I recently presented at The Brew‘s Central Coast and Newcastle business exhibitions on using public relations to promote business. I met several people at both events who were so busy working on their businesses that they had no time left to do any promotion.
Whether this is a time management issue or the case of small business owners trying to do everything themselves, it doesn’t help the business if there are no new customers coming through the door or logging on to the website. The key to getting these new customers is letting them know you are there through promotion. Wouldn’t it be better for your business to employ an extra person to cope with demand from new customers, than slogging away with same orders month after month?
As a small business person myself I have been guilty of being stuck in the same rut. We have to do our own accounts, administration, marketing as well as the work that makes the business run. I am better at some of these tasks than others and have previously written about my procrastination with some. But I still make time to log on to relevant business forums and chat with other business owners about public relations, update my details in online directories, speak at events and keep this blog up to date. Yes I could do more to market my own business, but what I currently do keeps me in touch with potential and new clients all the time and that is the point of promotion (besides the obvious brand building).
So spend an hour or two in the next few weeks brushing up on your promotion – send a press release, join a business forum or industry association, attend a networking event or write a newsletter – and watch the new business pile up. You never know, you might get so much new work you need that extra person!
*If you would like to see a copy of my presentation, download it from my eBook page.
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