beecherbowers.com

Extra advertisement is always a plus for small businesses. Promoting your business is vital to attracting new clients and keeping your brand in front of current clients. I’ve used these tips and found them to yield big returns for the small amount of time and pennies invested.

1. give out your email address
Here’s the killer tip that costs little to use. If your business doesn’t already have one, get a quality website. Here’s how you can double the impact your website has. Get an email address setup on your website so your email address reads FirstInitialLastName@mybusinessname.com. If your name is John Smith and your business is WidgetMakers, you would try to get widgetmakers.com for a website and setup an email address of jsmith@widgetmakers.com .

Now, anytime you are asked for your email address, give out that one. Not only is it easy to remember, you’ve just advertised your business, and the other person asked you to advertise to them.

2. maximize the use of your envelopes
Mailing invoices can be expensive with the cost of postage constantly rising, so you might as well make the most of it. If you have to mail invoices via snail mail, use the back of the envelope to advertise. You don’t have to order special envelopes to do this, just download this handy envelope template I created to allow you to print a tagline along the back top edge of each #10 envelope, prior to sealing it. Just print the envelope as usual, then orient it in your printer so the flap is where your return address would be located, then print my template to the back of the envelope.

3. offer clients word-of-mouth referral discounts
If you have clients that are thrilled with your work, (and hopefully you do) offer them cash or a discount on future services for clients they refer. When you get a referral cut the check for the referring party right away, then let the newly referred client know of your offer. They’ll be glad to know how they can save some extra money by choosing your services.

4. email your current clients with special offers and reminders
Only use this for current clients, otherwise, you’re spamming. Send monthly or semi-annual updates and offers to current clients. Don’t do it too often, you don’t want them to have email daily from you, even if they are happy with your service. It would get old pretty quick.

5. This goes with #2 - mail business card(s) with your invoices periodically
They won’t increase the weight of the envelope enough to affect mailing costs, but clients will be inclined to hang onto them. Fold your invoice and be sure to place the business card inside the folded paper. This way it won’t get left in the envelope and they’ll be sure to see it.
When placing the folded invoice in the envelope, fold it in thirds, so that when the invoice is removed, the top of the invoice is the outside fold and opens upward.

Hopefully these tips will help you increase your advertisement with little or no cost. If you have other suggestions you use, leave them in the comments!