I do have a “dental-floss” budget idea or two, but they might be geared more towards artist types than tech types. 🙂
1- Hobby Lobby stores often have classroom space for little to no cost. Take one night a week to teach a creative class of some kind there. Incorporate some of the classwork into special pages of the website for students to do during the week, which will not only increase your traffic, but it can also give your site a more “legitimate/professional” edge. This costs you little to nothing, and in some cases, you can charge for the classes you teach. (Wow! getting paid to advertise your site! 🙂 )
2- Find an artist guild or start your own. All artists need to show their work somewhere, and there is strength in numbers. Once you have a group established, or belong to such a group, the potential to display your art in various businesses, restaurants, and community locations is greater. The more your work is seen, the more your website is seen. The more your website is seen, the greater potential for sales offline and online. Many exhibition sites do not charge for a group exhibition, and some even ask that it be a “rotating” gallery changed out every so often. You get maximum physical exposure for very little cost- possibly only the membership fee itself!
3- Donate something! A piece of artwork to a local PBS station, children’s charity, or other noteworthy foundation has benefits beyond doing something good for the community. If you specify that you would like your URL listed instead of a phone number in association with your gift, many folks pay attention and will remember you as the “business that cares”.
4- Art Shows! Small web businesses who have a little funding can help the arts by becoming a sponsor for a local art show. In return, many art shows have flyers that you can have your web address prominently displayed on. If there are no funds available for that, perhaps ask a local art group to supply a digital picture for use on your website. Change it out every day, week, or month to keep visitors coming to see “the next work of art” featured on your site. It keeps the site fresh, adds an unusual diversion, and shows that you support the arts! In exchange for showing their works and link, their site can have your banner and link.
Angel Hall is a regular murdok reader who also has a flair for online marketing. She calls it “marketing on a dental-floss budget.” Visit her site: http://www.stainedglasshall.com. Here’s her creative mission: “Our mission in glass is to exchange ideas for a greater creative environment – for all skill levels and interests.”
