| Six years ago I started my small Virtual Assistant | | | | two or three hours of your services. In return you |
| business with a non-existent marketing budget. I | | | | will receive valuable free publicity. Find local contests, |
| borrowed marketing books from the library, read | | | | which would welcome your participation by scanning |
| countless articles on the Internet and joined a | | | | your community newspaper. Target on-line contests |
| professional trade association of my peers. I learned | | | | by surfing for well-established companies that |
| hundreds of marketing techniques and one valuable | | | | compliment your own. For example, if you sell wine |
| lesson. The lesson I learned is that the financial ruin of | | | | glasses, you should seek a company that sells wine |
| large companies is often achieved by incredibly | | | | and offer a set of wine glasses as a contest prize. |
| expensive and glitzy marketing plans that do not | | | | Another option is to search for e-zines (on-line |
| take into account the company's ability to earn a | | | | newsletters) that cover a topic related to your |
| profit. Over time, I found that the most effective | | | | business and ask the editor about partnering to offer |
| marketing techniques that allow a company to make | | | | a contest to readers with your product or service as |
| a profit are those that are inexpensive or free. What | | | | the prize. You can find e-zines by searching on-line |
| a fantastic discovery for me at that time! This | | | | directories such as BestEzines.com, The Ezine |
| knowledge, combined with hard work and excellent | | | | Directory or Ezine Search. |
| customer service, enabled my small business to | | | | Publishing |
| expand at a phenomenal rate. | | | | This is my favorite technique. Write an article about |
| When developing your marketing plan be aware that | | | | an interesting or timely topic related to your business |
| frugal marketing techniques take more time and a | | | | that would be of interest to your target market. Ask |
| great deal of personal creativity but they DO | | | | a friend or loved one with editing skills to proof your |
| produce results! Following are a few of my most | | | | article for you. Create a four or five line biography at |
| successful frugal marketing techniques: | | | | the end of the article that includes your contact |
| Website | | | | information: your company name, e-mail address and |
| It is not necessary to spend thousands of dollars on | | | | company URL. Add a copyright statement at the |
| a beautiful website. Some of the most effective and | | | | very bottom of the article. Then submit the article to |
| interesting websites I have seen were built on a | | | | on-line article archives, e-zines and appropriate |
| frugal budget. Far more important than the cost is | | | | websites. This technique helps establish you as an |
| the content of a website. At a minimum your | | | | expert in your field, publicizes your business, and |
| website should include your company name, contact | | | | creates incoming links to your website to increase |
| information, tagline or slogan, company/owner | | | | your link popularity and search engine rankings. You |
| biography, a list of services, a client list or list of | | | | can begin submitting your article to: Article City, |
| testimonials, articles or press releases you have | | | | Expert Articles and These three resources will get |
| written and any interesting information related to | | | | you started but a quick Internet search will provide |
| your business that might be of help to your visitors. | | | | an extensive listing of thousands of venues on-line. |
| It is essential that you use a paid web host and not | | | | Networking |
| a free service. Free hosting may exclude you from | | | | Research your local chamber of commerce and start |
| search engine listings and may brand you as a | | | | attending their networking events. Develop and |
| neophyte in your field when that impression may not | | | | rehearse an interesting "elevator speech" that |
| be correct. Inexpensive hosting is available and many | | | | summarizes your business and your talents in less |
| hosts provide free or low cost web templates that | | | | than thirty seconds. Introduce yourself to as many |
| will give your site a polished and consistent look. For | | | | people as possible, give your elevator speech and |
| a list of affordable web hosts visit the Web Host | | | | hand out your business cards and collect the business |
| Directory and Host Review. Having a well-developed | | | | cards of prospects. Take the business cards you |
| website will help you leverage the results of your | | | | collected, use the back of the card to write down |
| other frugal marketing techniques and, in the long run, | | | | what you discussed or other important information |
| will save you money by reducing the overall cost and | | | | about the prospect, and FOLLOW UP! Write and mail |
| shipping of your marketing materials. | | | | a quick note on your business stationery to say how |
| Public Relations | | | | nice it was to meet them and mention something |
| Create a press release and submit it to your local | | | | memorable you discussed. Keep in touch with them |
| newspaper. Highlight the unusual aspects of your | | | | on a regular basis. |
| business and educate the reader about your business | | | | Join on-line communities such as newsgroups, |
| and your industry. Do not simply promote your own | | | | discussion boards, e-mail lists, etc. where your target |
| company, but promote the industry as a whole. | | | | market and peers congregate. Introduce yourself and |
| Position your business as unique in that industry by | | | | your business if introductions are allowed by the |
| explaining, for example, how your company takes a | | | | community guidelines and encouraged by the list |
| novel approach to delivering products or services. | | | | moderator. Establish your credibility and promote |
| Take the same press release and format it for the | | | | yourself by responding to questions in your field of |
| Internet. Submit it to as many free press release | | | | expertise. Join an affordable, well-known and |
| sites that you can find such as LocalBusiness.com, | | | | professional association of your peers on-line or |
| and USA News. For added impact, search the | | | | locally. If it is permitted, announce your availability to |
| Newslink website to find other community | | | | take on sub-contracted work from your peers, but |
| newspapers in your state that might be interested in | | | | read the guidelines and do not "spam" these lists |
| your business news. Follow standard press release | | | | which will result in a loss of your credibility and |
| formatting and be sure to add that you are available | | | | professionalism. Become involved locally with a |
| for interviews in your contact information section as | | | | worthy charity by donating your time, products or |
| this opens the door for feature interviews during | | | | services. |
| slow "news" weeks for local papers. Send out a | | | | Over time, as your business grows, you can and |
| press release every quarter or at least twice a year. | | | | should add a few paid marketing techniques to your |
| Always include your website's URL in any marketing | | | | marketing plan. But you must continue to use the |
| materials and press releases. For more information | | | | most rewarding of your free and inexpensive |
| about press releases including formatting visit the | | | | marketing techniques to maximize your profit. Never |
| Netpreneur Exchange, Infoscavenger and Pertinent | | | | forget that creativity, hard work and excellent |
| Information. | | | | customer service are the keys to growing a |
| Contests | | | | successful business while keeping your marketing |
| Sponsor local or on-line contests by providing a prize. | | | | costs in check. |
| This could be one of your products or a coupon for | | | | (c) 2002, Davis Virtual Assistance. All rights reserved. |