Marketing your products and services is key to the success of your business. However, it is not always necessary to have a huge marketing budget. When people are looking for what you are selling, you can focus your efforts on creating awareness and visibility for your business. In this article, we will discuss nine marketing strategies that provide exposure with little or no cost to you.

Use your existing traffic and online communities to your advantage.

Your business should already have an online presence. Most companies use social media accounts to communicate with their clients and keep them up to date. Online communities such as Facebook, Craigslist, Twitter, and other niche forums are great places to find conversations about the needs and challenges that your product or service addresses. These platforms can be rich with potential customers ready to make a purchase.

Offer incentives for customers who share your message with others.

A prospect is more apt to buy when someone they trust refers them. Providing something of value such as discounts or a free product is often enough incentive for your customer to share and recommend your business.

You can do this by simply providing the option to share and accept the discount at the point of checkout. Another option is to create interactive tools such as surveys, and quizzes which can be shared and go viral. Businesses such as Dropbox, Facebook, and Kickstarter have grown their customer base into the millions over months instead of years using this strategy.

Use affiliate marketing to expand your reach.

Now a vital income source for many online businesses, affiliate marketing has become an enormous industry. Affiliate marketing provides a passive income from customers who you may not have otherwise found.

The easiest way to accomplish this is by using an affiliate marketing network. While these services do take a percentage of each payment, this can be money well spent. Looking at these fees as commissions or distribution fees will help to keep it in perspective.

Networks such as Shareasale, FlexOffers, and CJ Affiliate will manage the administrative aspects of your affiliate program. The specific services and pricing vary widely, and you should take due diligence in researching the best fit for your product and business. Many affiliate networks offer a free trial; Which you can take advantage of to build an income to pay for the program going forward.

Use bloggers and YouTube channels.

You may already be aware of blogs and YouTube channels that focus on your industry and products. Reach out to them and offer your products for their review.

Become a guest blogger.

Everyone wants quality content; blogs and websites servicing your target audience are no different. Reach out to them and offer your high-quality content. Respect their platform and always be careful to make your pitch as subtle as possible while remaining effective.

Leverage your connections.

Reach out to friends, family, associates, and your social media contacts. Ask them for a sale, or referrals, this is the most basic tool in your arsenal of free marketing options.

Ask Them to Share.

You are already connected and interacting with them. Your friends and family will support you in your efforts, just ask.

Go where your customers are.

People who trust you will buy your product. What better way to build trust than personal interaction? There are almost countless opportunities for this type of marketing. Attend a meetup group, or start your own. Go to trade shows and other industry events, maybe make a presentation using free PowerPoint templates. Local service groups such as Rotary Club, Lions Club, and Chamber of Commerce are always looking for speakers.

Work for free.

Offer your professional services to enterprises that can refer customers or who have an extensive network of qualified prospects. Ask them for backlinks, testimonials, and other PR in exchange for your high-quality work.

All of these free marketing options are there for the taking. It’s up to you if and how you want to use them.