WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS - Blog

No cost ways to market your business - TWITTER

Open a Twitter account for free publicity. You've probably been aware of all the fuss about Twitter. I feel more "at home" on Facebook but again, as Twitter is free and high visibility you could be missing out by not joining in. Open an account and do follow me at "Shona Partridge". And you can link your blog and Facebook accounts to post automatically to Twitter!

No cost marketing - ON-LINE GROUPS

Commenting on relevant chat rooms and online groups can boost your business credibility and visibility at no cost to you.

It really pays to research the groups online who would be your ideal audience. The world is chatting online today so why not be a part of it? Find busy blogs and groups and start posting relevant comments.

No cost marketing - TESTIMONIALS

If you haven't been asking your clients for testimonials, get started now!

There's no cost to you, but huge value. What your clients say about you has far more power and credibility than what you say about yourself.

Read more about testimonials here.

No cost ways to market your business - FACEBOOK

Open a Facebook account

I'm a big fan of Facebook and it's totally free to join. Start with a personal account to find your way around and grow your contacts. If you want to use it for business keep the very personal stuff for direct, private messages.

Then, once you've got used to being on Facebook, set up a  fanpage for your business. I set up a business “fanpage” for Women Mean Business at the end of last year. I was amazed how quickly I was able to grow my "fan base." Now I wish I'd done this sooner! Again, this is totally free!

PS - my blog posts go directly to my Facebook account, so if you're reading this there - do check out the Women Mean Business fan page!

What's "Not Wanted on Voyage" in 2010?

Here's a blog post I originally wrote this time last year. Sometimes the more things we let go of, the more successful we can become! Let me know what you think.

"I love New Year! There's such a feeling of possibility in the air. I've had a great time planning for what I want to have in my life and business this year,and just as important, I've been saying goodbye to things that are not wanted on the voyage this year.

I've made some fairly radical decisions and not everyone may be happy with these decisions, but it's my life and my business so I'm really taking charge this year! I've done a major overhaul of all areas of my life and business and came up with an amazing list of what I decided to let go of or stop doing. This list included stepping down from any voluntary or leadership positions for this year. For most of my adult life I have been on various Boards and Committees. That was my choice and it was a fantastic experience. However,  I made the decision this year to carve out more time for me and more time for creative projects both business and personal.

One of my more radical decisions is to drop local face to face networking unless I am the keynote speaker. Don't get me wrong, I love networking some of the time and it's one of the main ways I built a successful business in the first few years. However, it doesn't fit with my new business model which is based on making my business even more "virtual" this year.

A few years ago I made a decision which has made a huge difference in the quality of my life - I decided to  see clients only on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. This is simply taking the idea one step further. I want to fit my business into my life, not just fit my life into my business!

My "Not Wanted on Voyage" list includes lots of other things. When I look at this list of what I've let go of it feels immensely liberating! It's freeing up my time and energy for new projects. I am so excited about what I have planned for this year."

I followed through with these plans for 2009 and it made a huge difference to my business.

So my question for you is this: what do you want to leave behind  as "Not Wanted on Voyage" in 2010?

No cost marketing - WRITING ARTICLES

Get into the habit of writing articles on your special topic for print publications and for online sources. Any time you write something for your own newsletter or blog, consider turning it into an article for targeted on-line article banks and blogs.

Re-purpose everything you write from now on. Cost to you - zero, and of course you could get paid in some cases.

Lear more about writing for business

No cost ways to market your business - SPECIALISE!

Be a specialist rather than a generalist

I know I do go on about finding your niche and specialism but it can make a huge difference to your marketing. Most people would prefer to work with an expert or specialist, rather than a generalist and it makes marketing your business much easier as you’re able to target your ideal audience. This year, make a decision to specialise and simplify your marketing.

Read more about finding your niche.

What's your big, brilliant, bold goal for your business in 2010?

What's your big, brilliant, bold goal for your business in 2010? It can be all too easy for 2010 to become a carbon copy of 2009! Set your exciting goal for your business and make sure you do at least one thing every day towards making it a reality.

Get a head start with your own free copy of the Women Mean Business SUCCESS KIT. 4 audios and Special Reports, including "12 Keys to More Business." Simply fill in your name and email in the blue sign up box at the top right of the WOMEN MEAN BUSINESS blog or website.

No cost ways to market your business - SPEAKING

Public speaking is one of the most effective ways you can build your visibility as an expert in your field. Many groups are looking for speakers and you may get a fee or your expenses paid too. Even if you don’t get paid, think of it as great free publicity for you and your business.

As the speaker at the front of the room you're going to be much more memorable than just one of a dozen business cards people pick up.

Read this earlier post on dealing with speaker's nerves

No cost ways to market your business - networking

There are still some free networking events out there if you look hard enough. Check out your local Business Link and other publicly funded organisations to see what's on offer. It’s also possible to visit many networking groups once or twice before they expect you to join. You will have to pay for the visit but not an expensive annual membership.

See an earlier blog post for more networking tips