Many business owners and brand managers have big brand aspirations with small business budgets. So the name of the game from an entrepreneurial stand point is ROI, bang for your buck, added value, or making your dollars stretch. This digital age making it very easy for small businesses to compete with the big mega brands.
One of the struggles I come across most when talking with business owners and brand managers is finding creative, but more importantly, effective ways to to get exposure for the business they run.
I decided to share a few effective ways to get more exposure for your business, for free.
1. Public Speaking
There very few marketing tactics that are as effective as public speaking from a business perspective. It takes time to hone your speaking skills, but public speaking doesn’t necessarily put a dent in anyone’s budget. If anything, speaking makes your pockets fatter when you think about it. Any professional or “amateur” speaker can attest to the power of public speaking.
Standing in front of a group of targeted individuals who are ideal customers or clients, and demonstrating your extensive knowledge on your subject matter does three very important things for your business; it positions you as the go-to authority in your industry, puts your in front of your target audience, allows you to spread your ideas and message while generating a direct or indirect income.
Some individuals hire speaking coaches, but organizations like Toastmasters are equally as effective in the development of successful public speakers. The fact of the matter is if you are in business, you need to pursue and take advantage of as many speaking opportunities as possible.
2. Help A Reporter Out (HARO)
Many business owners spend enormous amounts of money on PR, trying to buy favorable thoughts and feelings for their brand. The result usually ends up in frustration and lackluster results that they can’t accurately measure or quantify.
Smart marketers are finding creative was to get public for their brand by using services like Help A Reporter Out (HARO), which is at the elbow of connections between reporters on a deadline and small business owners and experts looking to get exposure.
HARO costs you nothing but making the right pitch at the right time, which is much less expensive than hiring a Public Relations Specialist or PR Firm.
3. Attend Meet-Ups, Local Events, Conferences
In this online, virtual, anti-social world of ours, our once tight-knit relationships now consist of occasional rushed social interactions. Nowadays, it’s about quantity and not the quality of our interactions. That’s exactly why real-life, person-to-person engagements are a game-changing when it comes to building and solidfying relationships.
Nothing separates you from all those “virtual friends” or “followers” like a genuine conversation over lunch or coffee. Face-to-Face is the new black. Local meet-ups, special events, and conferences go such a long way these when building a business that it’s impossible to ignore. I’ve made so invaluable contacts from networking with others at different types of events.
If you can’t afford to attend a major industry conference, there’s nothing stopping you from hosting your own meet-ups or events in your city. Share online via your social networks and build a name from there.
4. Start A Special Interest Group
Members of industry clubs and associations benefits from a number of things like; connections, affiliation with the association, and even exclusive access to data or events. Most times these memberships come with some type of price tag, which differs depending on the industry and clout of the group.
For those big thinkers with small budgets, why not start your own special interest group? Social networks like Facebook and Google + make it super easy to create groups and bring like-minded individuals together.
These groups serve as a place to meet, collaborate, and share experiences with your peers. Not only will you benefits from being a member, but you’ll be recognized as a person of value, one who brought all these people together.
Questions
What are you currently doing to get exposure for your business?
Do you have a plan for making meaningful connections with people in your industry?
What To Do Next…
1. Subscribe to my email newsletter and get actionable insights on marketing tactics & strategies.
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Photo Credit: Laverrue (Creative Commons)
About Dewane Mutunga
