I've been using craigslist to market my small graphic design business for some time. The site has been great as I can put samples of my work within my ads, therefore showing that I run a legitimate and quality business.

Marketing on Craigslist can sometimes be a tedious process. Many ads seem to suffer as small businesses are trying to survive amongst the larger businesses that are often tough to compete with. There are many things that the "little guy" can do to create a quality Craigslist posting that will make their ad stand out.

1.) Create an ad that has a simple headline that draws the Craigslist browser in. Use special characters or create a catchy title that will encourage people to click on your ad. Remember, Craigslist marketing is free for advertisers, so it is much different than Pay-Per-Click.

2.) Have a graphic designer do some work for you to have an IMAGE within your ad. Your Craigslist posting will look much more professional when it stands out with graphics. This will make it look much different than the many monotonous craigslist ads that are primarily text.

3.) Advertising on Craigslist can be a cutthroat process. Remember to post every day, or every other day.

4.) If you are selling a product, include outbound links. If not links, include pictures in your ad. If you are a graphic artist, use samples of your work in your ad.

5.) If you want to collect people's email addresses for your list, create an ad that draws people in. Have them write you an email and then respond to them with an autoresponder where you can prompt them to visit a website where they can join your mailing list.

6.) Make your real business email address available in case any people want to respond to your craigslist ad (instead of hiding it via Craigslist). This helps better build your brand.

7.) If you have a traditional sales page, as many internet marketers do, leave this OFF of your advertisement. Craigslist users do not like long ads, and you should instead link to this. Just make sure that your ad ATTRACTS and prompts people to contact you.

8.) Create a craigslist account if you want your postings to be easier to manage. This technique is often overlooked by many posters.

9.) Make sure that your ad is appropriate and that it falls in the right section of Craigslist. Otherwise it may be miscategorized and therefore flagged by the people of Craigslist.

10.) Good luck with all of your advertising!

MarK Mattey is a Graphic Designer and Freelance entrepreneur. If you want to learn more about Craigslist Marketing, please visit http://mwmproductreview.com/sp

Source: www.articletrader.com