Is your business the best kept secret?

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Is your business the best kept secret? Then isn’t it time you started blabbing? Seriously… having a great product or service is perfect… but why sit on it… get out there and tell the world just how wicked you really are… before your competition beat you to it.

Seriously, we are British that should not mean be reserved and stiff upper lip and all that… get some of the bulldog spirit inside you (not too much) and  think business – get out there and tell the world about it before your ripening passion withers due to lack of sales..

There are many routes to exposure… and many are absolutely free… you just need to know where to start looking…

Get online… social media sites area fabulous places to find people who may want your goods and services… and to connect with your local community. But beware this is not a platform for you to just sell… think of it like a giant party where you think you know no one… tread gently introducing yourself, gain a reputation as people trust you and it will get brought in to conversation about what you do.. even better the contacts you are engaging with may actually do your selling for you… which also adds to your credibility. You also then find the guy down the road who you know and you get chatting and he introduces you to some more people.. well you can see where this is going…

Twitter is a great place to start but it only gives you 140 characters and the ability to add pictures and docs.. so you may have to start thinking differently, ie in text speak.. listen… by following people.. see what they are saying.. find them using a search facility on something like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck (these are free programmes.. think the dashboard for your social media) and then join in. If they need something, and they will, if you can help… offer it.. Online etiquette (netiquette?) means they will say thank you publicly.. and you’re on your way..

Write blogs or articles… everywhere has places to this now… Blogger, WordPress, Vox, myriad places to blogs for free… you can also post articles on places like ezine articles.com and many other places.. Try a quick search for your area and you will be surprised how many places will willingly take your words of wisdom.

Try to keep your copy clean and factual but making people smile is a smart move too…   articles should be about the benefits of your product/service not the features…ie a Dog walkers can advertise “no more cleaning up little accidents when you crawl home from work” because you have taken their prize pooch walkies… rather than saying “Dog Walker Available”.

When you do something special send out a press release.. to your local paper… a national paper or even a trade publication… it may be something silly or cute… A company I have just been chatting to have had to delay the development of their new offices because they have squatters… of the cutest kind… a nesting family of swallows… seriously the local press will lap this up and get some free publicity. Even better their location lends itself to regular updates live from the WubsDubs Warren… let’s face it Springwatch gets millions of viewers and regular updates make this company real…even better it’s a soft sell, as well as word of mouth publicity getting your company name out to the world without trying.

Try to think of a few key reason why would they use your piece.. They will happily charge you for an advertorial… but make it fun and play it clever and you can have it free.

Align yourself with other businesses, try socialising in certain areas, online or in person, networking events such as Federation of Small Businesses, 4Neworking, BNI, Facebook or Twitter. If you do this regularly people will automatically associate you with your product or service and will recommend you. But it will also help you with invaluable contacts for areas you may want help with. You may come across the local news editor or radio controller who recognise your expertise and could ask for help with features they have coming up. This kind of exposure is fabulous and should be grasped with both hands.

Every person you meet has a value, do not make the mistake of seeing pounds signs rather than people. You really do need to build rapport and trust to prove to them you are worth the effort.

If you treat people how you would like to be treated it probably makes it much easier and helps build lasting respect and trust.

If you are exhibiting at an event try to think differently… great marketing material is all well and good but if you are sitting down and not engaging with people you may as well have burned the money. Do not sit down… do not read magazines.. do not look bored… have something fun to look at and give away… make them remember you for the right reasons not the wrong ones… you are in competition all the time… treat it like one.. and make a lasting impression.

Sponsorship can be an expensive business and getting the wrong product associated with yours may be a huge mistake… but getting it right and you could be laughing… your local kids teams are crying out for kit, if your product and service is aimed at them or their parents it may be worthwhile getting your company name on their shirts… we are not talking the money involved in Grand Prix but Santander certainly hit the jackpot when they sponsored Lewis Hamilton before he won it…
Whatever you do..  think differently.. and be a bit bold and cheeky, share your passion and inspire people and you will be surprised by the results!

Let’s face it most of what I have suggested is free so what have you got to lose?

Amanda Hill

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