40 Marketing Methods For Entrepreneurs

When you first start a business, you try everything you can to get yourself or your services branded. You want your name in lights, because the quicker you are seen, the quicker you can make money.

The fact of the matter is, if you are stupid with your costs, you won’t make a cent. Getting your name in the phone book is great, but don’t pay out the nose for it. I know the first time I met with the directory advertising people, they wanted to set me up with a $500 a month plan. I promptly paid for my cup of coffee and hit the road!

Here is a list of ways you can market yourself and/or your business professionally and cheaply:

1. Do search engine optimization for free, as long as you get a link or some sort of written entry for it.
2. Build yourself a website.
3. Get real familiar with WordPress. You can’t find a better content management system.
4. Participate in Adwords or any of the other ppc type networks, but keep the keywords focused and have a landing page.
5. Have strategic partnerships, where a friend will sponsor your site if you sponsor his/hers.
6. Play the RSS feedvertising game. A link in your feed for a link in theirs.
7. Design a web template for a high profile site for free.
8. Buy a web designer a case of beer for some graphic work. Participate in the festivities.
9. Get good at search engine optimization. Good SEO now will produce results in the near future.
10. Build a template and stick it on the WordPress theme viewer.
11. Trade links.
12. Comment on other sites in the same niche
13. Send private emails to authors and individuals you enjoy reading. Not necessarily for any direct benefit, but for moral support. Bloggers are generally nice people!
14. Use forums to establish credibility
15. Utilize the forum signiture line. Have links or witty quotes which will garner interest.
16. Do informative podcasts on topics your niche will enjoy.
17. Teach how to do something though a screencast
18. Shoot a video for YouTube with your brand or website in there somewhere.
19. Network with real people.
20. Play with all the social networks – Myspace, Facebook, LinkedIn. Establish a presence.
21. Write an ebook and get it published on Lulu.com
22. Guest blog on other sites.
23. Email the big boys, TechCrunch.com and OutsidetheValley.com to let them know who you are and what you are starting (provided you have a quality service).
24. Get in good with the media.
25. Play nice with your local college community. They have valuable resources.
26. Make 3×5 notecards and send them out. About 1% of them work consistently.
27. Hire salespeople on commission. A college kid will work their ass off for beer money!
28. Launch a niche blog.
29. Write periodicals for a newpaper.
30. Submit good articles to magazines and websites.
31. Participate in every blogger contest you can find.
32. Go to CafePress and make up shirts with your logo on it. Buy those instead of regular clothes.
33. Get a decal for your car with your brand on it.
34. Talk your company up. At the bar, the gym, school, etc.
35. Get into referral programs. One SEO company I critiqued gave 10% of the final cost to the referrer!
36. Implement a block support program. If you provide customer service programs, have the client buy a block of time up front.
37. Make business cards.
38. Hold convention/classroom style how-to sessions. Charge for each person to sit in.
39. Do newsletters.
40. Create an advertiser driven magazine.

I am sure that I have forgot some, so please let me know so that I can add them!

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