My friend has a computer business doing on-site work and programming and web based work in the Orlando, FL area. Could you suggest some methods to cheaply advertise such a business? Also some other tips that can draw customers. Thanks guys, any suggestions Large or Small will be helpful. They are having a staff meeting tomorrow and will be discussing advertising, I told him I would ask around for suggestions.
I'm a little late but there is a book called guerilla marketing by Conrad Levinson. It's cheap and loaded with cheap and free ways to market your company. I hope this helps.
1) Get a catchy domain, put up a website. 2) Visit the local USPS office and ask how much it is to have flyers delivered 3) Word of mouth - the best. He should tell people for whom he does work that if they liked what he did to tell others, if not, to tell him. 4) Local cable channel - generally rather cheap to put up an ad
Here are some suggestions: 1. Write press releases and send to the business sections of your local newspapers. 2. Get posters printed up and stick on side of your (or companies) vehicles. 3. Sponsor some activity (little league, fun run, scholarship) and issue another press release. 4. Sponsor a bike club (I just charged jersey sponsors $250 each and now have their logos on our bike jersey and web site). 5. Mail flyers to potential customers.
It's free to post ads onto Craig's List. I'm sure how effective it would be, but the only thing he has to lose is a little time. -=Steve=-
http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php - You can create content by talking about your industry, posting employment or internship opportunities, relevant content that makes your companies facebook profile something other than an advertising medium. Perhaps degreeinfo.com LLC can create a company facebook page http://www.prwebdirect.com/pressreleasebenefits.php
Many great ideas so far. During a recent trip to Tazewell, TN, I saw another cool thought. This computer repair business owner -- he was mobile -- wrote columns for the local newspaper on computer care.
Jay Conrad Levinson's many books can be very helpful . . . but even more so, I think, for this kind of situation is Marketing Without Advertising: Easy Ways to Build a Business Your Customers Will Love and Recommend by Michael Phillips and Salli Rasberry. I've been buying and using new editions for many years; there was a new one last June. John Bear (who beat Jay Conrad Levinson at tennis 26 of 30 times, but lost at golf 1 out of 1)
I recommend that if they are considering banner ads, that they take a peek at Project Wonderful. PW has an interesting setup, but it's gotten me a few small-time clients in web development.
...many years ago, when I owned a computer / web business, I received free radio ads for designing and hosting their webpage - that was a great deal. Once a week I also did a 'tech bit', a pre-recorded tech message to listerns. ..working on the old bartering system
