Ideas for Budget-Friendly Advertising

It’s easy to feel like the only way to succeed in advertising is through big-ticket (i.e., expensive) channels. Any small business owner winces at the thought of $500 to $1000 per week going to Google Ads. But there’s a lot of benefit – especially for local, brick & mortar location – working locally. Building an audience in your own community is a great foundation to build on, and there are some refreshingly affordable ways to get started.

Yard Signs

Don’t underestimate the humble yard sign! Well-placed on the median of a busy street, just a few dollars worth of plastic can get a lot of eyeballs. With yard signs you only get a few moments of attention, so remember to keep the text large and the message simple. The #1 rookie mistake in signs is trying to do too much at once. Less is more with yard signs!

Door Hangers

If you want to get more detailed than a sign, a door hanger is a good place to start. They’re an inexpensive way to get a more detailed message directly to someone’s home or business. Even though you can add more detail on a door hanger, remember to include a large teaser area that’s easy to read so you get attention. And a coupon added to the door hanger makes a great call to action.

Tear-Off fliers

Remember the fliers advertising guitar lessons in a local laundromat? Just tear off a tab and you’ll have Shreddin’ Joe’s phone number to get lessons. Believe it or not, the tear-off flier has been making an appearance again. Paired with some clever art, the retro feel definitely gets attention. And that physical act of reaching up and tearing off a piece of paper helps cement your brand in their mind. Psychology!

Make Your Space Visible

If your business space is lacking eye-candy, you would be amazed how affordable it can be to doll up your space, both indoors and out. Custom window treatments on the inside or outside, or perforated vinyl that shows a message looking in but allows you to see out are both inexpensive ways to add color to a space. Think windows, walls, and floors, and then talk to a sign specialist about options.

EDDM Mail

EDDM (Every Door Direct Mail) is a special type of simplified direct mail. Instead of individual addresses, you pick a postal carrier route & the carrier gives one of your cards to every house on their route. Because this is a lot less work for the post office, you pay a lot less in postage – around .25 per piece. And because most carrier routes are only a few hundred addresses, you don’t have to send out a million cards to get an inexpensive rate. You still need to design a card with a  good message, get them printed, and do some paperwork with the post office, so find a good printer with mail experience to help out (I suggest Wythken Printing!)

When it comes to advertising, sometimes small dollars can say a lot. And at Wythken Printing we can help with all of this. From yard signs to fliers to mail, we’ve got the help you need to turn your ideas into action!