollipop (or candy cane if it's Christmas) through the holes and pass them out to the spectators.

4. Everyone loves a free gift. Get small plastic goodie bags, or plain ziplock bags. Fill it with your business card, a piece of candy, a small flyer, a coupon for your business or anything else you might want to include. Hand these out to cashiers, bank tellers, receptionists, waiters, anyone who comes across your path during the day.

5. A refreshing idea. Order up some mint books. You can actually use these as business cards or use them to fill up your goodie bag. They're small and easy to carry around. It's a cheap way to spread the word about your business, and add a little treat at the same time.