Whether you are just starting your carpet cleaning business or looking for ways to increase your client base, it's important to pay close attention to your marketing efforts. If you don't get the word out about your business and what sets you apart from other carpet cleaners, nobody will know you exist. Marketing doesn't have to be an expensive endeavor. There are lots of creative ways to market yourself to the top of the carpet cleaning world.

Take photos of your work. Pictures of dirty carpets turned into pristine carpets will go a long way in promoting your services. Use these photos in your marketing materials.

Create marketing pieces for your carpet cleaning business. Fliers are very inexpensive to make and you can make them yourself with your computer. Postcards are a little pricier but they are effective with upper-end clients.

Distribute your fliers door-to-door in neighborhoods in which you want to work. They can be rolled up and tucked behind a door knob or even on the garage door. If you enlist the help of friends and family members you can distribute a lot of fliers in very little time.

Take advantage of free online advertising services such as Craigslist.org or Backpage.com. You can post photos and text on these sites. If you've created a flier, make an image file of it and use it in your ad. Or post some before and after photos of your work. Photo ads are much more effective on these sites than plain text.

Drop off fliers at storage companies and places that sell moving boxes. A lot of people who are moving need their carpets cleaned. When they visit these companies they may just see your flyer and give you a call.

Mail or drop off fliers at property management firms and real estate offices. The people who work for these companies are involved with people who are moving on a daily basis. If you provide good customer service to property managers and real estate agents, they may become regular customers.