What is the best way to promote an interior design business that would not cost a lot of money?
603307
A friend of mine had an idea that worked for her. She offered a free one room "re-design" party. The basic concept was that she would re-design one room in your house using only stuff you have around your house. She would take out all the furniture and start from scratch. She would go all over your house picking out items that would look great in the re-design. And then she would put the room back together using stuff you already owned.\n\nShe made it into a party by having me send out invitations to friends of mine (sort of like the candle, pampered chef, etc parties). They came sometime in the morning (between 8 and 9 AM) for just a few minutes to see the "before" of the room (my living room) being redesigned. Then they would go on their way (or they could come the night before if it suited them better). My friend set a certain time for her to be done and my friends came back at any time between 5 and 6 to see my redesigned living room and have some refreshments. It was open house style - they didn't have to stay very long it they couldn't. It generated some business for her - I know my MIL and at least a couple of my friends hired her for their homes after seeing how she redesigned my living room.\n\nFor my friend, at least, it was a great way for her to get her name out there to lots of different people with very little expense (I think the most expense was creating the invitations). I mailed the invites and handled the refreshments. She did all the work - had her hubby help with the heavy lifting stuff.\n\nShe also teamed up with the local newspaper to do a local version of "trading spaces" where she did the interior design of both places.
260823
Do you have a presence on the internet?  That would be a great start.  After that, you can write press releases about your various business activities.\n\nSiteSell can help with creating a great web site for a low price and PRWeb has on-line tools for creating and submitting press releases.\n\nGood luck.
413317
"If you build it, they will come" is not necessarily true on the Web. Putting a website up is one thing, but getting visitors to come to your site is another. The process becomes even more difficult if you have limited resources to market your business.\n\nIf you have limited budget, think of ways first you can promote your website WITHOUT spending money. Remember, advertising is merely one component of marketing, and there are a lot of ways you can do to promote a website without emptying your pockets.\n\nHere are some shoestring marketing ideas that can help you get the visitors you need at the least cost possible: \n\n1. Create the best content you can. Your content is your best advertisement - if visitors love your content, then they will go back and spread the word to others. \n\n2. Make it easy for users to recommend your site. Viral marketing is very important -- and easy to tap on the Web. But give your users the tools. Get a Recommend this Site script from websites such as cgiscripts.com and similar directories of scripts. Some even go as far as giving incentives to those who recommend the site to their friends. \n\n3. Rank well in the search engines (organic search results, not the pay per click). SEs can be a big source of traffic. The key is to create the best content in your niche. If you have good content, other websites will gladly link to you and offer your site as a resource to their audience. Check the on-page factors and be sure to get linked from authority sites in your topic area. \n\n4. Send out press releases. While outfits charge as much as $650 per release, there are free press release submission places on the Web. Press releases allow you to (a) attract media attention; (b) get more back links to your website without sending each website an email request; and (c) get more visibility especially if your press release gets in Google News or Yahoo News. \n\n5. Submit articles. Write articles and submit them to websites accepting author submissions. You get exposure for your business; establishes you as an authority in your field, and allows you to get backlinks for your website.
654682
A combination of cold calling and mass mailings... It also should be worthwhile to check out what similar local or out of the area companies are charging so you can set out a competitive cost structure.\n\nGood luck!
79738
The inside design of the coffee shop is very essential.  It makes people feel cozy.  Offer Free internet.  Weekly allow poetry readings and have someone perform...perhaps a music student or someone who wants to get their name out there so that you do not have to pay salary overhead.  Your expenses should be kept at a low.  Coffee shops do not have to be flashy but need to be unique..do not try tooo hard because it shows and can look fake or copy cat ..maybe ask some local interior design students to take a shot at designing your shop (they should do it for free just for a little recongnition) ....even if your coffee falls short ..the human psyche has a weakness ..it always goes for something "niche" and fresh....People with money like cozy places undiscovered places.. simple..sweet..unique...design your shop to meet that demand..develop a customer base...Also your location should not be near another coffee shop ..you do not need to share the spotlight..there needs to be at least a 10-15 mile radius between competition..also give dine-in customers real coffee cups maybe with a cute design or something..paper cups are a no-no!!
109188
Wow, you are like me, enjoyment of many fabulous things :) Okay So I have just a few ideas, take a look see if you can see yourself doing any of them.  I will put some links below that are to sites that give free articles, success stories (for ideas)and help with business forms, plans, naming your Biz and helping with marketing ideas, etc...\n\nTeach/tutor Cumputer use (basics at day cares or senior homes)\n\nwrite and ebook on low cost decorating and sell through a website (there is a reason most of the HGTV networks shows are on how to get a designer room on a budget)\n\nSell your arts and crafts creation via a website and/or ebay\n\nstart a fashion or home decorating website or blog (then sell advertising space)\n\nAt the end of the day it should be something you are passionate about, hope you find that :)\n\nGood Luck
721418
You may be able to do this on your computer.Design an attractive flyer,just 1 sheet.Then have it printed at a copy place.Put in on a card stock paper and cut to half sheets.In other words print 2 to a page.\n Take these to Shops,Nail,Beauty,clothing and etc;Ask if you can put a few on counter or one on the wall.\n This should get you off to a quick start for less than $50.00.Wishing you success
1119228
hi,\n\nif ur willing to spend some money....hire an ad agency to create a nice impacting ad for u...using famous models etc then u can put ur ad in the newspapers magazines and ofcourse hoardings are ur best options.....\n\nif u cant spend that much money then i suggest get a nice colorful newspaper inserts made and distribute them in ur area of interest....u can also hire people on daily basis to distribute ur leaflets among people who visit the shopping area....
333471
Entrepreneur Magazine has made a list of Low Cost Startup Businesses that you may want to consider:\n\nhttp://www.entrepreneur.com/lowcostbusinesses/0,6617,,00.html\n\nSome other home business ideas:\n\nTop 10 Home Businesses with Rapid Break-Even Time http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol33/breakeven.htm\n10 Profitable “Go-Out" Home Businesses http://www.powerhomebiz.com/vol31/goout.htm\n\nThe best home business, of course, will depend on what you want, how you define to be interesting. A person may consider a pet sitting business to be the most exciting work in the world, while you would rather watch TV than take care of dogs. And you said you don't want to sell, make phone calls or involve family and friends.\n\nThe key is to determine what your interests are, what you want to do, what is suitable for your lifestyle and your overall goals, and what can fit with your resources.\n\nDan Ramsey in his book "101 Best Home Businesses" has a chapter on how to find YOUR best home business. He suggests these 10 steps:\n\n1. List 5 things you do best\n2. List how others would benefit from what you do best\n3. Find out how to give people what they want\n4. Learn the value of your services to others\n5. Find out who else offers similar services\n6. Learn from the successes of others\n7. Learn from the failures of others\n8. Plan your own success\n9. Make low cost mistakes\n10. Enjoy what you do and how you do it\n\nHe then made suggestions on the best home businesses according to type. Here are a few of them:\n\nBest Businesses Using Craft or Physical Skills\n- antique restoration\n- auto detail service\n- carpet cleaning business\n- errand/delivery service\n- housecleaning business\n\nBest Service Businesses \n- bed and breakfast operator\n- caregiver\n- catering service\n- senior day care center\n- tutoring service\n\nBest Professional Businesses\n- desktop publisher\n- magazine writer\n- import/export service\n- income tax preparation service\n- event planner\n\nYou can also check out the following books:\n\nTurn Your Talents into Profits: 100+ Terrific Ideas for Starting Your Own Home-Based Microbusiness \n The Best Home Businesses for the 21st Century \n 121 Internet Businesses You Can Start from Home \n The Best Internet Businesses You Can Start \n 101 Ways to Make Money at Home
490323
Most areas require professional licensing.  Once that is accomplished, you should have no trouble drumming up business with a relatively modest advertising budget, given the immense popularity of this therapy.  You might even want to consider a "traveling service" as opposed to a traditional "office" setting; bringing your service to homes and businesses is a great way to drum up free "word-of-mouth" advertising.
373983
The first thing you should do is create a DBA.  (business name).  Go to your local Annex courthouse, it is about $10.  The best advice I can give is to begin with business cards to advertise your business because most people never throw them away.  It is a good way to get the word out.
941297
get in contact with new small businesses in your area and see if they need someone to design their website.. charge them a certain amount per hour you spend working (but dont slack off.. give them their money's worth), and from there they will reccomend you to other people
623493
ahoo! provides some fantastic tools to help small and medium sized business as well as large corporate advertising budgets ($3,000 per month and more). The best way to use the tools is to understand how they work and what customer segment they reach. Some of the tools are, Directory listings, local directories, paid and sponsored listings, videos, podcasts, article submission services, newsletter, eMail advertising, mailing lists, and more. You don’t need all of them necessarily, and targeting the right mix for your business products/service is vital to a positive ROI. Also, when expanding your business to the Internet you should have the top 3 Search companies in mind from the design planning to the method of adding content to each web page. Yahoo! has very clear guidelines for the best way to get your company listed in the Directory, and equally – what can get you blacklisted. It is very difficult to be blacklisted, but you should be aware of these guides. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to provide you with more direct answers and a perfect Online Marketing Plan and execution proposal. My experience and contact information is provided in the source link below.\n\n\nit depends on your budget. i believe Yahoo! can offer you a package that will suit your budget as well as offer you the maximum exposure for your product.\n\ngo to this site: https://public.yahoo.com/leads-cgi/iso_l...\n\nand a Yahoo! representative will get in touch with you to discuss your options.\n\nyou may also call up their Sales Division: (617) 305-6032\n\ngood luck!\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\nhttp://searchmarketing.yahoo.com/arp/src...\n\nhttps://public.yahoo.com/leads-cgi/iso_l...
523471
Hello,\n\nI have been in this same predicament myself.  Just curious, are you from England?  Okay so now.  If you have an idea and simply need a free website then you can use freewebs.com for a free website to showcase your idea.  If you need a business idea that can be started with no money perhaps you can start a Blog which is also is free) and make it about something you enjoy, then when you get enough people visiting your blog every week you can start charging for advertisers that tie in with your topic.  An example would be if you like to read you can start a blog for book reviews.  After you get interest going you can charge for advertising from local book stores, local and national publishing houses and that sort.  Or if you are interested in decorating on a budget you do the same thing would apply, but instead your advertisers may be, textile houses, and local furniture shops and if it was fashion then local dress shops and modeling agencies.\n\nNow if you arent interested in writing then I suggest that you go to a website like business owners idea cafe, check on their forum and go to "start ups" there you can read about other home business owners and also post a request for unique items (a lot of them hand make and design their own wares) you can work out a sort of consignment agreement where they send you photos of their products and you post them on your site and you split the profit.\n\nIf not, you can still use the consignment idea locally for friends and family, print up some flyers on your computer and post them advertising yourself as a consignment "shop".  Then you can either sell the things on ebay and take a percentage or have a day where your apartment/home becomes a sort of "flea market" and tag everything, move you furniture to another room, and have some tea and coffee available and let people browse and shop your items.  Then when you have a few dollars under your belt you can expand and rent a tabel or booth at local flea markets, since that is a way to get a lot more foot traffic with little to no advertising having to be done by you.\n\n"pretty in the city" is an example of a blog that I love, I read her books as well.\n\nFrom one single mom to another, good luck and feel free to email me if you have any other questions.
96488
Well, It's great.\nIt is a very dificult job to get a space for new business. I suggest you start locally in your city where you find Real Estate Agencies, Schools, Opera's, Ad Services and local newspapers.\nWell, you may also launch a website for websites which require content writers and translaters.\nMany advertising agencies need ad writers and easily available over search engines, you personally contact them show them your artistic work and drive more visitors to your website.\neBay.com offers these type of oppertunities you may start good paractice with ebay. likewise Amazon, ubid and many others. Where you can find very big projects though.\nI mention a site below to select your skill based wirting and get paid.\nI hope this info may help you!\nemarketingclass@gmail.com
217401
Advertise.....!!!!\n\nThis is the simply answer, but if you have a zero budget then this limits things some what.\n\nTry 'banner exchange' with similar sites to yours.\n\nOld fashion 'do it yourself' advertisements in your local area or a little further afield.\n\nThis is the main problem facing new websites, no matter how good their may be, getting the word out is not easy.\n\nSubmit your site to as many search engines as possible and pay particular attention to 'Mega-Tags' etc.\n\nIf you have a small amount of cash then enhanced rating and 'Stand Out' options are available with many such popular search engines.\n\nYahoo offer good services for website and online company advertisements! Check it out directly from the Yahoo Homepage.\n\nHope this helps a little.\n\nBest of luck!\n\nMichael
677471
Try radio, local schools talk to music teachers about maybe hanging flyers around the school.  If your business is downtown try something unusual as maybe some previous students showing their talents outside your studio advertising the biz