In 2010 there will be a lot of things for small business owners to think about, not the least of which is marketing. Traditional marketing tactics don’t have the same impact anymore and it is time to try something new – online advertising. More than 80 percent of consumers are now searching online for local services and it is crucial for the small business owner to be where the consumers are. ...

The following guest post addresses an important need for every small business owner - how to get more clients. The right mix of marketing and getting your story in the newspaper through public relations are great ways to get customers. But there are other factors involved in business development, as described below. Are you trying to find new ideas for how to get clients to pick up the phone and c...

We all love presents, right? Of course. Think about the times you’ve received a gift from a vendor. It probably made you smile, and you likely felt it was pretty thoughtful (unless you got fruitcake. Then you might have felt confused). Now think what you did after you got the gift. Did you buy from that company again? I bet you did. Now flip that around. By giving gifts to your clients and custo...

As a marketing consultant to small and mid-sized companies nationwide, I spend a great deal of time talking to business owners about the importance of marketing and communications, and the tremendous value these functions can deliver for their enterprises – but only when orchestrated strategically and effectively. As part of these discussions, I often ask if a dedicated marketing plan is in plac...

You’ve heard it before: social networking sites are useful tools for finding and connecting with new clients. But what are the best ways to do that? How can you use LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to find new clients? In this blog post I’m going to let you in on a few secrets and give you a guide to getting started on these social networking sites. LinkedIn Linkedin is a powerful networking too...

Here are six great small business marketing ideas that are easy to implement for any entrepreneur. 1. Position yourself as an expert If a client sees an article that answers some of their key questions, written by an expert (YOU), they are more likely to trust your company. Here are a few suggestions on becoming an expert: Expert Articles Find an industry publication and contact the editor about w...