GROWING YOUR BUSINESS: Getting the word out; Who are you and what do you do?

by Dan Beaulieu
Business consultant

No matter how great your small business is, if nobody knows about it, you will fail. I have talked to many business owners who tell me that they do not need to advertise or market their companies right now because they have all the business they need. I always remind them that they have all the business they need today, but will they in the future? Remember the great recession of 2008: how much business did you have after that?

Growing a business is just that…it is growing. A business that is not always growing is dying. That is just a simple rule of business. And the last thing you want to have to do is start playing catch up when you are out of business to work on. No, the best way to keep your business thriving is to always be telling people about it. The more people who know about your business the better it will be and the more your business will grow.

Here are six very easy and economical ways to market your company:

• The website: Sorry, you need a website. This is the world we live in today. By using one of the many services, such as www.godaddy.com, you can actually build your own website in a matter of hours. Make sure the site is clear, concise and carries your company message. It needs to not only have all the pertinent information about your company (name, and contact information, services you perform and rates if applicable) but make sure you personalize it as well. Tell your story, add testimonials and referrals. Show photos of you and your team. In short, make the site user friendly enough that people are going to want to hire you.
• Create a paper flyer. Once again, if you have a computer this is easy to do. Basic software packages like Microsoft Word provide attractive templates you can use to create your flyers. Once again, make sure the flyer is colorful and attractive and has all the pertinent information about your company. If you don’t have a computer at home, then go to the library. The Waterville Public Library, for example, not only has computers and printers, they will also be happy to help you use them.
•  Make sure you distribute these flyers. Either mail them, or hand them out. When you finish a project in a neighborhood, before you leave, distribute flyers to the other houses in that neighborhood. It doesn’t take much effort and it will pay off in the end.
• Make sure your apparel and your vehicle all display your company name and contact information. And also have lawn signs available to plant in front of the customer’s home if you are a service company working at that home. Ask for permission, of course. In most neighborhoods, people will notice when work is being done on a house and will often approach the service company to come and check out a potential project at their house as well. It happens all the time.
• Place ads in newspapers such as this one. The ads are very economical and are seen every week by thousands of people. It’s the best advertising money you can spend.
• And finally get those referrals. They are worth their weight in gold. Nothing works better than one of your customers being so pleased with you and your company that they tell everyone they know about you. When a customer tells you that you have done a great job, is the perfect time to ask her for a referral, or better yet, a testimonial you can use in all of your marketing materials.

These are a few of the easy and most economical ways you can market your business. Have some fun with it. There is nothing better than working on growing your business.

Dan Beaulieu has owned his own business consulting firm since 1995, during that time he has helped hundreds of companies all over the world with their sales growth challenges and issues. Originally from Maine he returned a few years ago and is ready and willing to help his fellow Mainers start and grow their business. He can be reached at 207-649-0879 or at danbbeaulieu@aol.com.