As a Guerrilla Marketing Coach I specialize in low cost high impact marketing strategies. The Guerrilla Marketing concept of marketing explains that as a Guerrilla Marketer you replace “Big Budgets” with energy, imagination, and time.
Free but Effective Marketing Ideas:
1. Speaking in front of groups
One of the best ways I found to get clients for my marketing coach business is to speak for free anywhere my target market might gather. There are some important things you must know to make this successful.
a. You must be good or become good at speaking in front of a crowd. A good place to start would be to join your local Toast Masters Group.
b. Your presentation must not come across as a sales pitch.
c. You are there to provide value to the audience. This means they need to walk away with something of value they learned and can use right away.
d. Always end on a power statement never on questions and answers. This makes the presentation more memorable.
e. Always provide contact information (business cards, a hand out etc) This is how you’ll pick up clients. People will contact you after the presentation because they came up with another question or two.
f. Your one plug or advertisement comes just before your power statement close and it is that you offer something else of value for free, all they need to do is contact you. I offer a one time free 20 min power coaching session.
2. Blogging and Social media
There are entire sections in the library on this topic now, so I’ll just hight some key points:
a. Provide value. If you want your website to be read give them something of value.
b. Make sure you either understand SEO (search engine optimization) or use a tool like WordPress (with the SEO all in one plug in) that takes care of this for you.
c. Complete all profiles, description fields, ect out completely. This is vital on all the social media sites and when placing social media content such as a video on YouTube. The search engines can only read text, so if you want them to understand what that video, picture, or podcast is, you must complete the tags, descriptions etc when submitting it.
d. Learn the art of writing copy. Know as copywriting! (yes with a w.) This is the term used for writing any time the intent of the writing is to make a sale. Your resource for this is http://www.copyblogger.com
3. Business Networking groups and events
What is business networking? Business networking is when a group of business owners or representatives get together with the goal of developing relationships to the point where you can trust each other enough to give referrals. While not all business networking groups are free, for the most part they are low cost and in some groups the only cost is buying a meal during the meeting.
The key here is relationships. I’m sure you’ve heard me say that people do business only after the know, like and trust relationship is established. This is especially true in business networking. People give referrals to people they know like and trust.
How is this relationship built? Through multiple encounters with someone. Studies have shown that it takes 5-7 different encounters with people to get to know them. That means more than a handshake and a smile… You must get to know the people in your business network.
What does this mean? You’ll get better result with business referral groups that meet on a regular basis and have the same people in attendance.
What is the fastest way to get referrals? Give referrals! The fastest way to get almost anything in life is to give it first. Don’t believe me? Try this…What a smile from someone? Smile at them!
Where do you find these business networking groups? Your local chamber of commerce will likely have a calendar of events and maybe even a list of self managed groups. BNI and Gold Star Referral clubs probably have groups in your area. Last but not least, ask other business owners you know, business networking has been around for quite some time.
Notes:
Be memorable Within the first few seconds, people pass judgment on you Networking is less about meeting new people than having them remember you after the fact.
Follow-up A pocket full of business cards is worthless if you don’t follow up with each person you meet. Remember that the key is to develop Know, Like, and Trust relationships.
Give to receive: Do you want to get referrals? give them!
The Tweetable tip: Use business networking to develop know, like, and trust relationships. Then you need to give referrals to get referrals.
4. The three foot rule
5. Volunteering for a local charitable cause
6. Be active in your trade organizations.
7. Outrageously Good Service
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August 29th, 2010 
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