Comments on: Don’t Let Empty Pockets Hold You Back!

By: Akshay Soochit

Akshay Soochit — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 01:10:33 +0000

hey stefan, thanks for sharing your views with us.
From what i have read, you and i are on the same page about business operation and promotion.

Another tip for your advertising activities could relate to public relations. Use your family memeber and close friends to help you promote yourself and your company. Absolutely we do not want to waste money if there is a cheaper or free way to do it.

You will for sure benefit from it, because most of the time people dont pay too much attention to online advertising or blogs. they would rather have someone come to them in person and explain the product.

By: Chris B.

Chris B. — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:18:26 +0000

“Don’t pay huge amounts for marketing or PR.” There are so many businesses that I interact with on a daily basis who are spending BOATLOADS of money on radio commercials, print ads, and TV timeslots. However, it is really a guessing game for them because it is so difficult to gauge the actual effectiveness of those ads, and their return on investment.

However, many small businesses are now smartening up to the whole idea of social media and online marketing.

By: Kevin Wilson

Kevin Wilson — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:33:18 +0000

Great post. As someone who is in the process of getting a business off the ground, I can relate to a and have personally used a lot of the suggestions you mention.

By: Arthur

Arthur — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:19:28 +0000

For a second there I thought you’re going to advise us not to do marketing and PR which is just bad advice. But good thing you clarified it. What you said is great advice. There are a lot of ways where you can market for free. Of course, there are more effective ways to market and you have to pay for it. But with “empty pockets”, those are great alternatives.

Also, maybe it’s about time that people with empty pockets check on the investments that they’ve made? Maybe they made some bad ones that contributed to what’s happening now.

By: Ken

Ken — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 21:19:04 +0000

Hi Stefan!
Thank you for sharing what I believe are very significant concepts for any small business, at any stage of development.
Marketing and PR can start with a free Facebook page, and a free Twitter account, and then use free online Press Releases to help publicize big events.
Like Jp14 said earlier, the Internet provides a wealth of information. Sometimes the challenge is discovering the question to ask to get the information you need.
But from what I have read, your articles are one good source of helpful information. Thank you.

By: Barry Plaskow

Barry Plaskow — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:56:16 +0000

Great advice here.

I would add another point though and that is, small businesses need a marketing plan that allows them to sustain themselves as they grow.

In turn, that requires first and foremost a real USP that makes them stand out.

We have discovered at SuccessBug that a lack of funds is usually a symptom for a more underlying problem.

Barry Plaskow

By: Calvin Bacon

Calvin Bacon — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 14:31:26 +0000

Thanks for the tips. The problem is that low cost marketing is not always effective. Even if the cost is low, if there is not enough revenue, then there is still no profit.

Please keep posting these tips. They are certainly worth trying.

By: Christian Hammer

Christian Hammer — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 23:52:47 +0000

All of these are great tips for boot strapping your business. Though I’d rather have the capital to drive the business forward with urgency rather than starving through the otherwise slow acceptance phase.

By: Bradley A Giddens

Bradley A Giddens — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 22:27:38 +0000

fabulous ideas in this article. as a small business owner, I really think getting back to basics, especially now, is critical to my success. The ideas you have here are exactly what I employ. The one caveat is not to do what you aren’t good at. Know how to do it so you can double check the work you outsource.

cheers,

Bradley A Giddens

By: Jp14

Jp14 — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 21:36:31 +0000

Another common thing is to keep learning. So many people give up too quickly by saying “I don’t know how.”

With the plethora of information out there, ignorance is only a reason to fail. Not an excuse not to succeed.