No matter where I speak, who the audience is or even the topic I am supposed to address, the same question comes up:

How do you market your business if you don’t have a lot of money?

Well, the short answer is you’d better find some resources for marketing or you are in a lot of trouble. But that doesn’t mean those resources have to cost an arm and a leg.

Here are five of my favorites, and none of them will break the bank.

Hang out where your potential customers hang out and be helpful:

Do your clients read certain blogs? Then be there and share your expertise. Do they all run in local marathons? Be there, handing out clean, dry socks with your logo on them. Do they go to industry trade shows? Be there and host a free Q&A about their biggest problems. Don’t wait for them to come to you.

Know your perfect customers and only take work from them:

This requires incredible discipline but pays big dividends. Rather than taking clients for cash flow, ONLY take on those clients that you can delight. And who delight you by paying you a fair price.

Create a referral network by delivering the first referral:

When you help someone, it is human nature that they want to return the favor. Why not set the example by making an incredible referral. Now of course to do that, you need to know who their perfect customer is. Which means you get to have a very meaningful conversation that’s all about them. See how the human nature thing is going to work?

Use handwritten thank-you notes to show your appreciation:

In today’s high-tech world, a personal gesture like a handwritten note means a great deal. It doesn’t have to be long or fancy. Just from the heart. And if you can’t thank a client from the heart, you should fire them before they fire you.

Let them have a taste:

Sampling is one of the most effective marketing tactics around. There is no substitute for actually experiencing your product or service. I can hear your collective gasp. Give away what you sell? Sampling is a golden oldie in terms of marketing tactics. The biggest buying obstacle any business has is the uncertainty of that first time. Why not leapfrog over that worry by just giving them a taste?

Walk through any grocery store, Costco or other big-box store on a Saturday and watch this marketing tactic at work.

Many service-based businesses can’t conceive, because they don’t have a physical “thing” to offer, how they can use sampling. But it’s easy.

Want a tangible example?

For the fourth year running, we’re adopting a charity for the entire year. They’ll get everything from marketing counsel to video production services, photography, a new website if they need it and new media coaching/services, as well as some fund-raising help. And we’ll be chronicling their progress, challenges and ultimate solutions on my blog so that everyone can learn together.

We’re taking applications now. If you’re a Central Iowa-based nonprofit, download the application from the McLellan Marketing Group website and get it in!

Bottom line on how to market without spending a lot of money: Be helpful, be generous and be willing to get out from behind your desk and help other people get where they’re trying to go.