Learn where to place free ads for new business startups.
A small business startup requires creative ways to stretch money while introducing your product or service to the community. When the budget is tight, with little allocated funds for advertising, try a few free, tried and true, grass-roots advertising methods. These methods require more time than money, but the return on your investment will be well worth the effort.
Community Boards
Advertise on a community bulletin board.
Even the most basic writing software will provide simple design elements to create fliers. Create a one-page advertisement targeting your specific market demographic. Locate community boards within the designated area and post the advertisement describing your product or service.
Good places to start are college campus community centers, public libraries, cafeterias, grocery stores, restaurants and bookstores.
When designing the ad, leave room on the bottom of the flier for tear-off tabs that provide an easy-to-take reminder with contact information printed on each tab. Initially tear off a few tabs to give the impression others already are interested in your advertisement.
Craigslist
No free advertising list would be complete without mentioning Craigslist. Its massive viewership provides an effective way to advertise anything anywhere. Registering is simple, and it takes only a few minutes to go live. Note that Craigslist has moved from being entirely free to filtering and redirecting some ads to its paid advertising service. It's a little tricky to create an ad that gets past the filters, but it can be done by sticking carefully to the free advertising guidelines.
Become a Resident Expert
Many public libraries will offer free meeting rooms for functions that provide community value. For example, if the service you are offering is interior decorating, holding a free workshop on current interior paint color trends would be of interest to a large audience. Providing free information opens the door not only to generating new customers but also to networking.
Networking
Closely related to offering free workshops is joining or creating a social group geared toward sharing life experiences and business information. Becoming a church member, joining the Chamber of Commerce or participating in Toastmasters are good options to consider.
Blog Talk
Search for blogs or online community forums generally related to your company. Get involved in the conversation in a way that is not a sales pitch. Take some time to build these cyber-relationships by offering relevant and interesting comments. Once trust has been established, start a friendly advertising campaign maintaining the conversational tone that has been established.
Organize a Volunteer Project
State parks and nonprofit organizations all love to have teams of people from businesses volunteer their time and energy to clean up, pick up or paint. This will enhance your business image as well as support the community. Write a press release and submit it to the local paper for further exposure.
