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| Frank Knight and Peter Drucker |
At a huge company like Bayer, perhaps most of the exposure comes from online presence and ongoing customer relations. With yours, it might come from personal, face-to-face, grassroots exposure.
Either way, each business needs to develop and keep a good face to survive. Here are ways to promote your business that have proven to work.
How to Promote Your Small Business:
Online Exposure
Use a trick of the larger companies by utilizing the Internet for all it is worth. Just doing some analytics might help you to build a good website that people will visit. Hire a web designer and make your site mobile friendly.
People in the world today often use the Internet to look for new places to go. When searching out restaurants, for example, they usually use word of mouth or an online search. And a larger percentage of searches are done via phone.
Make sure that your site is ready to find and listed on all of the large references like the Maps app for the iPhone. List your company name, address, and contact number in various places on your site so that it can be found easier by search engines.
Set up a contract with references like Yellowpages.com for automatic exposure. You can also participate in search engine optimization, in which articles are posted to the web about your company or linked to it. This can bring you to the top of search results so that you are seen.
Network Always
As a representative of the company, you should take every opportunity to network. Bring up your line of work among new friends and offer to swap business with other owners. This can get you referrals.
Go to meetings where you may come in contact with possible clients and invite them out to lunch. Wine and dine the larger ones so that you can offer your services. If a personal lunch is too personal, you can always deliver a gift basket for the holidays. There are lots of opportunities to network if you just find them.
Business Cards
Always carry business cards with you at all times. This will allow you to have on hand a piece of remembrance. Drop them off at little shops and stores near your office so that customers there who are interested can get in contact with you.
Some stores even have the business card of the week draws, in which your company is promoted if you are chosen. So do not be afraid to put your good name out there.
You can print off free cards or get them for a very low price online these days. Make sure that the style reflects the tone of your business. If you make toys, it should be more whimsical and if you do massage therapy, it should be classier to show that you are legitimate.
Volunteer Work
Do volunteer work to keep up and make your public image. This is more important that you might think. Even if you have a large client base, you need to constantly do PR work so that you appear to be good to work with.
Sign up to run a booth at a charity event or to talk to a high school about values. These kinds of things will help you stay in a good light. People want to buy from those they trust.
