4 Low-Cost Ways to Attract More Customers

Small businesses are always looking for ways to do more with less.  Actually, with the economy the way it is today, that probably extends to businesses of any size.  However, it is traditionally the small business that lacks sufficient funds for multiple marketing campaigns – which just means that small business owners need to get a lot more creative in their marketing efforts.

Here are four low-cost ways to attract new customers without spending a lot:

Attend a trade fair outside your industry.  Identify a new segment of customers who might benefit from your product or service and attend a trade fair that targets this group.

Start or join a Meetup.com group. Meetup.com is for groups with shared interests.  In the greater London area, for example, there are already over 2,000 established Meetup groups.  You can find or start one that appeals to customers of your product or service – but remember, these groups are for building relationships, so avoid sales pitches.

Teach.  Teaching at a community centre or holding classes at your own shop can help you attract customers.  If you sell food or cooking utensils, then cooking classes is a natural.  If you are in financial services, then teaching a course on financial planning may be a good fit.

Blog.  Besides having your own blog on your website, offer to be a guest blogger on other sites that are in your industry.  You can search for the sites at Alexa.com, which will also give you statistics on each website’s traffic so you can target those blogs that have a good audience.