Do you want to start a business of your own and get more customers for your business, and you don’t know how to go about it?
Funds may be difficult, but the more conventional means of advertising might not be in your budget right now.
This is usually the case for most small business in Nigeria today. I have spoken to hundreds of people who want to know cheap but effective ways of advertising their business in Nigeria.
I want to advise you to consider these steps below to get free advertising and exposure for your business. Enjoy!
1. Online Classified Ads
There are several classified advertising directories on the internet were you can post your advert for free, two of such sites being www.nairalist.com and www.nairaland.com.
2. Send out press releases.
People into small business think getting press coverage is impossible. However a good story submitted well has every chance of making the news, and best of all its free. You will be so surprise that press releases are not supposed to cost you anything. You start by contacting the local newspaper on line such as www.punchontheweb.com or www.ngrguardiannews.com etc.
3. Start your own blog
Starting a blog is the best way to attract both existing and new customers.However, create more time and give your best to blog by giving your target audience free advice and suggestion that can help them achieve specific things in your field. You can Google more on starting your own blog or simply start by using www.blogger.com or www.wordpress.com.
4. Participate in relevant forums
Participate in online forum based around your industry ,they are used and viewed by hundreds of people .Be part of this by making relevant posts-many forums allows you to indicate a link to your company in your signature.
5. Use the signature part of your mail
You can talk about your business in the signature part of your email. For every email you send out, people are forced to read about what you do. This has worked for some people.
6. Search Engine Optimization
People may never come across to your site if you run an online business and you don’t have high search engine rankings. Search engine optimization is expensive if hire but it can also be learnt with sufficient time and dedication. Start by including some key words in your key word section of your blog. Please Google more about this topic for further assistance.
7. Write articles
The days of articles and giving them to hundreds of website, and watching your website visitors rocket are gone.however, articles written for specific websites’ that your target audience views can be highly effective. Provide useful content for website based around and suggest an article for them in return for your link being placed at the buttom of the article. Sometimes, you will need to give in order to receive.
8. Place videos online
After filming an amusing or clever viral video, submit it to video websites such as YouTube and MetaCafe. Viral marketing has been the marketing buzz word of 2011 and whilst huge viral hits are rare (and usually carefully planned by a viral marketing agency) there is still room for lower budget viral videos to generate awareness. Do a good video and place in on YouTube and watch the response.
9. Give a presentation
Public speaking may seem difficult but with a little practice anyone can begin to master it. Local organizations and clubs are often looking for external speakers to liven up their next meeting. If you run a local business why not put yourself forward as a speaker at their next event.
10. Use Social Networking Websites
Websites such as Facebook and Twitter are ideal for being able to reach huge numbers of people free of charge. In particular, people on facebook are very open to being approached by new people and checking out new products. The ability to target people in certain locations also makes it an ideal mechanism for promoting local businesses. You can even create a fan page for your business, even though you’re just starting.
Go ahead and practicalize all I’ve mentioned and watch your business grow without spending a dime. If you need more advice on your advertising campaign in Nigeria, please don’t hesitate to mail me. And if you have tried all these and you need more customers in your business, then be ready to spend a little on your campaign. You can also call me to help plan your advertising campaign. My contact is at the lower part of this website. Good luck in your advertising campaign.
