WIBS Blog Co-ordinator Georgina Shaw is a Chartered Institute of Marketing Qualified Marketing and PR Consultant. After working in agencies in London and Marbella she has now set up on her own to offer cost-effective marketing solutions for small to medium sized companies. Here she offers some helpful tips on how to market yourself without spending a fortune and stand out from the crowd. |
We all know that 2009 will be tough for businesses, but don’t give up! Be positive, identify your product benefits and make sure all your potential clients know about you through cost-effective marketing. I want to offer a few ideas here and involve the WIB members in suggesting their own ways to help each other in these difficult times. Here are 3 low cost ways to promote your company ... |
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1) Networking
You are the best person to talk about your company so get out there and promote yourself at every possible opportunity. Networking is extremely powerful, especially on the Costa del Sol, and there are some excellent groups here including our very own Women in Business. Although you can network at every social gathering, organised networking groups make it easier to find new clients and build business relationships as everyone is there with the same objective.
At WIBS we pride ourselves on offering a professional, supportive and relaxed environment to promote your company and meet useful business contacts to help you become more profitable. However it is up to you to make the most of the meetings! Bring lots of cards and flyers, move around the room and tables and talk to as many people as possible. If there’s someone on the list of attendees you want to talk to, ask one of the committee members and we’ll introduce you, it’s a great way to make good contacts. You can come along as a guest and try out a meeting before joining and see if it works for you. |
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2) Branding
Once you have a good name and corporate identity put it everywhere! Staff T-shirts, cars and vans, stationery, pens and mugs etc. Giveaways are always popular with clients and can take your name and contact details out to a wider audience. |
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3) Online
Every business needs a website and they open up a raft of free promotional opportunities. Once you have a website, make sure you have a profile on business networking sites such as Ecademy and Linkedin and list any events on the many sites such as www.hotcosta.com, www.Angloinfo.com and www.Andalucía.com. Not only will it help people find out about you, but it will also improve your Search Engine Ranking. |
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An interesting alternative to traditional forms of business:
We all need to think laterally to do well in 2009. Effective marketing is an excellent start, but I'd suggest you get creative too. A great new website has been launched which aims to reduce our dependence on cash and allow us to exchange skills and time for things we want or need through Bartering. I think this is an excellent way to use spare time and our skills when business is thin on the ground.
If you have a skill, service, time or product you can offer, then you can benefit from www.barterwithbart.com. Bartering will minimise your outlay, allow you to make new contacts and take advantage of the skills and products on offer in these difficult times. Worth a try I think!
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I hope this has been helpful. Please add your tips for keeping afloat in 2009 to the WIB blog or contact me if you’d like any marketing and PR support.
Georgina Shaw
Web www.shawmarketingservices.com
Email georgina@shawmarketingservices.com
Phone 685 719 136 |
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