How much does your business rely on advertising?

Question

I just started a business which is not doing well. I have not done a lot to advertise as it is expensive. How much does a new business need to rely on advertising?

Answer 1

At the start of any business venture the begginning is always the most critical and difficult. Marketing and advertising is essential otherwise how will anybody know you are there. Set a budget and stick to that. Repeat and regular advertising works.

Answer 2

You can have the best product or greatest service in the world, but if nobody knows it's there, you're going broke for a living.

Marketing and promotion are critical to any business success and growth.

Try this:

Create a billboard web site - a website that describes your services and products and allows buyers to buy on line.

If you're only after local business, Google offers a lot of local search options. Just add your address to the keywords.

You can build a good-looking website using templates. Just add copy. Add a free checkout like osCommerce, open a Paypal account and start hyping the website through traditional marketing outlets.

For example, use the classifieds in the local newspaper with nothing but your URL. It piques curiosity. Once the visitor is on site, that's where the sale is made.

Put your URL on all stationery and other paper associated with the business.

Use local cable to advertise your business and URL. True, you can get 100 30 second spots on a rotating schedule at $5 a spot. You can even pick the channels where the adverts will appear.

And make sure your site's URL appears in text on screen throughout the spot.

Volunteer to write a column for the local newspaper. These outlets are dying for content. You might even get paid.

You need buzz, excitement, and ultimately WOM - word of mouth - marketing.

Good luck with the biz,

Paul Lalley

[e-mail]

Answer 3

it depends on what business your into, if you have a van get advertising on it  one payment and thats it , local newspaper adds c**p waste of money.. yellow pages good, but best advertising is word and mouth i spend about £300 pound a year on adverts which pays off , but give yourself a budget to spend and do not go over that budget other wise you will be chucking your money away

Answer 4

A great free source is to create a Profile on MySpace or Facebook and build a Friends list targeting your products or services. Build relationships with Friends before you hit them with a sales line. Offer free advise and help relating to your Products or Services. If you add your Products or Services to your Profile you won't have to sell, they'll see it anyway. Take a look at my Profile for an idea at: http://www.myspace.com/steve1604

All the best for your future success.

Answer 5

You must advertise.  We have all hear of the man who wore Armani suits, Gucci loafers, drove a Ford Mondeo, bought M & S ready meals, but died bankrupt because he failed to advertise his own business.

For cheap advertising persuade your local paper to do an advertorial on you and your business, i.e., write an article on how you started, what you are offering. Be positive and out-going in this.  Attract people locally, the news will soon spread.

Contact your local Business Link - just Google it for your local office - they will be quite likely to have facilities to help you.  This is a Government funded organisation - your money so make good use of it.

For another idea on low tech advertising take a look at the site below.  It was originally intended for on line advertising, but it applies equally well to land based businesses.

Talk to everyone you meet, spread the word yourself.  Be up beat and optimistic when you talk to these people - nothing succeeds like success.

Wishing you every success.