by Bruce W. Coffman

Created on: August 20, 2007

Research, persistence and consistency are the three keys to effective do-it-yourself advertising for small business owners. With a combination of these three, a small business owner can become their own advertising agency and keep their business name and message in front of the public effectively.

Most small business owners operate on a shoestring budget, so there is a need for free or low-cost advertising options. That's where the research part of the equation comes into play. Be sure to set aside time to surf the net specifically for this purpose. Search for sites that offer free classified advertising, take the time to check them out, and then select the best. Many of these are pure junk, but there are some that are quite effective ways of getting your business name and your product or service in front of a large audience. Be sure to always include your website address as many of these classified listing will show up in search results.

Research can also yield a variety of resources for your small business marketing and advertising. My small business has benefited from the various free printed materials offered by Vista Print. They are an online printing company which offers free business cards and a variety of other free items. You pay only a small shipping charge. This is a fantastic resource for any new or small business to get quality printed materials for very little money. This is one of the resources I discovered through my constant research and has been invaluable to my business. With a little searching, you can find similar resources for your business online.

Persistence and consistency go hand in hand for the small business owner. We know the importance of persistence and consistency in the day to day activities of running our business, but we must also remember their importance in promoting our business. With all the nuts and bolts issues involved with running a business, we often forget about promoting it. That's where the persistence and consistency elements come in. Focus on making a persistent effort to consistently market and promote your business. Each day, try to do at least one thing to promote your business name and the products and/or services you offer. People often overlook your message the first dozen or so times they see it, but will sometimes respond after they have seen the same message repeated consistently. It can be very frustrating, especially when you don't see immediate results, but it is well worth the effort in the long run.

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