4 places to advertise, without using Social Media!

Lately on many pages or groups, I see many people complaining that Facebook isn’t working, or boosting their post hasn’t yielded any new customers or that this is there ONLY avenue of marketing their business (gasp!).

Don’t get me wrong, if you’ve manage to make a healthy profit and living from selling on social media, then most certainly use it!  It is after all a very popular platform that many of our ideal clients utilise each and every day. However, just as quickly as you get up and running and humming along nicely, you can just as quickly be blocked for a period of time or at the absolute worst…shut down.  At the end of the day, social media platforms are not owned by you, you are using someone else’s system and they have rules and guidelines that you need to adhere to (and that they can possibly change on a regular basis without you realising).

Along with having a marketing plan that showcases your ultimate goal and then the steps to reach that goal (and it doesn’t have to be a complicated document!), knowing EXACTLY who your ideal customer is, will help you determine the best place or places to advertise to them that will help with your end result…whether it be to increase sales or increase awareness (brand, product or service) for example.

I did think that looking at who my ideal customer, client, avatar (or whatever name you choose to call it!) was a bit cliché. But once I started to work on it, it really has helped me to determine where my ideal client is “hanging out” so I can focus my money towards that area of advertising of my services.

If you are just starting out in business, think about WHO you would like that client/customer to be and start there.
As you start to build your business, keep track of where your clients find you (easy as asking them how they found out about you!) and use the insights on the various platforms to help focus down on your ideal client further.

My top 4 FREE places to market your business:

So as indicated at the beginning of the post, here are my top 4 FREE places to market your business:

1. This one should be a given AND YES…you really should have a website, mainly because if anything goes wrong with the other platforms you are using, then you’ve still got a place for your customers/clients to find you. And while you are at it, make sure you have a opt-in/sign-up option so that you’ve captured their information to continue marketing to them via a newsletter.
2. Word of mouth – whether it be asking your friends and family to spread the word or your existing clientele base, word of mouth is a fantastic way to market your business. You have people already buying from you and loving you, so if they recommend you to another person, the “cold sale” part is already partway done and they are at the “warm” stage of wanting to engage with you.
3. Networking – I love to network and try to attend our local networking session each month. I am yet to try the Chamber of Commerce events but it is on my ‘action list’!  Whilst you may not get direct sales from who you network with, they get to know you so may often refer your ideal client to you (pretty much an extension on #2!).
4. Are you on Google or BING for Business? Not only are these two platforms FREE TO USE, but can help with your search rankings. And if on Google, be sure to map your business if you have a physical location.

FREE RESOURCE: 40 Ways to Market Your Business

Download my pdf showcasing over 40 Ways to Market Your Business and not just using social media!  Many are low cost or free, others may be very expensive, but give you plenty of options to review.

As a small business, there is a lot of expenses that you do need to manage, however if you can, spending money on a marketing strategy (which includes a social media game plan) can certainly assist you with the long term advertising of your business.

And finally, remember to ask your clients/customers how they found out about you (and keep a track of this info!) and analyse your insights (whether it be on your website or social media platforms) as this will help you fine tune that ideal client!

Share with me your favourite avenues to advertise your business.

Until next time!

Jo