Greetings -

What are your tips to promote your small business?

How do you network?

What has proved to be the most successful way so far?

Any more good tips?

All thoughts welcome!

smoking-devilFirst have a launch party to get everyone interested. Get as many addresses, numbers and e-mails and possible. Do it on the sly and no one will cotton on. Then get your mates', mates and so-on onboard as clients or just people who spread the word about your wonderful business/product/service.

Then have an after-party. Black people love after parties!

Hi Alma - very good topic

What are your tips to promote your small business? Do your research depending on what type of busines you have you could do flyers. Professional flyers can cost but you have tobe willing to put something into the business to get something out of it. If not and you are good on a computer and have a good colour printer then you can do the flyers yourslf , stationers do a nice slection of brocher/flyer paper. Word of mouth isgood advertisment and is excellent.

How do you network? I work for a large organisation and we have a system called the Marktplace. This is where people can buy or sellanything via email, it's like an electronic bargain pages. You advertise what you have to offer and people will reply as to whether they require your services. If you are part of a group, this can be anything, church, gym let them know what you have to offer they will mos definetely tell others


What has proved to be the most successful way so far? word of mouth is by far one of the oldest and most effective forms of advertising. My husband gets at least 50% of his busines through "word of mouth"

Any more good tips? Perseverance, and confidence. Research, research and more research, especiallyif you have competitors. Have a good business plan this is for your own benefit as well as for the bank. Keep a list of your customers (this depends on what business you have). That way you can always update them on new products etc that you have.

And most of all no matter what obstacles are in you way NEVER GIVE UP. Being your own boss can be hard work but it is so rewarding as well.niceone.gif


GOOD LUCK

Successful biz people understand the value of delegation. You don't have to know it all or even be the best. What you need to do is keep great people around you, learn from them and delegate work to them so that the sum total of the effort is bigger than the individual parts. Remember we never stop learning

banana.gif

Tips...
- The internet is a great place to promote your business with a wealth of free promotion opps. Create a website - 1 pager will do, with key info, what your biz is and contact info, then get it linked to all the search engines -
Google Ad Words is very good.

- Devide and conquer your market...if your product say was a book club, focus on one group that might buy, e.g. students, London students, students at X Uni. If your product is really targeted, you will find that you get a better response and take up.

- Personalise the product, don't just say what it is focus on the benefits to the user - be specific - most people think wisely b4 spending their money you need to convince that your product is right for them.

- PR yourself and your business - through your 'local' paper. Think of an angle, e.g. the launch of your biz what's different about it or you? Give the paper a call and introduce yourself or if money allows commission a PR freelancer, a decent one will charge you around £150 - 300 a day, which is worth it if you get some good quality publicity.

- Identify your key business/trade media so that you can do some serious networking. This could also provide some insightful info that you can use to build up your business.

- Branding - ensure a consistent look and feel, all your graphics should promote the type of business that you are. Of course logos, etc, need to look professional and printing should be to a high quality - your average prontaprint/printing.com should be up to the job.

- Network with friends and family and get them to spread the word - aka 6 degrees of separation!

- If you are marketing online, then a good regular digital newsletter always works well and is very cost effective, once you have the relevant computer package - try shareware as they have loads of packages that you can download for free.

- lastly research your competitors and nick the best ideas!

can't think of anything else - hope this helps

@Blackmatta, That is very good advice, and something which I have taken note of.... thanx!!

Use www.prweb.com www.overture.com (Yahoo! Search) They are better than Google Adwords, to my knowledge.

Also, Ebay UK will expose you to the market place.