Creative Marketing Ideas on the Cheap - What Could You Do With Only $100?

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Creative Marketing Ideas on the Cheap - What Could You Do With Only $100?

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RosannaTussey

posts: 63

Sep 11, 2008 11:53 AM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

A lot of people think that effective marketing has to be painfully expensive. While there are certain popular methods that are rather costly, some companies end up wasting tens of thousands (if not far more) of dollars on ineffective campaigns. It takes you back to what really makes a great advertising campaign - creativity and innovation.

So let`s say you only had $100 to market your business this month. What would you do? How creative could you get on such a small budget? How could you ensure that word of your products or services reached as many people in your city as possible (or wherever your target market is)?

While it may not replace mainstream methods of advertisement, getting creative in your marketing can add a significant boost to your business without the big price tag.

-------------------------

Rosanna Tussey
Owner
New Mexico Candle Co.
http://www.nmcandleco.com

shannonconlin

posts: 2

Sep 11, 2008 12:39 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

Nobody wants to answer? I`m not sure what I would do - would love to hear some responses. Great question Rosanna.... I checked out your site - the fragrance bowls are awesome!

-------------------------

Shannon Conlin
http://www.MusetteMade.etsy.com
Wonderful Handmade Jewelry

iyazam

posts: 105

Sep 11, 2008 2:00 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

Here is what I recommend to do:

Spend a month or two creating a powerful buzz on social media sites about your business [ marketing without spending a dime]:

-submit articles

-forums

-Social networks

-press releases

-social bookmarketing

-blog comments

in short social media marketing

Once you feel you have created a buzz and you are getting positive feedback - utilize the $100 for a follow up marketing campaign.

-------------------------

iyazam.com -
My blog with over 300 articles on website marketing, entrepreneurship and business.

Israel Exporter - Israel's Leading Business Arena!

AthomeinIsrael.com - Beautiful short term vacation rentals in Jerusalem!

SERGIO

posts: 36

Sep 11, 2008 3:39 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

Something thing I just found out, is that you can find community organizations and other websites if you Google the town your doing business in. I found it really helpful. For example I found the local newspaper website and they have a very active forum (Free to sign up) and the town commerce department also has organization events for business owners to meet up, that however is not free in my town its $40 to sign up. That’s how I get some free advertising.

Sergio

-------------------------

Kansas Direct mail Service & Kansas Business Netwok

guerrillaRed

posts: 61

Sep 11, 2008 5:06 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

guerrilla time!!!

okay...depending on where you are, and what you`re doing you can do TONS with $100.

Lets say we are OFFLINE. Online it`s too "easy" it just takes a lot of manpower and knowing what to do.

If you are in a big city and can get up high: Get a case of those parachute guys ($7 or $8 in Chinatown, NYC), get some of your fliers, or 3x5 card with a domain name and some rubber bands. I`m sure you can figure the rest out.

Got a subway near you?: Get some old clothes you don`t want anymore, some old newspaper, a piece of posterboard, some twine, string, shoelaces, or another to make a sign out of. Make a "scarecrow" sit it on the subway seat, hoodie up with your sign.

The Walking Billboard: Get some of your shirts printed up and donate them to both thrift shops and homeless shelters. You can have hipsters and homeless people as walking billboards as well as help the homeless...yeah, a little on the "wrong" side, but we`re working on a budget here.

Sidewalk chalk: Create an ambient marketing message by drawing on the sidewalk, whether it be arrows, or a full blown picture, or a map to your store. It`s only a crime if you get fined.

I could go on all day, but the moral and legal lines will just be blurred more and more.

-------------------------

-
Chris
Philadelphia Marketing & SEO - guerrillaRed Philly
info@guerrillaRed.com

Sandblaster

posts: 20

Sep 11, 2008 7:05 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

Absolutely fascinating topic...as mentioned, $100 can go a very long way.

- Imprinted pens are typically buy one, get one free...boring, yet useful. Leave them (one at a time) at the bank drive through or store check out and other places where people use pens.

- A hundred bucks (approx. 1,000 pcs.) of legal size photo copy place mats (from Staples, Office Max, etc) for your favorite "greasy spoon"...figure in ten percent of net sales as "commision" for the restaurant owner. (Doesn`t seem work so well if your business is the restaurant...go figure!) The sky is the limit for creativity...do them on the computer, or hand draw them if your`re artistic...include a coupon in the corner so you can track the effectiveness.

I`ll think it over some more and kick in a few more.

Jim

-------------------------

Well...yes, as a matter of fact...it IS written in stone!

http://www.jarsa.net

LogoMotives

posts: 772

Sep 12, 2008 2:29 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

The vast majority of my marketing and promotion is no-cost or very low-cost. I do much of what iyazam suggests in the post above. After doing all of that no-cost work, I would use the $100 to take a couple of my major clients out to lunch to thank them for the constant stream of work they have been sending my way over the past few years.

-------------------------

Jeff Fisher | Jeff Fisher LogoMotives | Tweet! Tweet!

katscoolcorner1

posts: 28

Sep 12, 2008 9:36 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

from R-U New To Business

I`ll tell you exactly what I`m doing for FREE and low cost advertising.

I have made at least 10 videos for my yoga site and posted to youtube, yahoo, google, currentTV with a link back to my websites.

I have made five business videos also with link back to my websites,

I have written 95 articles and posted them to 3 FREE article submissions sites, with the link back bio to me, which then gets posted all over the web. I try to write at least an article per week.

I have written 20 press releases for various products and events and posted on free PR websites.

I have submitted my e-zines to e-zine submissions sites. I maintain 4 e-zines, that offer advice and resources.

I have done e-mail campaigns through aweber. I have used pay per click advertising on yahoo search, and other smaller search sites for about .10 per click.

I have created childrens` teeshirts and hand them out to my small children in yoga classes, and then they walk around town with my website on their backs

I give away a free demonstration class, or free consultation and then leave my flyers and cards at the location. I have spoken about and presented about 150 times, paid or free, on various topics. Sometimes I host a weekly free teleseminar, and offsite business meeting, teaching people how to get out of debt, and then I bring all my flyers once again, and guess what, I`m looked upon as an expert.

I`m trying to get a free cable television show in my neighborhood, so that late at night you can see me demonstrating or offering sound advice, and guess what flashes at the beginning and ends of all my videos and on screen appearances. my website url.

Lastly I barter for ads. I will deliver some newspapers for ads, I will exchange ads in e-zines, I do low cost e-zine ads ($5 to about $15.00), I partner with other people who can benefit from our mutual cooperation.

I do cold calling. I submit comments in forums, I get testimonials from anybody who likes my services, and I ask for referrals of others who may benefit from what I offer. So the next call is now a warm call to a referred person of interest.

Hope it helps.

To see my business newsletter,

subscribe at www.runewtobusnews.com

and here`s one of my instructional videos

called IDEAS ARE DYNAMOS TO YOUR BUSINESS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T6SOrCJx-Mg

here is my yoga website

http://www.thecircleofpeace.com

I hope it helps

R-U New To Business

-------------------------

R-U New to Business gives practical tips for starting and running your own on-line or off-line business, start to finish from your home or office. The pitfalls, rewards, every-day tips and things you need to know to succeed, freebies, and more. To subscribe go to newsletter http://www.runewtobusnews.com

visit our website
http://www.runewtobusiness.com
find about $1000 commissions paid out

sunnyrose

posts: 10

Sep 13, 2008 7:12 PM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

As it`s been mentioned, you can market online for free. However you may not have the time to do all that you`d like. For $100 you could hire a virtual assistant to spend two hours to do all your online networking and blast the web in one week with blogs, articles, press releases, and update all your social networking sites. Then use the rest of the money to send a special thank you to your best client!

-------------------------

Sue L Canfield
Virtual Office Administrator
http://www.awesomeassistant.com

nextjobhelp

posts: 9

Sep 16, 2008 11:57 AM ET Quote

Points: 0 Vote

Google Adwords! Generate some targeted leads and sell them to a few of my clients. Turn the $100 into $200 and keep selling the leads I generate to my clients. Once I flipped the initial $100 into $1000.00 I would then spend it on Google Adwords for myself...hahaha

a little bored this morning the imagination is running wild!

-------------------------

GirlFridayPlus l Virtual Assistants $49.95 a week

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