How Do People Know Youre in Business?

One of the most important things to do now that you've started a business is to TELL THE WORLD! But HOW? It can be very expensive and time consuming if not done properly. Here's some inexpensive publicity and marketing ideas to help you get recognition for your new venture.

You've picked a great name for your company, made a list of your potential clients, incorporated your business and you're ready to go. What next? Well, you need to find as many ways as possible to tell people you're in business, and why they should do business with you!

One of the first things to do is to get business cards printed up and carry them wherever you go. Hand them out to everyone you know. It always amazes me how many people forget to give their cards to friends and family. Even if you "think" your family knows what you do - you might be surprised to find out how little they really do know. Besides, they may have a friend who needs exactly what you offer, and it's much more professional for them to offer a business card than a scrap of paper with your name and number scrawled on it.

Make sure your cards are professionally printed and have no spelling mistakes. This may be the first impression someone has of your business - make it a great impression - because you won't get a second chance to do it better. Make sure your cards have as many to contact you as possible: snail mail, fax, phone, email, pager, etc. Give people as many options as you can. Make sure your card also clearly states what you do - if you just have your name and phone number on your card it's likely to be tossed in the garbage. I make sure I give away AT LEAST 5 business cards a day. People ask, "Who can you possibly give 5 business cards to?" How about: leaving one on the tray when I leave my payment and tip for the waitress in a restaurant, giving it to the receptionist when I sign in at the dentist/doctor/vet, go to meet with my child's teacher at school, chat with another parent at the swimming pool watching our kids swimming, someone I meet in the checkout line at the grocery store, etc, etc. If you want to grow you business quickly this is one way to start!

Send out press releases to your local paper - these are free and many times the paper may phone for a follow up interview. Have press kits ready when you're asked for them. Remember a press release needs to sound like a news story, NOT an advertisement for your business. If you're not familiar with how to write one there are lots of articles online to help you.

First impressions are so important - did you know that you only have 15 seconds to capture someone's attention when they see your advertising in a newspaper or magazine? Yes, 15 short seconds - not long to make a good impression is it? But you know what? It takes even less than that to make a bad impression.

So, how to make the most of your 15 seconds in the spotlight - and win customers at the same time? Make sure that any print ads REALLY do a terrific job for you - get feedback from people you trust. Just because you think something looks good, doesn't mean it will sell your product. Test the ad in the paper one week, make a change to it and put it in the paper the next week (on the same day of the week) and see which ad gets the most response for you. Always test your ads this way. You're wasting money if you don't.

Create advertising that has the following traits - well designed (get help if you need it), is truthful (don't stretch the truth either) and tells the customer the benefits to them if they buy and lastly requests an action - something like - "call now to order", "order today, supply limited".

First impressions count when meeting in person even more! Every person in business should have a 15 second "script" explaining what you do ready to tell a prospective client at anytime. I know some people say that it sounds too rehearsed to be "ready" - I say it sounds like you're prepared to do business. I'd rather do business with someone who is prepared, than someone who is still fumbling around trying to figure out what they're supposed to be doing. An example of a 15 second script might be: "Hi my name is Sally Jones and I am a communications specialist who helps ensure your technology hardware all speaks the same language, so that when your computer tells the printer to print it will!" If you met Sally Jones, heard her introduction and got her card, you would likely remember her because she explained what she did very clearly, but also in a unique way. Not many computer technicians would explain their jobs this way. Find a unique way to explain what you do.

Imagine you step into an elevator and right in front of you is the MOST IMPORTANT POTENTIAL CLIENT you could ever imagine and it's JUST THE TWO OF YOU. You have 20 floors (about 15 seconds) to make an impression! What would YOU say??

Does everything that leaves your office have your company name and/or web address on it? It should! That includes your vehicle, stationery, delivery driver's t-shirts, etc - everything!

Every day will provide you with opportunities to tell people about your business - don't miss them! Don't be afraid to ask for a cross-promotional opportunity. Team up with other businesses to make your profile larger, and your business will grow much faster.

Wendy McClelland is a motivational speaker, marketing innovator and Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach who specializes in teaching people to "think without boundaries!" She is a past nominee for "Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year" and her clients have included software developers, an Olympic athlete and a wide range of business organizations. She has spoken to 10,000+ conference attendees, about Marketing, Internet Business and Motivation. You can contact her through her website - http://www.thinkwithoutboundaries.com

A spate of mergers and acquisitions during the past two weeks may signal the start of a comeback for global dealmaking in the second half of 2010

The $1.24 trillion in cash sitting in U.S. companies’ coffers may soon be going back to work to stimulate the economy

Americans are broke and depressed—and also swilling $3 lattes and waiting in line for iPhones. Welcome to the schizophrenic economy

Growth in the U.S. slowed to a 2.4 percent annual rate in the second quarter, less than forecast, reflecting a larger trade deficit and cooler spending

The worst U.S. recession since the 1930s was even deeper than previously estimated, reflecting bigger slumps in consumer spending and housing, according to revised figures.

Business activity in the U.S. expanded in July at a faster pace than projected, signaling manufacturing is driving growth in the world’s largest economy.

China’s manufacturing grew at the slowest pace in 17 months in July as the government clamped down on property speculation and investment in energy-intensive and polluting factories.

ICICI Bank Ltd., India’s second- biggest lender, said first-quarter profit rose 17 percent, as it cut provisions and increased fee income.

Home Bancshares Inc., the Arkansas bank with $3 billion in assets, purchased two seized lenders and regulators closed three others as this year’s failures climbed to 108.

Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd has urged the White House to nominate Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Chairman Sheila Bair as head of the new consumer bureau, according to two people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Tom talks with Jim Grant, editor of Grant's Interest Rate Observer, on the slow economic recovery

There are some obvious ways to make the U.S. more competitive with China in clean energy. Why won't the Senate debate them?

Jan Randolph, head of sovereign risk at IHS Global Insight, talks about BP's liabilities, its asset sales, and deep water drilling regulation.

July 27 (Bloomberg) -- Karl Case, an economics professor at Wellesley College and co-creator of the S&P/Case-Shiller home-price index, discusses the U.S. housing market.(This report is an excerpt of the full interview. Source: Bloomberg)

In a new edition of The Black Swan, author Nassim Nicholas Taleb warns against depending "on financial assets as a repository of value"

Nassim Taleb, author of "The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable," discusses government debt, investment risks and financial regulation.