What are some of your favorite free or inexpensive ways to reach the community?

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Answers (1-10)

Business from Ranger, GA
Answered on Jan 5th, 2018

Establish yourself as an Authority in your area of expertise, by voluntarily submitting articles to your local newspaper. I did that for over four years a few years back, and it brought me lots of business. Lately, I haven't done it as often, but still occasionally do, and it always gets local attention. Costs you some time, newspaper doesn't charge, and you get lots of exposure.

Hi Dianna, I have a free wix web site and when you set up that site they give you options for free promotions through a number of search engines such as google etc. I get a lot of business through the google search engine. I also have a facebook site which is also free both of these have proven to be very effective.

I answer questions in fields I know a lot about on forums at Alignable and Quora.

I speak to groups (Rotary, connect groups, etc.) about topics I know a lot about.

I network strategically.

I've branded my vehicle and I carry business cards and copies of my books in it at all times so I can respond to folks who see it and want to know more about what I do professionally that can help them build their businesses.

Being INVOLVED in a community. People know how you will treat them as they see how you interact with others. You also have opportunities to share your wisdom and expertise without being blatant about selling yourself.

I use FB a lot and ask my followers to repost and add a comment...what they like best and why they recommend BBBC

do a community service project with your employees and send a press release to the news. They love featuring things like this!

While you would think internet sites such as LinkedIn would be a great way to spread the word, I have a few thousand connections on LinkedIn and yet not one has yielded a sale... old school still works best it seems though frustrating as it is.

Sounds like a great idea! When was the last time you submitted an article? Just wondering if social media works as well. As you know owning your on business is time consuming and very rewarding at the same time. However, time is always an issue for business owners. Always searching for the best result for the time given.

Franz Buhlmann from Be Easily Found
Franz Buhlmann from Be Easily Found
Vickie, a lot depends on what community that you are attempting to reach. That key bit of information was not included, so many of the answers focus on a physical location as the community, such as the city or town the business is located in. When you asked about the article, I am assuming that you are referring to the news paper article that was suggested within the group. So I will focus the rest of my reply with that in mind. First of all, there are so many different types of Social Media, it is impossible to give a single answer that applies equally to all of them. However, one thing that they all pretty much have in common is that they are for the most part a global or near global community. The best benefit of being a published author, even if that is only in a newspaper, is that people will generally accept you as an expert more quickly just because you are in "print"! In most cases, the newspaper will be delivered to the same group of people all the time. After all, the newspaper will have a loyal readership! Over a period of time, if you appear regularly in the newspaper, you can actually grow a very faithful following that will read your article each time the newspaper comes out, or each time your article is in it. Your article can be a major focal point for people that they will quickly turn to it just like some people turn to the crossword puzzle or the comics or the sports' section. The newspaper will make it very easy for your following to find your article provide that you have an article in the newspaper. If people skip a few articles, you new ones will be just as easy to find as all of the others! While the social media platforms that I know anything about do provide notifications, these notifications will only go out to connections that you have already. In order to be able to reach more people, you must work on increasing your connections! Of course, depending how your settings are set up, your article could be shared or seen in your follower's timeline, as is the case with Facebook. If you were to use your Facebook Page for your articles, unless your article receives a lot of interaction, it may not even reach anyone beyond Facebook's first releases or the following releases. Even then, Facebook does not release your posts/articles to your entire following without you paying for Facebook to boost your post/article. On a positive note, many platforms like Facebook do give you the option do post Video and even Live Video. Having your message in a video format may be more appealing to your audience and a more interesting share than something that is just written out.

For the fitness and wellness industry people tend to go where it’s convenient. Thus getting involved in the community has helped us, arguably more then social media. We’ve given free workshops on core strength, osteoporosis and balance at the local community center and “villages” (neighborhood organizations that help seniors stay living safely at home). Sometimes these workshops get articles printed in local papers too. We’ve also done health fairs but find they aren’t helpful at all but that’s just our experience.

Keys to Recovery Newspaper, Inc. is absolutely free, we send them out to whoever request them. We mail them throughout the states for free, our main objective is to carry the message of Hope and Recovery from all types of addictions and disorders to as many people as possible, and offer resources that may provide treatment and support.

Our newspaper is filled with columns from some of today's top experts in the recovery field. We are educating communities about alcoholism, drug addiction, eating disorders, gambling addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, and so much more. We print at no charge, a 2-page resource guide listing free services and vital help offered within the communities.

We are non-profit recovery newspaper with a mission to connect those of our monthly readership of a 100,000, with clinicians, Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Sober Coaches, Psychotherapist, Treatment Centers, Sober Livings, I.O.P.'s etc. in order to help them find a solution to obtain sobriety. We thank God for the opportunity to be of service.

We buy clothing such as socks, underwear, beanies, gloves, blankets, coats and other clothing for the homeless, we buy and prepare food for the homeless Veterans at P.A.T.H every month, as well as those who are without in our communities. God blesses my wife and I, and we in turn love to pass those blessings on to others.

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