Yes, the life of a small business owner is complicated. It’s never enough to be witty and savvy. Nope, you have to be much more than that as well. It doesn't matter how skilled you are, when you start a business, you won’t have enough customers unless you break down doors for them. But, you probably don’t have the time or money for a full-scale marketing campaign. Thankfully, nowadays there are several ways to get your business out there for free.

Twitter
I know Twitter has plenty of haters–we all don’t want to hear about what you ate for lunch. But, it’s a invaluable tool that is completely free and hardly takes any time to change. After you register your account, look for your favorite brands and companies as well as personal acquaintances, businesses you work with, and people you’d hire. The alerts make your business exist in other people’s minds. They will follow you and remember you if they’re looking for a job in the future. You should tweet about your blog, the latest news, the latest projects you’re working on, designers you find intriguing–the idea is to keep your tweets straight to the point and casual. Twitter isn’t the place for thought-provoking writing, although it’s a perfect place to offer the latest deals.

Facebook
Unlike MySpace and Hi-5, Facebook won’t be going away anytime soon. Thus, just like Twitter, it’s a great marketing tool you can use that is entirely free. Just make sure you set up a business page and not a personal profile–Facebook is known to delete profiles that promote extensively if they’re not seen as legitimate businesses. Add all your contact info along with photos of your business, company logo, employees, etc. You should include tabs at the top of your page, for example, if you want to let people know about what you’re currently working on or your completed projects. Motivate others to leave comments by asking insightful questions. Just like you would do on Twitter, be relaxed, not uptight.

Postcards
Even with all the technological brouhaha, it still pays to stay true to the classics. Promotions don’t have to be 100% digital. A personal postcard is still a powerful marketing tactic. Have your web designer create a couple with your contact info on both sides. A thousand can be printed fairly cheaply. Then, have your assistant visit local gyms, coffee shops, clubs, and bars. Your visually appealing design should bring in more people, whether they walk through your doors right away or use your postcard as a bookmark. Bottom line, a postcard will create buzz for your business, and recognition is paramount to advertising.

Conclusion
Let’s be real–for small business owners, the exchange for freedom from a 9-to-5 is a shaky payday. There isn’t a lot of money for advertising. But, thanks to the Internet, there are opportunities all around–the ability to take a shot using various marketing tactics. If one plan doesn’t work out, try another. You’re an enthusiastic individual, so why not use that energy for off-the-wall promotions?