How-To: 10 Low-Cost Business Marketing Tips

"When marketing is continuous and targeted rather than occasional and shotgun, business gets easier," writes co-author Joanna Krotz of the Microsoft Small Business Kit.

"If prospects have a positive view of your wares and reputation before you call or before they start shopping, you're that much closer to nailing a sale."

Her 10 low-cost marketing tips follow:

1. Make customers feel special. People respond to recognition. Starbucks, for example, encourages baristas to learn the names of cafe regulars. A great marketer also makes it easy for customers to reach a competent person when they need help with a product or ask questions. Adequate customer support is often your first opportunity to garner loyalty among paying clients.

2. Distribute business cards worth keeping. Real estate agents sometimes affix their photos and information to magnetic calendars; Krotz suggests distributing notepads with your tagline and contact info on every page.

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