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A common saying in business is that you have to spend money to make money, and generally speaking this is absolutely true. When you spend money to create innovative, useful, and safe products and/or services that benefit the consumer public, you are far more likely to build up a devoted patronage than if you push goods that are cheap and ineffective, just for example. That said, you’ll be hard pressed to make sales if nobody knows you exist, no matter how incredible your products are, so marketing efforts will certainly need to be part of your spending strategy. You just have to find ways to get the most bang for your buck and select marketing opportunities that will provide you with proven results. This isn’t a very easy undertaking, but with the advent of online marketing and promotions you now have a lot more options. Here are just a few easy and effective means of promoting your business online that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.

1. Online directories. Web directories are a good place to start where online promotions are concerned since many are inexpensive or even free to join. When you register with listing services like Google Places and Bing, you can start to raise your ranking on search engines, for one thing. And reputable services that are industry-specific can also provide you with benefits of this nature. So even though your chances of actually being found by customers via directories are relatively slim, they can contribute to your promotional strategy in other ways without costing you a ton of money.
2. On-site blog. Search engine optimization is a must if you want your website to be found by prospective customers. And one of the best ways to increase opportunities for optimization is to start an on-site blog. You’ll be able to add content frequently, which will benefit you in two ways. First, it will add value for customers. But it also allows you to update keywords, titles, tags, and so on frequently in order to stay on top of what’s trending and get noticed by search bots. Of course, you might have to pick up some SEO skills along the way in order to make the most of your efforts, but it will cost you a lot less than hiring a pro to do it for you.
3. Social media. There’s no denying the incredible appeal of using social media platforms as a means of promoting your business online. Sites like Twitter and Facebook give you a means of connecting with the consumer public on both a massive and yet somehow intimate scale. And with YouTube you can push multimedia content designed to go viral. When you use social media appropriately it can become the cornerstone of successful promotions.
4. Cross promotion. If you’re looking to cut costs, you might want to think about how you can entice adjacent businesses into cross-promotional opportunities. You and your collaborator can split the cost of promotions and both of you will end up increasing your consumer base and prospects for sales in the process.
5. Networking. You might be surprised by the lengths your colleagues are willing to go to in order to promote your business if you form a strong working relationship - and you may well reciprocate. In the same way that a site like SonicBids connects musicians and businesses seeking musical acts, your network of professional contacts can put you in touch with potential clients or customers. But relationships are a two-way street, so don’t neglect the people who can help you the most.