Marketing your business? How best to do this or where to go to find out?

Hi,

I am looking for advice on marketing my business? Good websites, Companies who provide a service, ideas & suggestions of tried and tested measures etc? Can you help?

Sorry to post a nearly useless answer, but without the vaguest idea what your business is its going to be hard to advise you

contemporary said:

Sorry to post a nearly useless answer, ...

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+1, but do you really mean marketing as it sounds more like selling?

Glad you asked. On the contrary your post is not at all useless. Your question is very valid thank you. I am interested in setting up a website which offers a consolidation of services from cleaning windows to getting an extension built. Dont know anything about marketing so I thought I better start asking questions. Good place to start!

A good first step would be to write up a business plan. If you search on the web, you'll find some template plans. This will help you to think through all aspects of your business, including selling and marketing.

I'm not too up on the advertising of websites, but a good place for you to start would be to read up on Guerilla Marketing - alot of it is common sense, but it does mean alot to customers. It is all about maximising profits yet minimising investment. So getting the free/cheap fundamentals right. No point in spending a fortune of a Marketing campaign if your staff/website/phone manner/customer service is sloppy.

So ideas would be:
- get you web site name out & about as much as possible & as free as possible. Call radio stations, do up your own editorial & send it to the newspapers (they might run it on a slow news day), DIY leaflet (but keep it professional), focus on good word of mouth, get some keyring/pens/business cards with a web address
- YOU : as a small business you will be the main marketing tool : so a good presentation, manner, appropriate dress, etc. Make sure everyone you meet knows what you are doing (you don;t have to be rude...just a little pushy!!)
- front of house : make sure your website is sharp, easy to manouver, doesn't have useless links. Responds to queries/complaints in a set time.

There are loads more small tips which all sound very basis but it is amazing how many companies get them wrong.

How far advanced are you with the website, is the site built or is it just an idea at this stage

I have not had the website built yet. I have had some quotes and been offered a site thats already built but can be modified to suit our needs.