Low-Cost Ways to Get Your Business Started

First of all, you must invest heavily in your business. Whether it's time or money or both, if you take no action, you have no business. That's just the way it is.

Okay, let's assume you have a replicated website offering your business, and the website is pretty decent. After you've told everyone you know about it, how do you keep getting traffic to that website? Especially if you don't have the dollars to invest up front. What are your options?

First, look for an MLM forum. All the ones I've seen so far are free to join. You usually can't advertise your business directly, but you can put your business in your signature. Then, every time you make a post, your business is advertised. I do want to say that you should only post if you have something useful to contribute to the thread. Don't post for posting sake -- that's not a way to build a good reputation.

Then how about starting a blog? You're reading a free one right now. It costs nothing to join. Write about anything you want -- home-based business, your opportunity, breeding goldfish....(you get the idea). Just include your opportunity in the links section if it's the goldfish breeding type site. Otherwise, scatter your opportunity links in your posts as appropriate.

Check out groups. Yahoo and Google have groups that are free to join.

What about other forums -- do you have a hobby that you enjoy? Find a forum dedicated to that hobby, and if they allow you to put links in your signature, that's a whole new area of potential prospects.

There are free ezine ads, but in this case, I really do suggest you try and find a paid solo ad. I've seen services that get your ad placed in more than one ezine at a time for a nominal (under $25) amount. Or you can do some research and find an ezine that you can advertise in for something around $10 or $15 per insert.

If your opportunity provides you with autoresponders, learn how to use them! They are great for putting your name in front of prospects more than once.

Get some business cards and give them out. One way is to put your card in every one of those "put your business card in the bowl for a chance to win a free lunch/dinner/other". Hey, if nothing else you might win something from time to time! Tack up a card any place you can. If you are friendly with the owner of a business, ask if you can put a few cards up in a card holder near the cash register.

Don't forget your signature in your own personal emails! True, maybe you don't send out more than a handful of personal emails a day, but hey -- take advantage of everything you can.

I hope these tips have given you some ideas about how you can advertise your business inexpensively. Now go and do some advertising!