3. Contests or giveaways

Everyone loves a contest. You don’t have to spend a fortune on prizes for an effective contest or giveaway. You can even get together with a few other services and offer a huge giveaway, like a free makeover and a photo shoot.

4. Answer questions on Quora

Many businesses have found great success posting answers to questions on Quora.  Remember to add backlinks to your website. It is important to remember to appear that your focus is on being helpful, not promotional.

5. Make guest appearances on podcasts.

Podcasts are an excellent way to reach a new audience. Lots of people don’t have time or don’t want to read written articles, but love to listen to Podcasts. 

6. Attend networking events

Networking is of course one of the best ways to build connections with potential customers or even find new business partners. A face-to-face connection continues to be one of the best forms of advertising. Creating new relationships can lead to many business referrals you never knew were possible.

7. Form partnerships with other businesses

Have you ever considered that you may have a perfect partnership you did think about before?  Here is something to consider; if you were a photographer — you would most likely have customers who also need to get their hair and makeup done. And if you’re a hair and makeup stylist, you most likely work with people preparing for special events like weddings, who might be looking for a photographer. Forming relationships in which you work together and refer customers to one another is one incredibly valuable way to get free word-of-mouth advertising.

8. Develop your social media presence

No doubt it’s harder than ever to make an impact on social media organically. Social media networks remain one of the most common places for people to learn about businesses. In fact, 25% of Millennial consumers begin with social media, not a Google search or even by visiting a website. Make sure you have fully completed profiles on whatever social media channels you opt to use. So, people know exactly what you do and how to contact you if they want more information.

9. Leave reviews or give testimonials

If you work with suppliers or vendors, consider leaving positive reviews online or offering to share a testimonial about your experience. You’ll build goodwill with your partners, and get your name out there too.

10. Traditional advertising — for free

Did you know companies like Google, Bing, Yahoo, Amazon, and some hosting companies all offer promotional credits to try paid advertising? It wouldn't hurt to try it and see if it works for you.  If it brings you in some business, you can reinvest a little more and so on and so on. 

 Conclusion

There are many great ways to get exposure for your business even when you don't have the cash to invest in marketing.  It takes some creative thinking along with a certain amount of time investment, but it is a great way to get to understand how people think about your business and how you can get the attention your business needs to sustain itself in the marketplace.