How to Get Free Advertising For Your Small Business

admin | Mar 30, 2011 | 1 comment

You might not realize how much media coverage can help when promoting your small business. If you hold a grand opening, re-opening or a special event, your local news team will pounce on the newsworthy information.

While special events such as grand openings or special events will cost money – for both labor and food – the amount of attention and recognition – plus goodwill from the community – are worth the investment. You’ll want to make the event important enough to draw attention and establish your business as a community partner.

Take the time to plan a whopper of an event, including food, entertainment, and special offers, looking for opportunities to partner with other local businesses as well. Consider hiring a local musician or spotlighting a group of local music students. You can probably find young musicians who will perform for little or nothing, just to get their names out there. You may find inexpensive children’s entertainment if you search for party planners who provide clowns or entertainers.

Choose a charitable cause and showcase your generosity. Maybe your special event will honor a family with a child with cystic fibrosis, encouraging donations to a foundation; maybe your event can honor a holiday, such as the founding date of your town. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s big enough to get the attention of the local media.

Once you’ve planned your event, contact the newspaper and local radio stations and see if you can get coverage of your event. Post information about the event on your Web site and advertise via flyers and word of mouth. You will have to put up some cash, but you can find ways to host an event on a shoestring budget if you are frugal. Hopefully this strategy works well for your small business.