By Christopher J. Bachler

You can’t expect business to come to you. You must go after it. And the most effective way is through advertising. Of course that costs money. But that shouldn’t be a deterrent, because there are lots of simple strategies for getting your message out without breaking your bank.

Google continues to grow. Its primary sales channel is the remarkable AdWords program. With very little time and any size budget, anyone can set up targeted advertising through the world’s most popular search engine. AdWords can work because they are highly targeted and relevant to an engaged audience, plus they can allow for complete control and measurable results.

Free: one of the most popular words in advertising and a great way to bring in new customers. Imagine getting free advertising for your business. Traditional, four-color glossy, high-priced ads have their place for major brands, but most businesses cannot and should not spend their entire marketing budget on advertising.

Networking used to mean attending chamber of commerce meetings or leads groups and trying to start conversations with strangers. They might or might not be interested in your business, and you would have to hear their sales pitches, too. Those events still exist, and some business owners do find those get-togethers to be useful and even enjoyable. But today, much of the interacting has changed with social networking and other online services.