Be a Fearless, Shameless Self-Promoter of You and Your Business

You have to be a shameless, fearless self-promoter in order to point the spotlight in your direction, attract people to your concept, and convince them to spend their money with you. You must have a clear, coherent story that differentiates your business from your competitors.

• What is your unique selling point?
  
• What's the hook?
  
• What makes your business special and why?
  
• What is it about you as a person that is unique and interesting and will make the story about your business rich and colorful?
  

Once you've developed your story, you need to create channels to get it out. Public relations is a cost-effective and credible means of delivering valuable information about your business. Establish contact with local reporters who cover small businesses in your community so you can learn more about the types of stories they cover and keep them informed about news and events about your business. Over the nearly five years that I ran my restaurant business, Dessert Noir Café & Bar in Beaverton, Oregon, I secured over 40 stories in print, online, and broadcast media both locally and nationally. Most small business owners would kill for that kind of publicity, and I did it simply by following the news trends to "insert" myself into the conversation that was hot at the moment, establishing relationships with reporters, and having a great story "at the ready" to tell.

For small businesses, marketing campaigns can quickly get expensive. When you don't have a big budget, focus on inexpensive tactics to spread the word. Create an informative web site, use email newsletters from sites like Constant Contact, start a blog, tweet about your business on Twitter, and encourage customers to link with you on social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Distribute and post flyers, get your friends to book business with you, give your employees discounts to bring in their friends and family, and sign up for free online and print directories. Do whatever it takes to generate the buzz. Some of these tactics might not work as well as others, yet all you'll spend is a little time and minimal money as you experiment.

Another option to leverage your limited marketing bucks is joint marketing and selling with suppliers, customers, or complementary businesses. You don't have to look far to create joint marketing opportunities, nor do you have to spend a lot of money to achieve good results. For example, Indio Spirits is a distiller of vodka, gin, and whiskey in Portland, specializing in small handcrafted batches infused with unique flavors. When Indio announced the introduction of two new vodka flavors, I collaborated with Indio's owner to host an exclusive launch party at my restaurant where we both invited our customers and the press to sample the vodkas in new cocktails and savory dishes for a special dinner.

Lastly, don't ever stop talking about your business. Everyone you meet represents a one-on-one marketing opportunity. I was known to hustle people in parking lots to get them to come to my restaurant. When you share your passion, energy, and drive about your business often enough, it will come naturally from your heart and out of your mouth.