Newspaper print and classified ads can get very expensive, and have lost much of their effectiveness with the popularity of the internet in the past decade. New business owners can't even consider radio or television advertising as a viable option. What is left for a home business or small start-up to do to spread the word about their enterprise?

Here are some steps that you can take to start a viral word of mouth marketing campaign about your business:

Acquaintances: Approach your friends, family and neighbors initially, followed by contacting other people you know in your community and beyond. To begin your campaign, you may take a broad approach to spread your information; ultimately streamlining your message to your target market.

Networking: Both online and off, networking is the backbone of the word of mouth marketing. You need to have a large network to build a database of prospective customers. Find forums and other groups where your target market ‘hang out.'

Website: It's the Internet age. Establish your website with good, focused keywords to get favorable results from the search engines. Also, keep your website, user-friendly with easy navigation and complete updated information about everything regarding your business.

Freebies: Everyone loves to get something free. Create a free report or ebook related to your idea or product and give it away to potential customers, asking them to give the item to their friends and family as well.

Mailers: You can use email or postcards or pamphlets about your business to inform your acquaintances prior to calling them.

Word of mouth advertising has stood the test of time and is effective for every business. There are simple, affordable methods of starting a viral marketing campaign that will spread like wild fire. By putting into place some or all of the ideas mentioned above, you can create a world of advertising for your business.