How To Use Free Publicity To Grow Your Business--Without Facebook Ads

How To Use Publicity To Grow Your Business
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No matter what stage you’re in

Alexander Dummer via Unsplash

There’s a lot of hype out there that that Facebook ads are the way to grow your business, but what if you’re just starting up or you’re in a stage where you don’t have the cash or the knowledge to run them?

When I started my business, I was taught that the way to get clients and grow my business fast was through running Facebook ads, lots of Facebook ads. I was taught to run Facebook ads to an opt-in, to put those leads into a funnel, and that the rest would take care of itself. I got the impression that clients would come pounding at my doors, booking calls left and right, signing up to work with me. Being new to the industry and knowing the power of Facebook ads because I’d run them for clients for years in my previous marketing business, I believed it. I wound up spending nearly all of my profits to get clients, and it became a discouraging cycle where conversions happened, but they cost lots to get.

I wanted better for myself and for my clients, so I decided to try a different way, and what I’ve discovered has been revolutionary for my business.

By doing these things that you can do, too, I’ve grown my business bigger than ever:

  1. Identify podcasts and websites where your ideal clients are hanging out.
  2. Create a compelling, personalized pitch that highlights the value you bring to the editor or podcaster and their audience.
  3. When you appear on the show or site, offer a valuable freebie that’s aligned to the topic you’re discussing and the audience you’re sharing it with.

How has this worked for me?

After initially growing my business exclusively using ads, I haven’t spent a dime on them in 2017, and I’m working with more clients than ever.

I’ve shifted my focus to the power of free visibility to get seen and known and sign my ideal clients, and you can too. By appearing on podcasts and sites like this one, I’ve experienced huge, organic growth in my business, including the opportunities to:

  • Get my articles shared by influencers like Arianna Huffington
  • Land over 20 podcasts where my ideal clients hang out, including Entrepreneur on Fire, a “Best of iTunes” podcast!
  • Increase my email list & Facebook groups by 40% from these efforts alone
  • Become a regular contributor AND score homepage features right here, on The Huffington Post and on Thrive Global
  • Work with more clients than ever before
  • Connect with a high-level book agent for a potential publishing deal

So this stuff works, and if you’re feeling frustrated that you can’t scale because you don’t have the capital or a Facebook ads expert that you can trust, consider this your powerful alternative to the cluttered Facebook newsfeed.

It gives your audience the chance to know, like and trust you on a much deeper level than if they just click on your ad and sign up for your free offer off the bat. Give it a try, and watch your business grow.

Now I’d love to hear from you, what questions do you have about this? Or where would you love to be featured and get in front of your ideal clients? Share below!

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If you’d like to go deeper on this so that you can learn how to grow your business, grow your confidence, connect with people organically using other people’s platforms and audiences, and build your credibility at the same time, you’re invited to my upcoming free masterclass, Get Seen, Get Successful: Learn how to leverage your visibility to get publicity and clients. Register here.

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