The most cost-effective local advertising...

Have you struggled trying to promote a local work at home business because of the high and rising costs of advertising? I did. I tried radio... and at over a thousand bucks a pop I got some results... but not the results I wanted. Then I tried classifieds... again only mediocre and temporary results. Word of mouth works almost as good as the two combined. Then... one day our washing machine quit working. While it was in the shop being repaired I took our laundry to the laundry-mat. Not the dry cleaners... but the do it yourself kind. LOL After starting the 3 loads I had I found myself with some free time so I strolled over to the back of the place where I saw a few people congregating to see what was so captivating to them. It was a 4 by 5 foot bulleting board. I found a few interesting things there myself! And then... it dawned on me... my mind had been clouded by the advancements in technology that surrounded me for so long and I had been overlooking one of the most cost effective advertising tools around... OLD SCHOOL! I began the next day printing and posting small ads on every bulletin board I could find. To this day I keep getting results! I have found bulletin boards all over the place and I keep flyer ads with me in case I find a new one. Give it a shot... You will not be dissatisfied.

Another good method when trying to promote an MLM is the unemployment office. As long as you bring them some literature and back it up with personal phone numbers I have not had a problem leaving informational brochures there! In fact I have several active members that came to me as a result of those brochures. I have even printed out flyers and left them under peoples windshield wipers here and there. And I have set up a booth before at the fair and at the civic auditoriums annual job expos.

Those are great ideas. I almost always glance at the boards in the grocery store also, but I never thought about using them for MLM ads. Thanks for the tips.

I did a blog post a couple of weeks ago on a tip from Tom 'Big Al' Schreiter (www.fortunenow.com).

He shared a really cool local lead generating tip on a call with our group ... here's my take on it:

http://mlm-journey.blogspot.com/2005/07/big-al-cameo-on-mff-call.html

Fishbowl anyone?

Andrea

Don't forget to post notices in businesses related to your work. If you are a music teacher at home, be sure to let the local music stores know that you have openings for students. If you
babysit, post your information at grocery stores and schools. If you do landscaping and lawn care, post your information at the local hardware and garden stores. You can send out a postcard or flier to local businesses that might need help typing or doing bookkeeping, which could include nearly every business out there.
You could buy magnetic signs for your vehicles to advertise your business, also. Be sure to make the lettering large enough, and to include enough contact information for the customer to be able to find you. Business cards are a great source of information and advertisement, also, and can be made on your home computer.

I am a firm believer that excellent customer service is your very best form of advertising. I believe that customer service is a lost art in these days of huge, impersonal, discount stores. Excellent customer service will keep your customers coming back, as well as encourage your present customers to refer their friends to you.

Hi,
I have a very good success with magnetic signs on my car.
I paid only $49 dollars fot full color sign.

Here is the place http://www.promagneticsigns.com

I hope this will help

beba

I sell online marketing tools, but I agree..offline marketing is just as important and sometimes you get just as good results. And probably cheaper.

Came up with another one recently using my kids screenprinter. I made a couple dozen shirts that had my website name on it and a semi-lengthly description on the back. Almost everyone curious enough reads it! Although this does not qualify as no cost advertising it only cost me about 28 bucks to make the shirts... so low-cost advertising!LOL

Poor kids... another excellent idea. Helping someone in the process of obtaining free advertising! I bet that would be a tax deduction as well.

I bought a local football team and advertise my website on their Jerseys.

Great Idea

I read through and I see alot of useful ideas that I have been thinking about trying myself. I wondered if they would be effective but I see from people here they must be.

I am wondering does anyone know if it is legal to put flyers under peoples wipers. I mean go through the local mall parking lot and leave flyers. I never see anyone doing this anymore but I would like to try it.

Thanks
Candy

WOW I am so glad that I accidentally found this site yesterday. I have a website that has been active for almost a year now and it is not making any money. I do not have money to do PPC or pay a company to do marketing for me. I am going to try out some of your ideas. Thanks to all. Look forward to getting more ideas from you.

For local advertising, there isn't anything more cost-effective than small classified ads in hometown community newspapers and shoppers. They're affordable enough you can run consistently and build visibility for high readership. Repetition is the key to any successful ad campaign!

WOW, you guys have some of the coolest ideas I would of never thought of.... Much appreciated!

You can mak sticker to attach on behind your car window!!~

Your website advertisment will effect everytime you drive on the road


I am planning to do this since I have started my internet business

seriously!!

Happy day~^^

smithedw: Those are great ideas. I almost always glance at the boards in the grocery store
I have a small bookkeeping service and I've used CardCues with success. I routinely put up business cards on bulletin boards at grocery stores, libraries and the local coffee shop I visit every other day. The card holders let you stick 40 cards up at once - saves me from having to constantly "restock" the board" and it means when a potential client takes a card...there's still 39 more left advertising me.
I found the product through ebay but they also sell on their site at www.cardcues.com
Probably the most cost effective advertising I've done.

I have heard of people doing flyer (offline) but never gave it much thought. After reading this post I have just come to realize how many flyers about making money I have seen personally around my town. I guess it does work since so people are doing it.

Great idea on giving the poor t-shirts. That is accomplishing two things at once.

this really a unique idea. we advertise while we were driving