SevenCube

Anyone whose ever started their own business (especially web-based ones) will tell you that capital and cash-flow is the hardest step to over come – from buying in bulk to payroll expenses, you have to try and save money wherever possible. Unfortuntely most people think that marketing is the first place to skimp, while I disagree with the concept I definitely understand how other, more direct aspects, of a company take priority.

So when left with a shoe-string budget to take handle all of your marketing efforts, its important to leverage the internet and other cheap to free channels.

Here’s a list of just a few examples:

Forums: Online forums are great to market your company, and establish your brand in a niche. The key is to provide other users with valuable information and reasons to learn more about your specific services. By setting your forum signature with forum-specific promotions and offers. It enables the users of that forum and others related to your industry to always have access to your website with background knowledge.

Craigslist.org: This is a twist on an old marketing basic- classifieds. Using craigslist.org, you can create an ad that will be displayed and shown to users in your area, but more importantly you can target viewers in all the major cities of your demographic. The important thing with classifieds is to have a great marketing message that grabs the viewers attention, since you will most likely be surrounded by the competition.

Social Networking: While being a fairly new player in the game, social networks can be pretty powerful if used correctly and in combination with your local networking efforts. Websites such as Myspace.com, Linkedin.com, and Facebook.com are some of the more popular ones that you probably already are a part of. Create a profile for your company in addition to your own. Then link to that profile (eg. add as a friend) and encourage your friends/family/clients to do the same – which will give you exposure to all of their friends and contacts.

Something that all of the above have in common are the ability to customize. Create a custom landing page / microsite with an exclusive offer to their viewers. For example: “ACME Forum members, get 15% off!”. The more personalized you can be towards your target audience and marketing channel the better your results will be.

Other shoe-string budget ideas:

• Local Business Networking
• Joining your local chamber of commerce
• Free product/service give aways
• Public Relations (Newspaper/magazine interviews and articles)
• Website Blogs