How to make a small business known?

[Jared]

I totally disagree that you should spend big bucks on advertising. If you are willing to work hard, and you have to be if you plan to start a small business and expect it to last, then you should work on word-of-mouth advertising. You might get some business cards, and maybe some business card magnets: some things you can hand out to people when you meet them.

Civic clubs will likely enjoy sponsoring you as a guest, and that appearance may get you in the newspaper. That may get you on their website, or on their Facebook page, or both. It costs nothing but time to appear, and you get free advertising (in papers, social media, etc.).

I manage a $1million sales business personally; I oversee a much larger corporation; and, on the side, I manage a few millions in commercial and residential real estate. I saw the previous manager of the the smaller business buy a billboard (for an established business) for $200 per month. I saw $2400 get paid out for... not even ONE verifiable sale that was due to that billboard.

Yet, I see all of these businesses progressing due to word of mouth. I joined a civic club. I make myself accessible to potential customers, even those who have no likelihood of buying from me. I increase my exposure, my image... and I pay nothing except my time.

That is advertising. I suggest you do the same. A handshake and a business card will likely do more than hundreds or thousands of dollars in paid-for advertising. You are just betting that the right person is reading (subscribed to) the right publication, and wants to talk to you. I don't like those kinds of bets.

And for a small business, as a finance guy, I would suggest that you not waste your capital on endeavors that have no verifiable (SET IN STONE) likelihoods of success. You need the cash more than you need the advertising. The free thing you can offer is yourself. Use yourself to advertise. It's free (not economically, but financially -- if you want to get technical).