Marketing With More Time Than Money

There are many ways to market your business and yourself while spending little or no money. One of the ways I recommend most often is targeted volunteering. Choose a volunteer opportunity that:
 • lets you do something  you do well and enjoy,
 • relates to your business in some way, and
 • doesn't require you to shortchange anything else you value, like your family or exercise time.

Volunteer your time doing something related to your business for an audience of people who could hire you. For example, this year I'm doing newsletters at my children's schools. With a total of nearly 2000 students, that's a lot of parents I can reach while doing something I do well and believe in strongly.

If "thinking" is what you sell, volunteer for the board of directors of a group you attend. Working in a small group at monthly board meetings, the other directors will see that your analysis and exertise are valuable assets.

Plan ahead so you can avoid most scheduling conflicts between paying work and volunteer efforts. I forecast the proposed schedule for all of the newsletters I do (paid and unpaid) to arrange around potential timing conflicts.

Choose a volunteer opportunity you believe in, because sometimes you will be stretched thin to get everything done on time. It's easier to live on four hours sleep once in a while if it's for something you consider "a good cause."

Keep track of your mileage and expenses in volunteering. If "marketing by volunteering" is documented in your business plan, some expenses may be deductible as marketing expenses. (Check with your accountant for details.)

(originally published in Money, Marketing & More, in 1999; copyright Loraine Goodenough)

There's a first time for everything

First blog, to see how this works. You can never have too many books, especially if they have no titles like the ones in my border. That means they (and you) are open to interesting  possibilities. Which is a good thing.