You could even be a Blogstar
The response below was in answer to the question:- Which paid advertising has given YOU your best return on investment - and also, which was a big fat waste of money? We are trying all different forms of advertising, so in essence I don't have an exact answer as to what works (yet) hopefully I will in a few months time... but fed up with the cost of advertising I have begun utilising what is available to me that either doesn't cost the earth, is free or I can multi-task with! These are things we are currently trying (in no particular order) 1. We have several blogs and advertise with links and designs across all of them 2. We created our own bumper stickers through our business and 5 of our family cars sport those 3. We have business cards/flyers/post cards left at the businesses of our friends 4. We are sharing links with other like-minded business owners in an attempt to 'help' each other cross-promote and get our names out there. 5. Use postcards instead of business cards, or magnets - as they offer a little more longevity than your average business card. 6. I pass links and strategies on to friends and they share theirs with me... 7. I found a great site called http://www.flyingsolo.com.au/ .... they give excellent tips and ideas and I have visited their recommended links and implemented some of their ideas... I am on a couple of the sites they recommend. 8. Using Social Media - this has not only generated lots of FREE advertising but heaps of wonderful connections across the globe! I am now marketing and networking with some high profile people (who I accidentally came into contact with - though I guess nothing in life is an accident!) 9. I read a LOT and try to find all kinds of different ways to market myself or BRAND myself - which is what I am attempting to do via my personal blog (where I have unleashed a Teaser of the book I am writing!) 10. We are advertising in the School Business Directory (for 12 months) - this is a P&C fundraiser and creates awareness of our product. Some say the back of the school newsletter is helpful too. 11. Flyer drops in the local area (sometimes work depending on the nature of your business!) 12. Word of mouth - an excellent tool For me in the past... the following things haven't worked so well - 1. Yellow Pages - especially if there are a squillion like-minded businesses 2. Local paper - for the same reason! - highly cost prohibitive over an extended period of time (until you're raking in the cash!) 3. Flyer drops can work if your business is broad spectrum for e.g Clothes, baby products, books etc... If you're a more closed-market for e.g Wedding Co-ordinator etc... (which is something I used to do) flyer drops aren't going to cast the big net because you might find 1 wedding every couple of K's that requires your services, if at all! A beauty salon or natural product on a flyer drop would have more success! (in my opinion!) Having operated a business before and testing the water on some of these things in the past decade, and now with our new business beginning we are using different approaches all the time. A suggestion on one website was to WRITE WRITE WRITE - write business articles that can help get you NOTICED and even published. So for e.g someone reads your great article and links it back on their blog/site, or recommends you, one of the BIGGER fish in the pond reads your article, likes it and asks you to write for them or to give your spin on your area of expertise... you provide the scoop and once people read your stuff (it's free advertising) and theory is, they flock to you for their business needs... for e.g if you are a consultant giving advice, suddenly you may find certain people knocking on your door to receive that advice! Etc etc... I hope this is food for thought! (and not too boring or too much to take in!) As I said, I have been reading and researching 'what the go' is with marketing and advertising and the best way to achieve optimum results for the least amount of outlay possible! And let's face it, don't we all want that! So blogstars... hit the keyboard! You never know what you may accomplish! Good luck! Michelle Hayward http://thehouseofvintner.blogspot.com http://michellehayward.blogspot.com About Author Michelle Hayward is a feature writer at Connect2Mums http://connect2mums.ning.com and an author of a forthcoming novel http://michellehayward.blogspot.com which falls into the Chicklit Genre. Disclaimer: Article submitters are solely responsible for the content of their articles. ArtiLib can't be held liable for the contents of the articles. Report Abuse | Browse By Category |
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