| Increasing
the visibility of your business should be a key goal of your day-to-day
operations. A visible business enjoys top-of-the-mind awareness among
existing and potential customers. Whenever customers think of making a
purchase, they normally buy the product or service that they first think of
and that is the business that is most visible to them.
(article continued below ...)
But how can your business achieve visibility? Visibility is the
cumulative effect of publicity. Your business’ visibility quotient is
determined by calculating what percentage of the people who should know
about you actually do. What types of people should know about your business,
and what mechanisms exist to reach them?
Promoting your business need not be expensive. There are a number of ways
you can use to get the word out there about your business without breaking
your bank account. All you need to do is to be creative, devote time to
promotional activities, and have some fun. Below are some ways to increase
your visibility in your community and network yourself to success:
1. Be visible
in your local newspapers or trade publications.
There are three ways of getting your name and your business printed in the
newspaper: (a) writing an article, a feature story or a column; (b) getting
quoted by a writer; and (c) submitting letters to the editors. The best
newspapers or publications to target are the nationally syndicated and
best-known publications; but if you can’t get into one, your local trade
publication is good enough. Getting your business’ name in the papers as a
result of any scandal, of course, is not counted.
Writing articles or getting your opinions quoted establishes you as an
expert in your field who is willing your share your know-how to the public.
Becoming an expert in your field can lend credence to you and your company’s
image.
It does not happen so easily, though. To see your name in print, you must
begin by cultivating relationships with reporters by sending them free
information. If your business deals with the catering, you may contact the
lifestyle editor and present yourself as a person who can give tips to their
readers on choosing a catering service, most in-demand catering party
themes, etc. Editors and writers are constantly on the lookout for new
materials, and they may give you a try when they need to do a story that
touches on your skills and knowledge.
You can also write letters to the editors, which often includes your
name, title, and name of your business. You can submit letters to the
editors to praise an editorial or news item, support or comment on the trade
group’s action (if a trade newspaper), correct slanted or inaccurate news
coverage, support new initiatives in your community, or even commemorate an
important event. Be aware of the danger, though: if you are taking sides in
an issue, some of the potential customers you are trying to reach may agree
with you, but some may be antagonized with your opinion. Hence, it would be
best to present your arguments clearly, provide supporting facts, and give
constructive courses of action.
2. Launch an
event. Events are
excellent publicity-generating tools that can easily get the word out about
your business, raise your visibility, and bring in new money. They also give
the media a “hook,” a reason to focus on your business. Special events
expand the reputation of your business, provide participants an interesting
time, and sometimes make money. Events could be as grand as a 300 banquet to
launch your new product or as simple as hosting a dinner party.
3. Speak, speak
and speak. Wherever you
live, there must be venue where you can speak and give advice. One effective
way of increasing your visibility in your community (and beyond) is by
becoming aggressive in giving speeches and presentations in your areas of
expertise to any group that will listen to you.
Contact your local chamber of commerce, business and professional
organizations, women’s and men’s groups, local Rotary Clubs, even your
library and inform them of your willingness to speak and share your
expertise. You’d be surprised to learn that many organizations and groups
are constantly on the lookout for informed speakers.
If you become so good at it, you can eventually get an agent to help you
arrange and book your speaking engagements. Speaking assignments could even
become a lucrative second income for you!
4. Educate your
customers. Your role is to
tell everyone who will listen to you how great your company is at delivering
its product or service to its customers. Explain to your customers what they
are getting from your product or service, what sets you apart from your
competitors, and what they can get from patronizing your business. Education
can be a very potent tool; particularly given the fact that today's buyer
uses an information oriented decision process. Many of them don’t just
buy: they first gather information, review alternatives, then choose one
alternative, and evaluate the decision after the fact. By informing them of
the benefits of your business, you are most likely to have them coming back
to you.
| 
