The opportunities for getting free advertising for your
product or services are only limited by your imagination and
energy. There are so many proven ways to promote without
cost it’s truly mind-boggling!  Here are ten proven methods.

1.  Write an article relating to your area of expertise and
submit it to all the publications and media dealing in that
range of interest. Become your own promoter and writer. Get
the word out by establishing yourself as an expert on that
topic and "tag-along" everything you write with a reference
box listing your address for a catalog, dealership
opportunity, or more information.

2.  Write shorter articles for the Internet and send them to
broadcast houses free articles.  (These are known as "media-
matching medias.")  Here are a few sites to get you
started:

http://www.IdeaMarketers.com
http://www.addme.com
http://www.ezinearticles.com/
http://www.web-source.net/syndicator_submit.htm.

3.  Become a guest on as many radio, television talk shows,
or interview-type programs as possible. (Actually, this is
easier to accomplish than most people realize!) Write a
letter to the producer of the talk show, and then follow up
with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial
contact needs to emphasize how your product or service would
be of interest to the listeners or viewers of their program
- perhaps even saving them time or money.

4.  Post your advertising circulars on all the free bulletin
boards in your area, especially the libraries, grocery
stores, and beauty and barbershops. Don’t discount the idea
of handing out circulars to all the shoppers in busy
shopping centers, at bus or metro stops, and malls,
especially on weekends. You can also enlist the help of
students to hand out circulars.

5.  Print your product or service’s promotional ad on the
front or back of your envelopes or other people’s
envelopes.**

6.  Send programs announcements on post cards.  Shop for
maximum size at minimal price.  Use both sides for
information leaving half of one side for the addressee’s
information.

7.  Check the publications that carry the kind of
advertising you need and is compatible with your
product/service. Many new mail order publications offer low
rates to first-time advertisers; a free-of-charge insertion
for prepaid issues; or special seasonal ad space at reduced
rates. In addition, there are a number of publications that
will give you Per Inquiry (PI) space - an arrangement where
all orders come in to the publication — they take a
commission from each order, forward to you for fulfillment,
and send you a check for the balance.

8.  Ask about "stand-by" space. This means, you submit your
ad and the publication holds it until they have unsold
space, and then at a savings of 33% or more, you can insert
your ad.  Check all local suburban and neighborhood
newspapers for these opportunities.

9.  Do you publish any kind of catalog or ad sheet?  Get in
touch with other publishers and inquire about bartering an
advertising exchange. They run your ad in their publication
in exchange for you running a comparable size ad for them in
yours.

10.  Advertise a free offer. Simply run a print or
electronic ad offering a free report of interest to most
people or to a particular target market .  Announce it in
the "tag-line." Alternatively, include the report as a bonus
for their purchase.  The objective is to convert the largest
percentage of responses into sales, which is usually done
with a "tag-line" inviting the reader to ask for more
information or a free report.

Unleashing your imagination and have a powerful force
working for you to help increase your sales.

Catherine Franz, a Certified Professional Marketing &
Writing Coach, specializes in product development,  Internet
writing and marketing, nonfiction, training.  Newsletters and
articles available at:  http://www.abundancecenter.com
blog: http://abundance.blogs.com

One of the keys to strong positive mental attitude is what you compare your personal performance to. Do you compare your sales results to the top producer in your industry? Do you compare your basketball playing ability to Michael Jordan? Do you compare your last presentation to a speech delivered by Ronald Reagan or JFK?

Or do you compare your results today, to those you had yesterday?

Sports, sales, and the media teach us to compare our success against that of others, living or dead. Consistently successful people however place their primary focus on their own progress, using the achievements of others as inspiration for what is possible.

By comparing yourself to others you risk feeling like you’re a failure, which could cause you to avoid working towards your goal. When you are comparing yourself to yourself, you create momentum behind your actions towards your goal because you feel great as you realize the progress you are making.

© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown’s sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

Do you send email to your Online audience to let them know about an upcoming teleclass, your service or your book? Do you have a seminar "flyer" on your web site?

The biggest mistake professionals and entrepreneurs make is to announce, rather than promote themselves.

Each piece you send or put on your web site should begin with the #1 copywriting winner–the headline. You only have a few seconds to capture your potential client’s or customer’s attention. If your headline doesn’t sizzle, your Web site visitor will move on and never return.

Remember, the headline is far more important than the copy beneath.

Four Formats to Write Compelling Headlines

1. How to.

Most Online business people want to learn how to do something to increase their joy, money, relationships and fun. If they have already put up their Web site book descriptions, the table of contents, seminar flyers or coaching/consulting information, and not seen financial success, they too can learn how to do something–better.

Sample how to’s:

-"How-to Quadruple your Web Sales in Just Five Months."
-"How-to Put Ecstasy Back into your Love Life"
-"How-to Find the Person of your Dreams"
-"How-to Write your Print and eBook at the Same Time."

2. Pose a Question.

Asking a question puts the attention on "you," your reader. It involves them because we all respond to questions asked. An engaged reader is more likely to keep reading.

Sample questions:

-"Are you sick and tired of working for someone else?
-"Want to know how to create 5-10 new clients each month?
-"Want to make your book a best-seller?

3. Announcing your new teleclass, service or product.

You want the world to know about your great new book because it will make a difference in their lives, making the world a better place. How can you get your message across to compel your reader to click and buy or contact you?

Sample announcements:

-"Announcing a Brand New Breakthrough in ePublishing."
-"New eBook Helps Small Business People to Big Profits."

4. Use your Best Testimonials.

People pay attention to testimonials. They trust you more when someone else they respect has bought from you.

Sample testimonials:

-"Internet Marketing Exclusive is Pure Genius—Our Sales Have Increased by 40%.

-"Stop wasting time and money chasing agents. Read, "Write your Book Fast" for the fastest track to publishing success." Add the name and email below the testimonial to make it real.

Remember to include power words in your headlines that emotionally involve your reader.

Power word Examples:

Breakthrough, discover, easy, free, guaranteed, hidden, incredible, love, master, money, new, powerful, profits, proven, results, revealed, scientific, secret, shocked, shocking, uncovered, you, and your.

Here’s a few more powerful words: money, save, easy, love, health, proven, results, guaranteed, safety.

For every thing you email out, use headlines to reach your clients’ and customers basic needs and emotions–another step toward a contact and eventual sale.

Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach, Author of 10 eBooks including "Write your eBook Fast," and "How to Market your Business on the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 140 free articles. Email her at mailto:Judy@bookcoaching.com

Typical methods of advertising-newspapers, radio and television are effective if used properly, but there are other, less expensive ways to get your company’s name out.

Local or cable television is an inexpensive alternative to the traditional forms of advertising. Even if you have no experience advertising in this medium, there are companies who specialize in lending a helping hand. Even if finances are a concern (as they are for most of us), you’ll be surprised to discover a 30 second spot television ad can cost as little as a few hundred dollars.

Many areas have public auctions on local stations that will advertise your product, if you donate up to a certain dollar amount. The number of advertising spots will depend on how much you donate.

Remember also to send press releases to your local television and radio stations. Many times they will come out and do a story on you, if it is of interest to the public.

We volunteered to do resumes for people out of work and sent releases to all the radio and television stations. One of the three major networks in our area, sent someone out to interview us, and we were on the 6 and 11 o’clock news.

As for radio advertising, check your local stations for rates. You’ll be surprised at how low some of them are. Again, if you send press releases to the stations, sometimes they will call you as an expert in your area, or for an interview. We sent releases to all the stations in our area when we started our support group, and this generated three times the number of people we expected for our first meeting.

Since most major newspapers are expensive to advertise in, check with the smaller local papers. You can advertise in many of these for as little as $25 a month. You could also offer to write a column for these publications, as an expert in the area, if appropriate.

We all need to advertise in one way or another. Which medium you choose will depend on your particular business.

Copyright DeFiore Enterprises 2000

Interested in having your own successful, home based creative real estate investing business? Chuck and Sue have been helping folks start successful home based businesses for over 19 years, and we can help you too! To see how, visit http://www.homebusinesssolutions.com for the latest FREE tips and tricks, educational products and coaching in creative real estate investing and home based businesses. No time to visit the site? Subscribe to our "how to" Home Business Solutions Digest, it’s like having your own personal coach: mailto:subscribeHBS@homebusinesssolutions.com

MANY INDIVIDUAL ELEMENTS COME INTO PLAY MAKING A SUCCESSFUL AD:

1. PERSUASIVE SELLING COPY. The wording is the single most important element in determining a successful ad. What counts most is what you say and how you say it.

2. PLACEMENT IN APPROPRIATE PUBLICATION. This might seem obvious, but it is often neglected. If the right people don’t see your ad, they can’t respond.

3. SPACE/PRICE IN PROPORTION. You simply can’t sell high priced merchandise from a small classified or one inch ad space. These should be considered as a low cost means of building a mailing list by asking readers to write for more information. If you expect to sell directly from an ad, the size of the ad will have to increase in proportion to the selling price. Two or three inches of space for items selling for 42 to $5… half or full page for items selling for more than $5 up to $20. When the price goes above $20 it is usually best to run inquiry ads and follow up with a printed sales presentation. There are exceptions, but this is a fairly safe rule to follow.

4. TESTING ALL THE ELEMENTS. Unlike institutional advertising (toothpaste, cars, soap, etc.) which must rely on extensive market research, analysis, surveys and a lot of psychology to achieve success, mail order selling has a built-in "watchdog" to guard against waste and loss, and to help assure that every dollar spent will produce a profit…or at least tell you why it didn’t, so you won’t make the same mistake twice. This method (unique to mail order) is called KEYING. By inserting a number or letter (or combination) into every ad you run, you can tell which ad works in which publication and in which issues it works best. More sophisticated forms of this testing technique can be carried thru by trying a new headline, a different testimonials,guarantees, etc. The testing technique know no limits, but there is also danger in becoming test-happy. To use the testing principle effectively, be certain that the results will justify the time and expense of making the test. If it merely means adding to your paperwork without adding profit or reducing cost,it isn’t worth it.

Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer
This article may be reproduced freely on the Internet as long as the resource box remains intact.

DeAnna Spencer is a virtual assistant that helps entrepreneurs run a successful business by providing affordable administrative help. She also publishes a blog for small business owners. Visit this small business resource today.