Top 10 Ways to Market Your Small Business

1. Public Speaking. Nothing generates qualified leads faster than getting up in front of a group of prospects and establishing your expertise. Just make sure you leverage this face time by having some sort of giveaway (i.e., PowerPoint handouts) and asking for business cards so that you can send the audience members the collateral.

2. Blogging. If you like to write, (and even if you don't,) blogging is an amazing way to establish your expertise, get more search engine traffic, and generate online leads.

3. Web Site. Not a surprise, I know. Create a Web site that is a conversion machine, turning visitors into prospects or customers.

4. Writing. Contact your local paper's business section and pitch a story that you can write on your area of expertise, whether it's Web marketing, real estate, or animal training.

5. Email marketing. No one's going to remember to return to your Web site to see if you've posted new information or updated your products. Give them a compelling reason to subscribe to your email list, however, and you can slip new Web pages into their inboxes at your discretion.

6. The Yellow Pages. Use them to find partners who will generate more leads for you. When I moved to Portland I called everyone listed under "Graphic Designers" and said I was a Web designer with very little skill. If they got clients looking for Web sites, we could partner. They'd design 'em, I'd build 'em. I got a lot of jobs early that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

7. Search Engine Optimization. It all starts here. If you're building a Web site or writing a business blog and you've ignored SEO, than you're wasting your company resources. If you believe in your products or services, it's your duty to present the information in such a way that people or businesses in need can find you through Google or Yahoo.

8. Networking. Argh, my least favorite.

9. Signage. If you've got a sign, it's like you're a real business.

10. Join Professional Organizations. When I first started out I couldn't see the benefit of joining the chamber or any other local business group. It was expensive for a start-up, and where was the benefits? However, now that I've joined these groups I have opportunities for networking, for speaking, for sponsoring events, for supplying giveaways, and becoming a member of the community. I even get fed leads through some of these organizations. Well worth the price of admission.