Ten Free Tools You Need to Promote Your Business
1. Free Publicity.
You can create a dynamic, free press release at the following sites:
http://www.openpress.com
http://www.prweb.com
http://www.prfree.com
2. Free Tools to Make Your Website Sticky.
Want to keep your visitors interested? A sticky website is a site that gets visitors to stay longer.
http://www.freesticky.com
http://www.findsticky.com/index.html
http://www.hotplugins.com
http://janim.net/index.php
http://www.killerfreebies.com/webmaster.shtml
3. Write Content Rich Articles.
Are you an expert or knowledgeable in a particular area? Share your expertise with others through your writing.
Great places to submit articles:
http://www.articlecity.com
http://www.alumbo.com
http://www.ideamarketers.com
http://www.family-content.com
http://www.goarticles.com
http://www.selfgrowth.com
http://www.amazines.com
http://www.valuablecontent.com
http://www.submityourarticle.com
http://www.bellaonline.com
4. Create a Newsletter or Ezine for Free.
Ok, now you've written and submitted your articles and you feel ready to start your own newsletters. These resources will get you on your way to being an ezine guru:
http://www.ezinequeen.com/articles.htm
http://www.emailuniverse.com/
http://www.netwoozy.com/ezinebuilder.pdf
5. Got Subscribers?
What use is an ezine or newsletter without subscribers? Who is going to read your ezine? Get your ezine in front of your target audience
Free Resources:
http://www.list-city.com You pay 03 per subscriber for premium listing, otherwise it's free
http://www.totallyfreenewsletters.com
Also, try swapping ads with other ezine publishers who will reach your target audience.
Email Marketing Resources:
http://www.constantcontact.com
http://www.verticalresponse.com
http://www.intellicontact.com
http://www.topica.com
6. To Blog or Not to Blog
Yes, blogging is important. How else will a potential customer get to know you on an more personal level. How often you blog is up to you, but keep it interesting and incorporate some business tidbits into your blog. You may even opt to have a personal and a business blog.
Resources:
http://www.typepad.com
http://www.blogger.com
http://www.wordpress.com
http://ebloggy.com
http://weblogs.about.com/
http://www.blogexplosion.com
http://www.bloglines.com
http://www.feedburner.com
http://www.pingomatic.com
http://www.technorati.com/ping.html
http://www.daypop.com/info/submit.htm
http://www.feedster.com/add.php
http://www.popdex.com/addsite.php
http://www.boingboing.net/suggest.html
http://www.weblogs.nu/directory/submit.php?add=top www.webworldindex.com/
http://www.blogsearchengine.com/
http://www.blogwise.com/bycountry.php
http://www.bloguniverse.com/
http://www.blogarama.com/index.php?show=add
7. Free Stuff to Give Away
If you don't have any products, promote other people's stuff.
Free Ebooks:
http://www.free-ebooks.net
http://www.supertips.com/101/index.htm
Freebies:
http://www.worldzone.net/ss/antelope/content_freebies.html
Free Email Service: http://www.bigmailbox.com
8. Promote Your Site & Yourself
You won't get any business, if no one knows about your site.
Join forums, join Yahoo groups, become a resource to other entrpreneurs. We can all learn from each other. Don't advertise on these forums, but participate. Include your signature file, so people can find out more about you. Can't find a forum or group for your niche, start one!
Resources for Forums:
http:/www.selfstartersweeklytips.com.forum
http://www.supertips.com/forums/list.htm
http://internetmarketingforums.im4newbies.com/
Promote Your Site for Free:
http://www.selfpromotion.com
http://www.addme.com
Groups:
http://www.topica.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/
9. Exceed Expectations.
Don't worry about what your competitor is doing, find out what they're not doing. Make your visitors and customers feel that you are a resource for them. Provide outstanding customer service. If your product or service isn't appropriate for them, refer them to someone else. It will get you more business in the long run. Find out what they like and give it to them.
10. Give Potential Customers What They Want
Use surveys as a way of communicating with current and future customers. Ask them how you can better serve their needs. Make them feel important by involving them in your business. Surveys are a great resource for getting to know more about your customers. You can get demographic information and more information about why they did or didn't buy a service or product from you.
Free Surveys:
http://www.votations.com
http://www.zoomerang.com
http://www.surveymonkey.com
About the Author
Marie Magdala Roker is a mother, an Academic and Personal Development Coach, and a Certified Breakthrough Parenting Instructor, and a private tutor with Tutor.com. You can find out more about her at: http://www.smartbeecoaching.com or http://www.successfulchild.com
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