Marketing your small business can be overwhelming, especially when you are busy running your business. With the hundreds of available options, it can be even tougher figuring out where to start. Here are a few FREE options of ways to help get your name out there (and it only takes a few hours):
- FREE BUSINESS LISTINGS: Google, Bing and Yahoo: Here’s a link to one of my blog posts: https://teamzimmerman.net/2011/05/16/get-seen-on-google-and-yahoo/. In the 6th paragraph or so are links to set up FREE listings for your business at Google, Yahoo and Bing. Add your info and images if you have time. This will take about a half an hour to do for each.
- FACEBOOK: Make a personal Facebook account and make some “friends.” Then, login to your Facebook account and go to the help page (at the bottom) and type in Create a Facebook Fan Page. Then follow the instructions and set one up. Once you have one, add info, add images, etc. This will take about an hour to do. Then add a post once a day for 7 days, then at least once a week after that. Once you have something up there, send an invite to your personal “friends” to become a fan of your business fan page.
- LINKEDIN: Start a Linkedin.com profile. Please add as much information as you can, as well as links. This will take about an hour too.
- YELP: If you have a storefront, start a business account at Yelp.com. Ask former clients to rate and review you.
- EMAIL NEWSLETTER: Do you have an email mailing list? If so, send it through an email newsletter provider where you can track it and make it have your branding. MailChimp.com is great and free up to 2,000 contacts. Create an account, then login again and fill out your profile. If you have time to watch or go through a tutorial, please do. You will need to set up a list for first, last name and email. You can start a general list. Then you can start a template, if you like.
There are hundreds of things to do. There are just a few things to help you get started, but keep in mind, you need to keep up with it to make it effective. If you have any problems or want some help to bring your branding through your marketing efforts so it looks consistent, please contact me. Happy marketing!