Free Advertising Venues for Small Businesses

Most of the people who begin small business ventures don't have a large amount of capital. Many start working from home, with only a computer and a telephone as assets. These people have big dreams, but they have one problem facing them : how to advertise.

Placing ads in newspapers can be horrendously expensive, and billboards are even more so. There are other publications and newsletters, but they charge only a little less than the newspapers. Word of mouth can only get you so far, so what's left?

Believe it or not, there are ways to advertise for free, and have your ad seen all over the country. Here are a few to begin with:

FREE ADVERTISING WEBSITES

1. www.marketingtool.com

Marketingtool.com is a venue through which you can place an ad for your business, and allow others to see it for free. They support ads in the following industries: web designers, photography, web hosting, PR, flash designers, illustrators, copywriters, videography, and search engine optimization (SEO). They also offer a service through which you can place a link to them on your website, and they will actually recommend your business to consumers. It is called a "reciprocal link" and also gains you entrance into the state-wide directory. You can't ask for more than that!

If you have some cash, you can also update your subscription to a "featured listing". This gives you access to greater lead-generating services, and puts you at the top of the list in their city and state directories. The price varies based on location and availability; for example, if you live in New Jersey, and there is a 5th place listing available, your price will be different than if you live in New York and there is a 1st place listing available. The featured listing will not necessarily turn a greater profit; this depends on your industry, your location, and how many companies appear above and below you in the heirarchy.

2. www.pr.com

Pr.com offers similar resources to small businesses, but in a wider variety of options. They offer free advertising for the following indistries: Advertising & Marketing, Aerospace & Defense, Agriculture, Automotive & Transport, Business Services, Chemicals, Computers & Software, Education, Electronics, Energy & Environment, Financial Services, Food & Beverage, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Media & Entertainment, Organizations/Institutions, Food & Beverage, Machinery, Pharmaceuticals, Real Estate & Construction, Retail & Consumer Services, Telecommunications, Transportation Services and Wholesale Trade.

For those who advertise with them, they also offer free distribution of press releases, which is an amazing resource for small business owners. I will talk more about press releases later in the article, but placement and wording of media releases can make or break a small business.

3. www.free-press-release.com

This website is dedicated to free press releases, and is an invaluable resource for the growing business. Just fill in the information, and it is released to thousands of venues through which you just might find your next customer (or 100 customers!) It is unlike the other sites in that it doesn't offer a free directory listing, so you will probably want to use it in conjunction with either pr.com or marketingtool.com.

4. www.prleap.com

Similar to the above site, prleap.com offers free press release services via the web, news syndication, and RSS feeds. This is another great resource - and best of all, its free! RSS feeds allow relevant listings to appear on your website, and this service is free of charge. It can help you gain revenue through careful selection of advertising, and possibly provide more traffic to your website, thereby generating a higher profit for your company. The advertising world is complex and competitive; gaining any advantage can be the starting point for the growth of your small business.

PRESS RELEASES FOR THE NEW BUSINESS OWNER

Press Releases are an entirely different approach to free advertising. Unless you pay a professional to write and distribute your press releases, this venue is free to you, and can generate the awareness of your business that can launch growth and public interest. The entire idea of a press release is to inform the general public about your products and/or services, or to announce a new product in which you feel the public might be interested. Your press release should include the date of submission, the city and state in which your business is headquartered, and a concise explanation of the products/services you are providing.

The most common mistakes that rookies make when issuing their first press release lies in length and convolution. You should never be overly detailed or confusing in your press release, and it should be written on approximately a sixth grade reading level (see your local newspaper for examples). It should be short - no more than four or five paragraphs - and explain your point concisely. Leave something to the imagination; you want the readers of your press release to have questions. They will then visit your website or store to learn more, which will hopefully lead to a sale.

GENERATION OF PRESS

There is an alternative to press releases that is thought by some to be even better for the marketing of your products or services. Since press releases have limited readership and are difficult to distribute by a single individual, there are ways of generating your own press without actually having to do the work.

For example, let's say that you sell a revolutionary car alarm that not only emits sounds from your vehicle, but also from your keychain so that you know the alarm has been triggered if you are in your home or the grocery store or anywhere distant from where you car is parked. Pay attention to what goes on in your neighborhood. If a neighbor tells you that there have been a rash of vehicle burglaries in a certain area, call your local news media team. It can be the newspaper, the television, or the radio - the medium doesn't matter. Find out who the investigative reporter is, and talk to him or her directly. Let them know about this possible story, and about your product.

Bingo!

In exchange for tips, media professionals will often advertise your product for you. They will give the information for your business when they deliver their story, and you have instant press for your product. This way, you haven't paid for advertising, but everyone who watches the news, reads the paper, or listens to the radio will hear about your product. It reaches a greater variety of people than will a press release, and again, its free!

All of these methods can be extremely effective when used well, and can generate positive press for your small business, all without your having to spend a dime.