Inexpensive marketing tactics

Considering the economy is still emerging from a recession that crippled the economy for more than three years, companies are looking for inexpensive ways to see their businesses thrive and become more noticeable among consumers with small business marketing.

Forbes recently released a list of the 5 Marketing Tactics That Cost (Almost) Nothing, which might give business owners ideas that could significantly boost the number of customers they serve.

According to the source, link exchanges can be extremely helpful in producing an excellent return on investment for a company. Creating a link network with other companies in a similar field can help the site grow. The links can take the form of a blogroll, promotional post or banner ad exchange. With the economy and budgets remaining tight, many companies are finding that exchanging space and links to be more popular than ever.

Pinterest has also been found to provide businesses with an extra push to attract more customers. The social network now has more than 10 million unique visitors, which could be a catalyst to increase a business' visibility on the internet.

Contests and giveaways have also proven to be great for driving traffic to a company's website. Because everyone likes something free, email sign-ups on sites could be instant attention magnets from consumers across the world.

Refer-a-friend programs and affiliate marketing have also been proven to spur interest in a company's website and offerings. Offering a special incentive for those who refer a friend gives other people a reason to visit the site and also recommend another friend, which will keep the chain of recommendations continuous.

Companies are also beginning to use mobile marketing, which will be explained at a seminar on July 25 in Groton, Connecticut, that will educate business owners about the new technology.