Advertising the business

Although it's too soon for me to do any real advertising, it's never too soon to start thinking about it. And thinking, these days, seem to be all I am doing.

How do you advertise a business? How do you get your name out there? Well there are several ways and here are just a few to get started.

1) The good ol' fashion word of mouth.
And those that know me, well, we know my mouth is anything but silent. So this is a good start. Tell your friends. Tell your family. Tell your neighbors. Tell your doctors. Tell your hairstylist. Tell your favorite bartender. Tell your....I think you get the picture.

2) Flyers
This old standby has not gone bye-bye. I know people scoff at printing up flyers, but it can get the job done. However, being that I'm a bit of a tree hugger (see original post) I don't want to kill too many trees. Other wise, I'll have nothing left to hug. So, here is a compromise. Print flyers only where you want them to hang. Not mass flyers that you put under people's window wipers. Oh, I hate that. The best is to find another business that shares a similar interest and ask to swap flyers. I'll hang your flyer if you hang mine. If they have a clientele you would like to see in your store then it'll be worth it.

3) The Internet
This fad is here to stay, thank you Mr. Al Gore. Blogging is a good way to get the name out. Owning a website will work too. There are lots of programs out there where you can get all kinds of traffic to your website. Surf 4 the Earth is a great traffic site that also takes an active role in environmental conservation. Or find a forum that suits your needs and shamelessly promote yourself and your site. The Independent World Community Forum is a great place to get started with lots of great people, helpful hints and some fun stuff too.

4) Buying ads
Everything mentioned so far are cheap, if not free, ways to promote your business. But if your willing to spend a few dollars you can buy an ad. Think about the kind of people you want to target and then find out what they read. Perhaps the local newspaper. Or a billboard if you really have the funds! Other media could include a small ad in a theater's handbill, a mailing circular, the radio or even on television. Hmmm, me on television? I'll have to think about that.