Ten Things You Should Know About
Promoting Your Business

1. Beware The Yes-Man. Sure, a good publicity consultant should be willing to give you what you want, but he should also be willing to tell you what you need, even if it isn't the same thing. Of course, the final decision is always up to you, the client.
    
   
2. Don't Buy Snake Oil. If someone guarantees your website will rank at the top of the search engines, walk away. Don't let a self-proclaimed SEO expert bloat your website copy with useless strings of out-of-context keywords. The truth is, Google and other search engines are constantly tweaking the way they rank content. There is no magic elixir for conquering the search engines. The only guarantee is that solid, relevant textual content will be treated favorably.
    
   
3. Be Yourself. It sounds contrived, but it's good advice for a small business owner. Your business is an extension of yourself; it should reflect your personality. Everyone is unique, and the qualities that make you unique just might be the spin your business needs to get noticed. Work with a publicity consultant who is willing to promote you without changing you.
    
   
4. Give It Away. Coupons, free samples, and introductory discounts are great ways to entice people to try your product or service. Don't be afraid to give away something for free. A marketing & publicity consultant can help you determine the who, what, where, when, and how.
    
   
5. Be Consistent. It's called a "brand" for a reason. Your company logo, colors, motto, typeface, and even the tone of your written communications help to form your brand. Make sure these elements are consistent across all of your marketing materials. Any writer/designer worth his salt will acknowledge this and help make it a reality for you.
    
   
6. Keep An Open Mind. A publicity professional is an outsider, just like your customers. Listen to what he/she has to say about your message, and put yourself in your audience's shoes.
    
   
7. Explore New Markets. There may be a use for your product or a market for your service which you may not even know exists. Investing a small portion of your publicity budget to explore a new market is just one way to expand your business. Again, a writer/designer will help you tweak the content or tone of your message to suit your audience.
    
   
8. Ask Questions. Questions lead to answers. Ask your customers about their experiences with your company, and take their comments to heart. Ask people who have never used your product or service what is important to them. If you can satisfy their needs, you just might gain some new customers.
    
   
9. Be Charitable. Donate time, resources, or funds to a deserving charity or non-profit organization in your area. It's a noble thing to do, and it can lead to positive publicity for your business, as well as some fantastic networking opportunities.
    
   
10. Deliver The Goods. If you promise something to your customers, make good on that promise. No amount of clever advertising, market research, or sales rhetoric can replace good, old-fashioned customer care. Every customer has the capacity (and a multitude of platforms) to make or break your business. The proliferation of new media means that word of mouth (and word of mouse) travels faster than ever before, and it's only going to get better — or worse, if you're not careful.