Promoting your business using traditional and digital media increases awareness of your brand, reaches new buyers and extends buying choices for your existing customers. Whether you’re just starting out or have been in business for years, promoting your business is an ongoing challenge. Whether your business is small, medium or big you can start planning your promotional campaign now. Let us give you some ideas; here are 16 ways to promote your business in India:

1. If your business focuses on a particular area, distributing flyers is a great way to promote your business. Have someone help you design the flyer and have the flyer printed in-house or look for an inexpensive printer. Let your staff distribute the flyers in traffic areas or have them put it on parked cars or house entry doors.
2. If you’re just starting out, having a business card and business stationery show prospective customers that you take your business seriously. Don’t forget to put your web address on your business card and letterhead. Get your cards into the hand of your family, friends or anyone who can help you in your search for new customers.
3. People normally research online before purchasing offline. You’ll have an online presence and stop being invisible to people trying to find you online if you have a website. Design your website to inform, engage and convert visitors to paying customers. Your website will serve as your internet shop where customers can come and get information about your company and you can address your customers’ concerns.
4. Having a website is not enough; search engine optimisation will help your company website be found by people easily online. SEO is an important strategy to get your website showing on the top of search engines like Google when people search for products or services related to your business. Look for how-to-guide on SEO online or look for professionals who can help your site rank higher for your preferred keywords.
5. Social media greatly increases awareness about your business. Add social media to your marketing mix by setting your business page up on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram or any social networking sites your customers are most likely be hanging out. Social media isn’t just a tool to gain exposure but it can help generate engagement with your business and get more customers in your door.
6. Submit your website to local listing services and directories. Register your business with Google Places so that your website will be found more easily on Google searches and it will show up on Google Maps. Yahoo also has a large database of business called Yahoo Local which is free and it only takes a few minutes to sign up. Find trade organization sites and specialised directories, register your business, then verify and claim your information on these sites.
7. Join online community and participate in online forums related to your business. Join a community but avoid spamming or talking incessantly about your business. Don’t pitch just listen, comment, offer helpful advice and insights. Build rapport with community by actively contributing for the good of others. Passively promote your business by mentioning it once in a while when the context is appropriate.
8. Start a blog on your business website, Offer excellent content and update it regularly. People will comment and link to it, this increases your page ranking. Your blog will help your company to get its name to followers and connect with your consumers directly.
9. Put up video on video sharing sites like YouTube and Vimeo. Video is an easy way to distribute information about your business in a short time. Create creative content relevant to your business that people want to view. Videos that link to your site will help your site rank higher. Top ranking informative videos on YouTube that mention your site will drive traffic to your business site.
10. Promotional products provide the opportunity for your business to get your marketing message to targeted customers. Many people are willing to switch their brand just to receive a free promotional gift item. Use logo branded promotional products that your customers will actually use to brand your business. A study shows that 94% of people who received promotional products could remember who gave it two years later.
11. Promote your business using traditional media. Continue using print advertising that you found effective in the past. Be sure to include your web address in any display or classified advertisements you purchase in newspapers, yellow pages or magazines. Use the ad to capture readers’ attention then refer them to your business site to obtain more information. Use your website as supplement to these ads. You can also use other traditional media like direct mail, post cards and classifieds to drive people to your site.
12. Send offers to your customers and visitors. Send special offers, referral program, coupon specials and product updates to your customers and site visitors who provided their contact information. Special offers often initiate another visit to your site, if you have newsletter you can also include it to your regular emailing list.
13. People love getting something free. Run a contest and make the prize desirable and related to your business. Prizes can be free gift basket of your products or free services. Utilise social media to announce your contest. Prizes will attract people and generate more traffic to your site.
14. Social media ads prove to be cost effective compared to other digital advertisements. Learn how to play the game of Facebook or Twitter ads target specific demographics that have similar interest to your product. Even if people don’t make a purchase immediately because of the ad, many of them will end up liking your business page.
15. Find social media influencers like bloggers or important people in your community with many followers and ask them to review your product or service. Many will be happy to oblige if you give them free products that they can use. There is no better endorsement than a satisfied customer. And if you can’t find a blogger that will write a review about your product or services for free, the internet provides plenty of bloggers who will give a review for a fee. Endorsements are typically more effective but less expensive compared to advertisements.
16. If you use a car or company service for your business have your business name, contact information and URL professionally painted on the side. That way your vehicle becomes transit advertising for your business. If you don’t want your vehicle to be painted, consider getting a magnetic sign made for your vehicle. For one time cost, your business name and contact information will be on display everywhere you go.