9 Clever Ways to Market Your Business Without Ads

Article last updated on May 1, 2022

It is possible to do marketing without advertising and even have a sustainable business without using ads.

Advertising is expensive. It takes time and effort to get traffic to your website. And even if you do manage to get traffic, how long will it last before it goes away?

There are many clever ways to market your business without using ads. In fact, most of these methods are free or very cheap.

These methods include everything from social media to special promotions.

In traditional advertising, you pay for the ad space in order to reach people. But with online marketing, there’s no need to spend any money on ads because you can reach out to potential customers through other means.

Here are nine clever ways to market your small business without spending any money on advertising.

Write Articles

Writing articles is a great way to build authority and credibility in your niche.

Inbound marketing is the process of attracting customers through quality content rather than traditional advertising. It’s a proven method for generating leads and growing your business, and writing articles is the foundation of this strategy.

You can write about anything related to your niche, but some topics work better than others.

People trust authors and businesses who publish content regularly, and writing regular articles gives you a platform to share your knowledge and expertise.

When you write articles, you’re not only building your own reputation, but you’re also helping others learn too.

And when you write regularly, you’re building a community of people who trust you and value your opinion.

If you’ve ever been involved in any online communities, you know how valuable this type of relationship can be. So keep on writing, and let your network grow!

The great thing is that you can repurpose this written content into multiple formats. You could turn it into an e-book or even a video. Or if you have a blog, you could post the article to other platforms such as Medium.

Basically, you can atomize the content you create and use it across different channels. This helps you reach more people with less effort.

Write Articles for Other Websites

One of the best ways to market your business without ads is to write articles for other websites.

When you write articles for other sites, you’re essentially giving them free advertising.

In return, they’ll share your article on their own website, which means that you’ll get exposure to a wider audience.

This will make the case for exclusive content and help you gain more readers.

To maximize the benefits of this strategy, focus on writing quality articles.

Make sure that each article has its own value and that it has useful information that your target audience would benefit from, as well as unique value.

Also, try to include a CTA button at the end of every article so that visitors can easily subscribe to your mailing list.

After you’ve written several articles, you can submit them to different websites.

Once you’ve submitted your articles, wait for them to appear on the websites that you’ve submitted them to.

Then, follow up with emails asking if they’d be interested in sharing your article on their website. If they agree, you’ll receive a link back to your website, where you can continue to build your brand.

Make Videos

Videos are a powerful tool for businesses who want to market themselves without spending money on ads.

There are many different types of videos that you can create, including explainer videos, testimonials, and video tutorials.

Video content is highly visual, making it easy for viewers to understand what you’re trying to say.

These videos can be used to showcase your products, services, and expertise, and they can also be shared on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter.

To make these videos effective, make your message clear and, if you have something to offer, make a strong call-to-action.

For example, if you sell clothing, you could talk about the benefits of wearing clothes from your brand, or you could share unique ways to wear your clothes.

The key here is to focus on the benefits of your products or services rather than just talking about yourself.

When creating videos, remember to add subtitles so that people who watch your videos on mute will still understand what’s being said.

Once you’ve created your videos, upload them to YouTube. Then, promote them through social media channels and other online resources, for example, Reddit.

Be a Guest on Podcasts

Podcasting has become increasingly popular over the past few years, and it’s no wonder why. The format lets you share your knowledge with others while giving you a chance to build relationships with people who might become customers.

In addition to being able to reach a wider audience, podcast guests also enjoy the benefits of having their own shows.

Guests can choose topics that interest them and record episodes whenever they feel inspired.

There are many different types of podcasts available, including interviews, discussions, and informational shows.

Many businesses have used podcasting to market themselves and grow their businesses.

It is much easier to be a guest on an existing podcast than to start one from scratch.

You don’t need any special equipment to record a podcast, but you do need a microphone, and for that, you have your phone.

To market yourself as a guest on podcasts, consider sharing your knowledge through interviews. The best way to connect with your listeners and give them valuable information about your business is through interviews.

Interviewers love guests who offer unique perspectives and insights into their industry. When you get interviewed, you can highlight your expertise and build trust among other people.

The important thing is to make sure that you’re prepared before recording your episode and you know if your potential customers are actually listeners of the podcast.

Use Social Media and Interact With People

Social media has become a powerful tool for businesses to market themselves online.

It’s no secret that social media sites like Facebook, TikTok and even Twitter are popular destinations for consumers to learn about products, services, and businesses in general.

By interacting with customers through these platforms, you can build relationships and gain valuable feedback. In addition, you can share helpful tips and tricks that will help your business grow.

It’s important to remember that social media is just another form of marketing.

While it’s true that many companies rely solely on ads to generate revenue, you shouldn’t neglect other methods of promotion.

For example, if you run a small business, you might consider hiring someone to manage your social media accounts. This person could provide valuable insight into what types of posts work best for your brand and help you achieve your goals.

In addition, you can interact with your followers directly.

Responding to comments and questions from your fans helps you build trust and credibility.

When people feel connected to your brand, they’re more likely to buy from you.

Lastly, try to engage with your followers on a personal level.

People enjoy talking to brands that care about them. So, if you notice that someone is having trouble with a particular aspect of your business, offer to help them solve the problem.

This shows that you genuinely care about their success and makes them more likely to purchase from you in the future.

You can even make personal recommendations or send gifts to loyal customers or even the people you have been communicating with. 

Run a Unique Contest or Event

This way, you can get to know new customers while still giving your current ones something of value.

For example, if you sell custom T-shirts online, you could host a contest where participants create their own designs.

The winner gets their design printed on a shirt and receives bragging rights. Or, if you run a photography business, you could hold a photo contest where participants submit photos of themselves doing something creative.

By offering prizes, you can attract the attention of people who wouldn’t normally visit your website. And since these contests are completely free to enter, you don’t have to worry about losing money.

Also, try to offer something extra for people who participate.

For instance, if you’re hosting a photo contest, you could give each participant a free digital download of their photos.

This way, you can both generate interest in your business and provide additional value to those who win.

Just imagine how satisfied customers would be if they won an expensive prize.

Give Away Free Stuff

It doesn’t matter if you’re giving away a physical item or a digital download, as long as it’s valuable enough to entice someone to buy from you later.

To create value, you can offer something that’s unique to your brand.

For example, if you sell custom T-shirts online, you could offer a free T-shirt design service to anyone who signs up for your mailing list.

Or, if you sell eBooks, you could offer free but shorter versions of your eBooks.

Whatever you choose to give away, make sure that it’s worth the effort.

Don’t just throw anything together; instead, spend some time thinking about what would be most beneficial to your customers.

Once you’ve decided on what you’d like to give away, you can set up a landing page where interested parties can sign up.

Make sure that the landing page includes clear instructions on how to redeem the giveaway. Also, include a link back to your main website so that visitors can purchase whatever it is that you’re offering.

Build Relationships With Other Businesses

Networking doesn’t necessarily mean going door-to-door or attending events where you meet other businesses; instead, it means connecting online.

There are many different types of networks available, including Facebook groups, LinkedIn groups, Twitter lists, and niche communities.

These networks allow you to connect with other businesses that share similar interests and goals.

Once you build relationships with these companies, you can offer them free services or products in exchange for advertising on your website.

This type of network marketing strategy works especially well if you’re trying to reach a specific demographic.

For example, if you run a dog grooming service, you could join a group of dog owners on Facebook and ask them to share your business on their pages.

Another benefit of building relationships with other businesses is that you can learn from them.

When you work with other businesses, you can gain valuable insight into how to grow your business.

For example, you might discover that your customers prefer to buy from certain brands over others. Or perhaps you realize that your competition has a particular product that you haven’t thought of yet.

By learning from other businesses, you can create new products or services that will appeal to your customers.

It’s also possible that you’ll learn about new trends in your industry that you hadn’t considered before.

Word-of-mouth marketing in networking is one of the best ways to get started.

Your long-term customers may refer you to other people they know who need your services.

If you have a good reputation within your community, word of mouth marketing can help you attract more clients.

Offer Special Services

If you have a specialty that sets you apart from other businesses, consider offering special services to your clients.

For example, if you sell handmade jewelry, you could give complimentary gift wrapping to any customer who purchases an item from you.

You could even go one step further by offering a discount to people who come in person to pick up their items.

The key here is to make sure that your special services aren’t too expensive.

Instead, think about something unique that only you can provide. 

These types of offers are especially effective because they’re unique and exclusive.

People love being the first to try something new, and these offers provide just that.

Plus, they allow you to build trust with your customers, which means they’re more likely to purchase from you in the future.

To create these kinds of offers, you’ll need to collect data about your current clients.

Once you have this information, you can determine whether or not offering a special service would benefit them. Then, you can decide whether or not to implement the offer.

For example, let’s say that you own a bakery.

You notice that most of your customers are women between the ages of 25 and 35.

Based on this information, you decide to offer a special “member-only” cake to anyone who signs up for your mailing list during a specific timeframe.

This type of offer is perfect for businesses that sell products or services that require an initial investment.

It allows you to reach out to potential customers while building trust and customer loyalty.

Conclusion

In conclusion, you can see that you don’t have to spend a fortune on ads to succeed. In fact, there are plenty of ways to market your business without spending a dime.

Marketing doesn’t have to be expensive, but it requires out-of-the-box thinking.

There are lots of free ways to promote your business, and they’re all just as effective as traditional methods. So, if you want to save money while increasing your visibility, try some of these suggestions.