Most of us have heard the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” all of our lives – we’ve heard it so much that it’s become a cliché. Cliché or not, it happens to be especially true when it comes to small business marketing.

Most of the time, you want your business to be on the minds of your customers and prospects. So don’t let your business stay “out of sight” for too long! Keeping your company name and message in front of customers on a regular basis can help trigger buy events and increase customer mindshare, which ultimately helps drive sales. Here are some ideas for keeping your business in-sight and in-mind so your sales continue to in-crease!

• E-Newsletters – Monthly E-newsletters are one of the most effective marketing tools available to small businesses today. They are typically inexpensive to send (especially when compared with their printed counterparts), and E-newsletter campaign results are completely measurable (e.g., how many clicks, opens, bounces, etc.). It’s also a great way to make sure that customers see your company name in their inboxes each month, reminding them that your business has the products/services that they need.
•  Press Releases – Whether you’re announcing a new product, an employee promotion, or a client win, press releases are always useful in getting your company’s name (and links!) out there. You can use a traditional wire service distribution, or try some of the press release outlets on the web – many are low-cost or no-cost to use.
• Advertisements – A marketing stand-by since the beginning of marketing, advertising can be an effective way of getting attention for your business. To help keep costs down, look for web advertising opportunities, try smaller, local publications, or find creative ideas that can offer lots of exposure at a reasonable price (like magnetic signs for your car).
• Sponsorships – Another great way of staying in the spotlight is to sponsor an event or organization. Most sponsorship opportunities are designed to give you exposure in the community (e.g., your logo on signage, links to your web site, publicity opportunities, etc.). And sponsorships give you the added benefit of having your business associated with an event or organization that is beyond your own four walls.
• Search Engine Rankings – This is one tactic that helps build your business in lots of ways. Most of us know the benefits of good search engine rankings for driving web traffic and boosting sales, but being on the first page of Google can give your company exposure millions of times per day, every day! Just be sure you have properly optimized your site so that when your business comes up in a search, your company name and description are visible in the results.