Promote your business for free

Get listed in online directories

Joshua Uebergang, marketing manager with e-commerce outfit Online Visions says listing your business on internet directories is a great way to attract attention to your enterprise for nix.

“Go to Google then search "your industry + directory" and "your service area + directory". Then list yourself in relevant lists. There are also plenty of free sites you must be listed in like TrueLocal and Brownbook. Some of these will give you free traffic to your website. By submitting your link and details to these sites, you also rank higher in Google to hopefully land even more free visitors to your site,” he explains.

Uebergang also suggest posting messages in forums related to your field. “Search Google for "your products + forum" or "your services + forum". People are in forums because they have problems your business can fix. Help out by sharing good advice and then linking to your business. Be careful to follow forum guidelines by not spamming.”

Think local

There are lots of free tools you can use on the internet to pump up your business’s profile, but don’t forget local marketing strategies as well. Many people have forgotten traditional marketing tools have stood the test of time. So these tactics often hold more potential than the marketing tools everyone seems to be using.

For instance, Fiona Hoppe, who heads marketing for Servcorp Virtual and Serviced Offices, suggests contributing a door prize to local events.

“Research events your target market attend and offer in kind sponsorship by way of a door prize or a gift for attendees in exchange for promotion,” she recommends.

Sponsoring local events usually means you’ll end up with your brand on the event collateral and web site and be exposed to the entire database to which marketing for the event is sent.

“And all eyes will be on your fantastic prize as it's drawn. Not to mention the winner will gloat about their lucky windfall. Don't be stingy with the prizes, you want them to grab attention,” Hoppe says.

Kate Engler, who runs PR outfit The Publicity Princess, agrees there’s power in local promotions. “Don't underestimate local papers – in fact, maximise them. Many stories start out here and end up in major metro newspapers, on radio or even TV – we see this happen a lot,” says Engler.

“Be on the lookout for what's in the news you can piggy back on – recently a relationship expert in our community picked up on a comment by Miranda Kerr and put out a media release about how right Miranda is.”

Kate Ward, account director, Ignite PR, is also a fan of keeping it local. “Visit high traffic areas in your local area to showcase your product or service and give out free samples. Alternatively, contact office managers at large businesses in your area and offer discounted goods or services to employees,” says Ward.

“A beauty client of mine took her team to various publishing houses and did free treatments in the cafeteria – they got numerous mentions across Facebook and Twitter and were featured in the beauty pages of several high profile consumer glossies.”

Use publicity wisely

Many people think PR and publicity is a free and easy way to generate media coverage for your business. But there are so many people using this approach, only the really skilful get their name in lights. Like Jo Ucukalo CEO of Handle My Complaint, which resolves complaints for people.

Here are his tips for writing press releases. “A press release doesn’t flow like an article. Aim for one page only and make sure it’s newsworthy. Start with the news, then mention your business. The first 10 words are vital – they are what make the journalist want to read more,” he says, adding that the idea is to include a summary of your business at the end of the release.

Similarly, Sarah Young, director of Silver Leaf PR says if you're hoping to receive press coverage for your brand or product, really get to know each and every publication and the sections they offer.

“There's nothing worse then pitching your brand to the wrong journalist, it's a waste of their time, and yours. Also, get to know each relevant journalist and what they require in terms of imagery or information and don't forget they have deadlines,” she says.

Of course, the good old PR stunt never gets tired – as long as it’s skilfully executed. “Stunts can sometimes get good traction – I once ran a fashion show to launch a flower website with student designers making the dresses from flowers – the cost was the flower. We made all major news stations,” says marketing whizz Kimberly Palmer from Brazen Productions.

Above all, don’t just try one free technique and rest on your laurels – the idea is to use all the tools and everything else you can find to draw attention to your business. In the world of PR and marketing more is more is more.