Thinking Thursday.....Advertising


So, I'm thinking about the whole advertising thing and need your opinions. When I met with my accountant to do my taxes for last year, I had a very small amount put into advertising; something like $40 or so. She indicated that the IRS wants to see advertising expenses in your taxes which is a great positive reinforcement to do it. By the way, she also said it helps to show that you have your own website, which I do, I just need to finish tweaking it.

As far as the advertising thing, I have done Adgitize, EntreCard and Project Wonderful, however, Adgitize and EC advertise my business blog, not my actual business. Advertising is advertising and I have made sales through my blog in the past, so I will keep that up, but I want to start incorporating more diverse advertising into my business this year. My main form of advertising is renewing items. If you think about it, it's cheap ($.20 an item) and brings the item up to the front (advertising is drawing attention to your stuff, right?) My husband suggested we make up fliers and put them in people's newspaper slots in their mailboxes. I'm not so sure I like this idea...I hate when we get junk in ours. It just annoys me (I don't know why) so I am trying to keep him at bay on actually doing this.

Here is where your opinion comes in:
  1. What forms of advertising have you relied on for your business?
  2. Which one's worked the best?
  3. Can you state to the IRS that Etsy renewing fees are your advertising?
Please take a moment to comment your opinions on this :)