- 1). Build a referral program. If you already have a base of customers, you have much of what you need to build a free marketing program. Word of mouth is the best marketing tool ever invented, and people trust the recommendations of their peers. Ask your customers to refer their family, friends and colleagues to your business, and make it worth their while. Offer discounts or free services if your existing customers refer a certain number of new customers.
- 2). Look for strategic, non-competing business allies in your market. Ask other business owners to distribute your literature to their customers, and offer to return the favor. Consider offering discounts or other incentives to the customers of your partner businesses. This creates good will toward your business and the partner business.
- 3). Trade for advertising space. Approach the television stations, radio stations, popular websites and newspapers in your market, and see if they are interested in trading services. Every media outlet has unsold advertising inventory. It's better to trade this unsold space for services than see it go unsold. Allow the media outlet to offer your services as a contest prize for its customers, which provides additional marketing value for your business.
- 4). Offer repeat-business incentives. If you have a core group of customers, create incentives to encourage them to patronize your business more frequently. The easiest way to grow your business is to maximize your sales to the base of consumers who already trust and spend money with your business. Offer discounts if customers purchase another service within a certain period of time. Create a loyalty program where every 10th service is free. These programs are traditionally effective and make customers feel appreciated.
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