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Advertising is an important consideration for your business. It lets your customers know what your business is and the products/services offered, as well as encouraging them to buy from you, rather than your competitors.

As most small businesses cannot afford expensive advertising campaigns, it is very important to assess the different methods of advertising and select which methods will be most effective in reaching your customers.

Prior to advertising, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is it going to put me in front of my target market?
• What will it cost and what are the cheaper ways to reach customers?
• Will this harm my image?
• Is it likely to generate sales or if not, increase my profile?
• Is it promoting features and benefits that are relevant to my target customers?

Following are some low cost advertising options that are often a good solution for small business:

• Yellow pages: print copy and online.

• Pink pages or other local and online directories.

• Use signage on your vehicles, stationary and any shop fronts.

• Exchange fliers with other non-competitive businesses who could display them at their location. Also find locations such as shopping centres where you could post a flier on a bulletin board.

• Consider advertising on the reverse side of receipts with major supermarkets such as Woolworths or Coles. To do this you will need contact an advertising firm such as shop-a-docket or hot dockets. This will help you get noticed by potential customers as people tend to go grocery shopping regularly.

• Hand out your business card to as many people as possible and network regularly to make new contacts.

• Advertising on the radio and sending out catalogues may be useful when you are having large-scale sales.

• Traffic pulling displays (trailers with billboards towed behind cars or trucks) during holiday seasons may also be an effective promotion tool.

• Provide free t-shirts and other giveaway items with your logo to your staff and customers to wear.
• Advertising on the sides of buses.

One of the main benefits of advertising for your business is the ability to communicate to a large number of people at one time.