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Welcome to “5 Free ways to market your business,” a series on entrepreneurial success.

I get asked a lot, “Rod, how in the world do I advertise my business when I can barely afford to pay my bills every month?”

Well, in this day and age there are many things you can do to “get the word out” about your business venture or company. And lucky for us, most of them are free!

5 Free Ways to Market your business: Introduction | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

What is marketing?

Simply put, marketing is the answer to “how am I going to get the word out about my company, product, or service?” It’s the way new prospects find out about what your company has to offer. Advertising your product or service is extremely easy when you have a large budget set aside for it. But what happens when your marketing budget is whopping zero dollars? What do you do when you’re budget is tighter than a pair of pants bought at too small a size?

That’s when you get creative! God gave us creative minds to help us get out of tough situations in unique ways. Entrepreneurs are creative by nature. Before I share with you some great ways to market your business on a shoe-string budget lets confront some typical myths about marketing.

Myth #1 – “I have to hire a professional to help me get a maximum return on my marketing investment.”

Truth – Actually, a professional would be great to consider as your company grows. Marketing consultants usually have relationships built with marketing firms, media outlets, and the like. However, your greatest marketing investment is actually yourself. It’s easy to throw a few dollars at a consultant and tell them to get you a TV and radio spot. But, when every dollar counts, you have to put your own foot forward, set a plan in motion, and work it like you’re running for president.

Myth #2 – “It takes money to make money. If I want new clients I’ll have to spend a little to get them to patronize my business.”

Truth – Not at all! The techniques that I share will cost you nothing at all or very little if anything. The world teaches us that it costs more money to get new customers than it does to keep old ones. But if you follow the examples below, then you’ll be able to have your old customers sending you new customers absolutely free!

Myth #3 – “Email marketing is better than direct mail marketing, newspaper ads are better than radio ads, vice verse, and etc,”

Truth – No one form of marketing is better or more effective than the other. It really comes down to how the tool is used. Most would agree that television ads reach more people at one time than most forms of advertising. However, if I’m in the car selling business and I place my ad on a daytime cartoon show for kids, then my entire campaign is ineffective. A smart marketer knows that the different tools of marketing are to be combined in a creative and functional fashion that generates the results he or she wants.

That does it for the myths behind marketing today. Stay tuned because tomorrow I’ll show you how developing your own in-house marketing materials is one of the best ways to market your business for free!

What do you think are some other misconceptions or myths about marketing and advertising? Sound off in the comments below!

5 Free Ways to Market your business: Introduction | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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