Advertise in School Papers, Programs, and Church Bulletins

For maximum impact, you not only want your marketing to publicize your product or service, you also want it to build your good name in the community.

One inexpensive way you can do this is to support school and church publications. Many papers, programs, and bulletins accept a limited amount of advertising.

Marsha lived in a small town where big newspaper advertising was unavailable. Instead, she turned to her high school newspaper and to the bulletins of several local churches. She found that these publications were happy to let her run tasteful display ads for a fraction of what a major newspaper would charge.

These ads are almost always low-cost and can sometimes be written off as a non-profit donation. Not only will you be helping to fund an organization or activity important to many members of your community, you will be seen as an important member of the cultural fabric.

TV stations and newspapers spend considerable money and time supporting community activities. There's a good reason for it. It allows them to be seen by business leaders and consumers as indispensable community institutions.

Your business, no matter how small, can get the same benefit by following their example (even if on a smaller level).

Look for opportunities to support and advertise in non-profit, community publications.