Outdoor signage is still one of the most effective advertising methods. Whether it be a billboard or a new digital display for your business, you are bound to get some new clients. Outdoor signage can increase business as much as 15% according to the SBA (Small Business Association).

For businesses that don’t have much money in their marketing fund, an outdoor sign may be a way to display an effective ad. The ROI (return on investment) is better than almost any other form of advertising. It makes sense since literally thousands of people will be seeing your ad. An LED sign can certainly help get the message across in a more interesting way, as well as be more likely to catch the attention of potential customers.

Online advertising is one of the easiest ways to advertise. Simple things like creating a blog, much like this one, can do wonders for your organic lead generation. Stay connected by using social media and generate repeat customer by posting your blogs, specials and maybe even updates on your business.

There is a lot more you could do for you online presence, but it may require educating yourself. SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Having a well optimized site can really help you online. SEO can give you the extra boost you need if social media and blogging is something you’re already doing. Neil Patel has some great stuff about SEO and online marketing on his blog. I strongly urge you to check it out if you want to advertise effectively.

Directories kind of fall in line with the online portion of this article, but I felt it needed its own segment since its so easy and effective. If you don’t know what an online directory is, look at google maps and search for your business. If you find it, you have a business directory with Google, if not, then it’s time to get marketing. These directories are very powerful. You’d think that Google would be the only one that you need, but this isn’t true. Millions of users are still using other directories like Yahoo Local, Bing Places, Yelp etc.

Your business listing may already be on these sites, but it’s still a good idea to try and claim the listing yourself. Most of the time the information is wrong, and it also allows you to upload photos.

An Exhibition or tradeshow is a great way for you to network as well as scope out the competition to see what they are doing differently. Whether you are attending or showing, it’s a good idea to at least go to a couple a year. It’s always a great learning experience, as well as fun.

Introverts hear me out. I myself am an introvert and talking to people can be exhausting. But, you run a business and sometimes, simply put, we need to suck it up. I’ll tell you why in the next segment.

Don’t be afraid to talk to people. Word of mouth is still the most effective advertising method. Almost half of my company’s business comes from word of mouth. It’s also a great tactic to use when starting a business. Building trust with customers ensure security in your position as a business. Word of mouth also creates a brand for your business, by showing people who you are and what you’re about.

Work with people in your niche to write guest blogs, which will help your online presence. A referral lead always make you feel good. It means you helped a client find a solution, and now you get to do it again. These are great for reviews which also help SEO.

Maybe you are already implementing most of these things, but there’s always room for improvement. Take the time to learn more about each field and keep growing. Marketing is always changing, so keep researching and apply yourself for the better of your business.

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