Select the Right, Free Marketing Idea and
Watch Your Business Grow!

Looking for that marketing idea that'll open the floodgates to streams of customers, blow away the competition and put your business on track not only to survive — but to thrive?

Marketing ideas are a dime a dozen. But the right idea is worth its weight in gold, because that's the one that'll help you grow a healthy business and take you closer to your business goal.

How do you get to that right idea — the one that'll make your target markets take notice? The one that'll make your cash register sing? The one that'll add names to your customer database?

Here at Marketing Ideas Advisor, we're all about free marketing ideas. You won't find graphs, in-depth marketing statistics and analyses here. Still, marketing can be a dry, weighty topic, so we've tried to diffuse some of the heaviness with graphics and levity. But make no mistake — your business success depends on taking marketing seriously.

What we offer is Reality Marketing — practical, common-sense, creative ideas and solutions for the busy self-marketer — that's you.

We have ideas, tips, strategies and examples galore. And you're welcome to steal any marketing idea you see here. But…

Steal the Right Marketing Idea

Why? Because when you choose the right marketing idea…

You save a precious commodity — time — because you're making progress and not spinning your wheels on activities that don't give you a return
You save that other precious commodity — money — so you can reach your business and personal goals faster
You gain peace of mind because you're using common sense instead of guesswork to create your own business roadmap, at your own pace — you're in control!

What Makes a Marketing Idea the Right One?

The value of a marketing idea can be hard to gauge at times, but here are some clues that you're headed in the right direction:

The fit. The marketing idea or activity makes sense for your business or organization because it has a tie-in to what you're about.
Good benefit potential. You can easily identify what the benefits will be for you. This depends on what you're trying to accomplish, such as: immediate sales; attracting new, or more targeted, customers; media attention; increased participation in your program or event; additional prospects' names for your database, etc.
Return-on-investment (ROI) ratio. You can do this marketing idea or activity without losing too much (your time; your employees' time; money, other resources), or…
The benefits will be worth whatever time, money and energy you will have to expend on it.
Success factors. Other key players have committed to helping you succeed, such as: a celebrity's participation, community backing, a joint activity with a well-known organization, etc. Or, you've seen this idea work for others in similar circumstances, but you're giving it a unique twist.

Ready to see these concepts come to life?

This is an example of a small business, struggling to bring attention to itself. Tucked away in a strip mall, the owner considered several eye-catching gimmicks until she started focusing on the right fit and the benefits she would gain. See how this Health-Food Store got to the right marketing idea. (Opens in a new window.)

Get it Right, Right from the Start

You'll see plenty of good information on this site. And by the time you're through exploring all the nooks and crannies where we've stored many good, small business marketing tips, examples and strategies, you'll probably start getting ideas of your own.

When your creative juices start flowing, and you're evaluating your marketing idea against the criteria we just talked about in “What makes a marketing idea the right one?” don't stop with just one or two of the clues to the right marketing idea. S-t-r-e-t-c-h your vision to see how far you can take your idea. Often, a good marketing idea is just another step or two from the right idea — the one that yields the maximum benefits.

Here's a great example of a good marketing idea cut short in the prime of its possibilities. This grower got the fit right when he selected a good venue for displaying his tropical plants. He made sales, but he failed to convert first-time customers into customers-for-life. And he missed other opportunities, too. See what Mr. Bromeliad Grower could have done to maximize his results. (Opens in a new window.)

When Do Marketing Ideas Work Best?

Before you spend time, money and a lot of effort on marketing activities, make sure, first and foremost, that you're offering a quality product or service. Because…

Incompetence, shoddy merchandise, out-of-line pricing, poor service, fine-print “gotchas,” and other unprofessional practices that are a consumer's worst nightmare, will do you in. You cannot make a bigger mistake.

Start out with quality, and your marketing ideas have a good chance of succeeding.

Be comfortable with the marketing idea you decide to do. Marketing is not a one-size-fits-all activity. If it's not your style to wear a Marvel® Superhero costume, screaming about your “Marvel-ous Sale,” it won't work!

Here's Where to Get Help

Whether you're…

an entrepreneur starting a new business
a nonprofit that counts on donations of time, money and other resources
a small-business owner who can't afford a full-time marketing professional
a busy person doing marketing on a shoestring
someone unfamiliar with marketing, or
someone who just needs a creative marketing idea to give your business a boost…

…Marketing Ideas Advisor will help you with ideas, examples, case histories, tips and strategies.

By the time we're through with you, you'll get the idea that our goal is to help you reach your goal. And you can do that easier if you explore our site fully.

If you want to print out sections that are particularly relevant to you, but you're concerned about saving trees (or ink), you might consider downloading the Fine Print product, which enables you to print multiple pages on each piece of paper. Some of Fine Print's features are free. Check out the Fine Print product (opens in a new window).

And don't forget to add us to the Favorites file of your browser (and/or to your social bookmarks, links provided at the bottom of the page) so that you can come back and visit us regularly for updated information (we're always dreaming up another marketing idea — or a hundred!) that'll help you grow your business to its full potential.

We're sure you'll be hard-pressed to find another marketing idea site on the Internet that's as comprehensive — and free! Let us help you to:

Make better choices between just a good marketing idea and the right one — one that fits your business or organization and gets you the most benefits.
Choose effective marketing strategies so you don't waste time and money on advertising or other activities that aren't working.
Get ideas for marketing in the new business frontier — the Internet.
Develop action steps to help you reach your business goal.
Create the right marketing idea for your business. And then create another… and another.

Ready for Some Great Ideas?

Here's what you'll find on Marketing Ideas Advisor's site:

Small-Business Marketing Strategies
Two simple concepts are at the heart of everything you do in marketing: Communicate Effectively and Build Relationships.

See how creative thinking makes for effective — not expensive — communication.
Learn how to build trust and credibility with potential customers.
Harness the power of the Internet — even if you're a local business with local customers — to help you build trust and generate sales.
Set yourself apart from the competition — and in solid with your customers — by developing a Unique Selling Proposition.
And plenty more…

Small-Business Marketing Plans
Any business consultant will tell you that a small-business marketing plan is crucial to success. So why doesn't every business have one?

Does formal planning really give you an edge?
How will you fill in the details when your marketing plan asks you to list specific activities?
And why bother to have a marketing plan if your business is doing fine?

See an example of a business that went from boom to bust in a heartbeat (something that can happen to any small business), and learn how a plan might have prevented the disaster.

Marketing Plan Samples
Of all the business tips or marketing strategies you'll see anywhere… don't ignore this one: You must plan for success.

Nothing eats away at your time, money — and especially progress — more than a scatter-gun approach to marketing. And that's what usually happens without a plan of action.

Creating a Marketing Plan doesn't have to be a daunting process. See 3 FREE simplified marketing plan samples that can get you started. Also, see FREE comprehensive marketing plan samples (the more planning, the better your chances for business success) categorized by business types.

Small-Business Marketing Tips
Don't underestimate the power of these foundational marketing principles to build a healthy business.

See a real-world example of how a neighborhood hardware store uses its Unique Selling Proposition to survive — quite nicely, thank you — sitting in the shadow of industry giants Home Depot® and Lowe's®.
Get ideas on making advertising work for you.
Get tips on free ways to draw attention to your business.
And much more…

Create a Profitable Internet Business
You make an Internet business profitable by building a powerful Web site. What makes a Web site a powerful Web site? That's the one that:

Draws targeted traffic by satisfying search engine criteria for high ranking
Satisfies searchers' needs for information and gains their trust
Gets you the results you want

See the Four-Step Process to a powerful Web site, a proven formula to making the kind of Web site that works harder for you.

Want to build your own site or have one built for you?
Have a Web site that's languishing in cyberspace?
Think you don't need a Web site because you're a local business with local customers?

…Get the most out of the Internet as a crucial marketing tool by learning what it takes to make a powerful Web site!

Free Courses and Learning Tools
You want ideas? Here's a real find. Download these FREE courses and learning tools to:

See how any service provider — from a lawyer to a lead-paint remover — can benefit from a Web site that builds relationships through trust-producing content.
Get plenty of ideas for successful (that means profitable!) Internet businesses.
Put your writing ability to profitable use by learning to write for the Net — a skill that's in high demand.
Take the guesswork out of setting the most profitable price for your product and service.
Learn how to create, produce and sell your own InfoProduct (e-book). Convert your knowledge into income by writing about a hobby, a particular area of interest, etc.
And more…

Timely Articles
Stay in step with an ever-changing marketplace. Keep current with articles on marketing trends, unique strategies, e-commerce and other Internet news. Read about:

How your marketing identity can help — or hurt — your business
Why nonprofits need strong marketing strategies more than ever
What makes an effective Business Plan
And much more…

Coming soon:

Don't Pay for Publicity — Get It Free!
Do you have a small advertising budget but big publicity needs? The answer to good visibility in the marketplace is not simply advertising or an occasional press release. Learn to tap your creativity — not your checkbook — and you'll: