How to Freshly Advertise Your Business

In a slow economy, it can be hard to advertise a business to find new sales. The audience you’ve once drawn is shrinking because of layoffs or moves out of the area. Advertising, itself, is changing as we know it and becoming more demanding if anything. So how can you bring a fresh, new advertising look to your business? Here’s a mixture of old and new ways of how to get your business off the ground.

First, let’s look at offline advertising. If you choose to advertise in a newspaper, you have two options. You could have a reporter do a feature article with a photo on your business. If you’re a new business, this could really benefit you. Or, you could place an ad in the classifieds section to attract those who need your services. Keep in mind that the larger the ad, the more eyes are going to see it.

You may also want to consider advertising on television. Here you’ll attract a mixture of audiences ranging in ages, races, and ethinic groups. You should consider developing a slogan, and advertise your new & best products. Make your commercial memorable, and people will talk about it to their friends. Word-of-mouth is powerful when it comes to sales techniques.

If you go to fairs, conventions, or banquets, take out some brochures and business cards to hand out to potential customers. Staple your business card onto the brochure so the custumer always has it with them. Also, consider what has your company logo on it that you can give away as freebies–pens, cups, hats? Anything you give to the customer will help them pass your name around to everyone they know.

Furthermore, with all the new clients you meet, make sure to get all their contact information. This is information such as name, address, and phone number that can be used to reach the customer for promotions and programs. Also, it’s a great way to keep in contact with your client base and send out occasional postcards when they have an anniversary with the company.

Next, let’s look at internet advertising. The first step you may want to do is create a business website. If you’re not familiar with web design, then try to hire someone to do it for your company. Keep in mind that website is going to have to be maintained and have a professional look. Consider adding a shopping cart to your website so customers can buy directly off of your website.

The next step, then, is a blog. This is a great place to put updates of the company, promotions, events that may be happening, etc. If you allow customers to comment, it may allow more feedback of ways to improve your company. Also, visitors love freebies so any sweepstakes you run anyone would be on board with instantly. Whoever maintains your website should work closely with the individual blogging for your company.

You may even want to consider social websites such as Myspace, Facebook and Twitter. In Facebook you can create a fan page for your business, and all your customers can join. They can receive updates each time you update something new. Likewise, Facebook groups work the same way, but most people won’t join unless they know it’s legitimate. Furthermore, Twitter allows people to follow you and for you to update your statuses. Theses statuses can contain links, so take advantage of it.

Next, submit your company website and blog to as many search websites as possible. Also, take advantage of the maximum amount of key words possible. The more key words you have, then the better chance you’ll be higher in the search results.

Finally, consider pop up ads for your business. You may even sign up for revenue services such as Google Ad sense and make more profit for your blog. For Adsense you have to write a certain amount of posts per day or week, and you have to have the readership. You’ll have more readers than those who leave comments. Some things you may want to avoid are flashy text and contrasting colors in your blog. Also, avoid colors on the darkest & lightest ends of the color chart. These have a tendency to turn-off the buyer from looking at your product because they have to strain to see what is actually there.