Whether you just launched your business, or already have a business that you’re trying to grow, this article is for you. As a small business owner myself, I know all too well the struggles that some business owners in Canada are going through when it comes to marketing their small business. In this post, I want to cover all the different ways I know of, from free to paid strategies, to get more clients and leads. Without further ado, let’s get started:

1. Word of Mouth: Tell Everyone You Know About Your Business (Free!)

It goes without saying, that you should start with telling the people you already know—friends, family, colleagues. I personally neglected this when I first started, and paid the price for it as it took my business much longer to get traction that it should have. Let the people around you know what you’re offering and ask if they can spread the word. Here’s how:

• Email All Contacts: Send an email to everyone you know. Gmail and Outlook both have a “Contacts” section which contains all the people you ever contacted.
• Social Media Posts: Share updates on your personal Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. It’s free and great for getting your initial customers, who already know you and trust you.
• Word of Mouth: Just talking to people about what you do can lead to referrals. Call your closest friends and family and let them know. Drop business cards at events. They will tell their friends and family as well which will help your business get recognized exponentially faster.

Cost: $0 unless you decide to also print business cards (under $1 per card) or boost posts on social media ($5–$20).

---

2. Print & Drop Business Cards/Flyers (Low Cost)

Business cards, flyers and brochures STILL work. Don’t believe people that tell you they’re outdated. They should be relatively cheap to print at your local printer. You can also check out VistaPrint which has some VERY low prices. Expect to pay under $20 to $150 for 100+ business cards or brochures depending on the quality and complexity. You should then give those to your ideal target audience. Example: if you started a plumbing company or cleaning company, you’ll want to give your business cards to all the homeowners you know in your circle, as those are your prime target audience.

• Business cards and flyers can be printed for cheap at your local printer.
• VistaPrint has some of the cheapest prices I’ve found if you’d rather order them online.

Cost: $20–$150 to print a few dozens to a few hundreds depending on the paper quality and design.

---

3. Join Local Groups and Business Events (Free to Low Cost)

Get involved with your local community—both online and offline, and bring your business cards! If you live in a medium to large city, you should find many business networking events. If you live in a smaller town, consider renting a booth at general events that attract a lot of local residents, like farmers’ markets or street sales. There are also online apps that you can consider to find events in your area, like Meetup or EventBrite.

• Check Meetup.com for business events in your area
• Search for Facebook Groups or on Nextdoor: Join groups related to your niche and share helpful tips (don’t spam).
• Attend networking events or community meetups.

Cost: Free or $10–$50 for most events.

---

4. Create a Website (Low to Moderate Cost)

In my opinion, you shouldn’t delay creating your company’s website. A simple and well-designed website (5 to 10 pages) gives you credibility right away. It doesn’t have to be fancy—just explain what you offer, why should people trust you, and how people can contact you to learn more. If you are selling physical products, consider creating a Shopify site, as it’ll help you easily sell online.

• You can use platforms like Wix or Squarespace (easy and beginner-friendly, $15–$30/month) if you are on a small budget. If you can afford it, I highly recommend you hire a web design company like ours, as the end result will look much more professional and will give a better first impression of your company
• If you’re on a budget, start with a free site using free website builders like WordPress.com.

Cost: $0–$200 upfront (domain and hosting). Around $2,000 for a basic website if you want to hire professionals in Canada.

---

5. Leverage SEO or Google Ads (Moderate to High Cost)

Most Canadians use Google when it’s time to look for a service provider or product, which is why you want to show up on top of page 1 in your city when people search for YOUR products. Google Ads and SEO are the best forms of marketing, if you have a monthly budget you can allocate to this.

• Google Ads: Usually a MINIMUM monthly budget of $1,000 is required to get traction. If you want to hire a professional agency, they will also ask for a management fee to launch and manage your PPC campaigns. We at Little Dragon charge $599/month for our basic Google Ads services.
• SEO: Canadian agencies charge anywhere from a few hundreds to a few thousands per month to help you rank organically, depending on how competitive your market is. We at Little Dragon have all-inclusive SEO packages starting at $599/month.

Cost: $500/month+ (depending on competition level).

---

6. Reach Out to Local Media (Free)

Contact local newspapers in your area, or radio stations, to tell them about your business and why you started it. Give them a unique and interesting story about your business to entice them to give you some coverage for free.

• Example: Pitch a unique angle, like how you’re helping the community, or how you’re a woman/transgender/immigrant that is launching their first business in the area.
• Many smaller outlets are happy to feature local businesses for free.

Cost: Free.

---

7. Leverage Social Media Ads (Free to High Cost)

It’s free to post daily on your social media profiles. Running ads on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok can help you reach more people quickly but you’ll need to allocate a budget for doing so. I recommend you start by posting organically for free until you get your first few clients. Don’t post overly promotional content though! You want to start by posting interesting and valuable insights about your industry, and tips that will be helpful for your target audience. That’s how you gain their trust initially.

• Facebook/Instagram Ads: Start small with $5–$10/day to test what works.
• Target your audience by age, interests, and location.

Cost: $50–$300/month for boosting posts and basic ads (depending on your budget).

---

8. Offer a Free Sample or Discount (Low Cost)

People love trying before they buy, especially if it’s from a new business that doesn’t have any reviews or positive track record. Offer something free or discounted to attract new clients. Make sure you ask these initial clients to leave you a review on your Google My Business profile, or on your Facebook page, on your Yelp profile or anywher else you want to centralize your positive reviews. You really want to rack up those five-star reviews, as it’ll help you convert more clients in the future.

• If you’re a service provider, offer a free consultation.
• For products, give away free samples or “buy one, get one” offers.

Cost: Low, based on what you offer.

---

9. List Your Business on Online Platforms (Free to Moderate Cost)

• Google My Business (free): Helps people find you on Google.
• Yelp (free): Great for local businesses like restaurants, salons, or home services.
• Upwork/Fiverr: If you’re a freelancer, these platforms connect you with clients.

Cost: Free to start; premium listings can cost $20–$50/month.

---

10. Email Marketing (Low Cost)

Build a list of potential clients and keep them updated with offers or news. Send them a newsletter once or twice a month to keep them engaged and stay on top of their mind.

• Use tools like Aweber or Mailchimp (free for up to 500 contacts).
• Offer a freebie, like a guide or discount, to encourage signups.

Cost: Free to $10/month for beginner plans.

---

11. Collaborate with Others in Your Field (Free to Low Cost)

Partner with complementary businesses to cross-promote each other. Example: if you’re a plumber, you can partner with realtors, electricians or other types of contractors.

• Example: A wedding photographer and a florist can refer clients to one another.

Cost: Usually free, but may involve sharing a percentage of sales.

---

12. Run a Giveaway (Low to Moderate Cost)

Everyone loves free stuff! Run a social media giveaway to attract attention.

• Partner with other businesses to share the costs.
• Example: “Follow us and tag 3 friends to win [prize].”

Cost: $20–$100+ (depending on the prize).

---

13. Ask for Reviews and Referrals (Free)

Happy customers are your best marketers. Ask them to:

• Leave a review on Google, Facebook Page, TrustPilot, HomeStars, BBB or Yelp profiles.
• Refer you to their friends in exchange for a small discount or gift.

Cost: Free or a small token (like $10 off their next purchase).

---

14. Post Helpful Content Online (Free to Low Cost)

Position yourself as an expert by sharing tips or tutorials.

• Start a blog (free with WordPress).
• Make short videos for TikTok or YouTube.

Cost: Free to $20/month (if hosting a blog).

---

12. Try Cold Outreach (Free)

Pick up the phone and call or send emails to potential clients or businesses you’d like to work with. This strategy is rough if you aren’t good at handling rejection (and trust me, you will deal with a LOT of rejection!) but it works if you do it at scale (meaning 100+ calls per day with followups).

• Personalize each message—don’t spam!
• Tools like Hunter.io or Instantly.ai can help you find phones and email addresses. Google Maps is also a FREE place to start to find local phone numbers.

Cost: Free or $30/month (if using email-finding tools).

---

14. Host a Workshop or Webinar (Low to Moderate Cost)

Showcase your expertise by teaching something related to your business.

• Example: A fitness coach could host a free Zoom workout.
• Tools: Use Zoom or YouTube Live (free or low-cost).

Cost: Free to $20/month (Zoom Pro).

---

15. Hire a Low-Cost Freelancer for Help (Low to Moderate Cost)

If you feel overwhelmed, hire help for specific tasks like social media or design. If you are on a budget (Under $500 per month) you should consider hiring someone offshore through a platform like Fiverr, Freelancer or Upwork. If you have over $500 per month to spend, you can consider a local freelancer or agency that can help execute some, or all of these marketing strategies for you.

• Platforms like Fiverr or Upwork make it easy to find affordable help.

Cost: $50–$500 depending on the project.

---

Final Advice:

• Start small: Pick 2–3 strategies to test first.
• Track what works: Use tools like Google Analytics to see where your clients are coming from.
• Follow up: follow up with prospects and clients consistently to maximize your customer’s lifetime value.
• Be consistent: Marketing takes time, so don’t give up if results aren’t immediate.

You’ve got this! Marketing is a process, and every effort brings you one step closer to landing your next client. 😊