The opportunities for getting free advertising for your product or services are limited only by your own imagination and energies. There are so many proven ways of promoting your own objectives without cost that it literally boggles mind just to think of listing them.

Ezine article writing: One way is to write an article relative to your particular expertise and submit it to all publications and media dealing in dissemination of related information. In other words, become your own publicity and sales promotions writer. Get word out; establish yourself as an expert in your field, and "tag-along" everything you write with a quick note listing your address for a catalog, dealership opportunity, or more information.

Participate in radio and TV talk shows: Another really good way is by becoming a guest on as many of radio and television talk shows or interview type programs as possible. Actually, this is much easier to bring about than most people realize. Write a letter to producer of these programs, then follow up with an in-person visit or telephone call. Your initial contact should emphasize that your product or service would be of interest to listeners or viewers of program - perhaps even saving them time or money.

Posting advertising circulars: Other ways of getting free or very inexpensive exposure include posting of advertising circulars on all free bulletin boards in your area, especially coin-operated laundries, grocery stores, and beauty and barber shops. Don't discount idea of handing out circulars to all shoppers in busy shopping centers and malls, especially on weekends. You can also enlist aid of middle school students in your area to hand out circulars door-to-door.

Use your business cards and envelops: Some of more routine methods include having a promotional ad relative to your product or service printed on front or back of your envelopes, business cards at time you have them printed with your return address.

Many professionals opt for seminars as a way of obtaining new business. The traditional method is to organise a number of short breakfast or after work seminars. The seminar is advertised locally and a nominal price charged because we have all learnt that people who do not pay, often do not attend. A few staff will talk on topics we believe potential clients will find interesting then there will be food and a chance to network. We all tell ourselves that this system must work otherwise our competitors would not keep doing it.

The problem with this model of course is that we are not fooling anyone, with possible exception of ourselves. Everyone knows reason for seminar and only attends because they happen to be interested in that specific topic. The other problem is that not one firm in a hundred has an effective system for following up on people who attend seminar.

It is time to re-think model. Seminars can be a very valuable marketing tool if they are used correctly. The seminar should be used both to provide existing clients with something of value and to attract potential new clients in a low cost way. This can be achieved with following approach:

 First begin by understanding that your most important clients are ones that you already have, not ones that you hope to acquire next week.

 Secondly understand that your best source of new clients is existing clients. I am assuming of course that you are providing your existing clients with a good service.

 Thirdly realise that it is a lot easier to prevent existing clients leaving your firm than it is to attract new clients to try your service.

Begin by listing all of your clients in descending order of importance, probably ranked by fees or turnover. Now divide your clients into four categories, Platinum, Gold, Silver and Bronze. When you look at your own list of clients it will probably be obvious where to draw dividing lines.