[behigher]

Well, I've been working in advertising for a few years before I got into webdesign and seo work, and worked specifically with small businesses right up to blue chips spending 100,000's per year.

I wanted to write down some advice and tips for small businesses and sole traders out there who may get contacted by telemarketers or other exclusive opportunities that come up from time to time.

Some of this may sound crazy, but you'd be suprised how often I come across this.

1) firstly, and most importantly, understand your customer, where are they located and whats there demographic.

2) put yourself in your customers shoes, if they were looking for a company that provided your product/service, where would they look - then ask friends and family where would they look if they were looking for a *******

3) ok, so now you have ideas on who your customer is and how they will look for you, now you must put together a monthly or annual budget for what you can afford to spend on advertising.

4) SPEND SPEND SPEND, lol, not really - but seriously though, go back to number 2 and explore all the options you made from the list. Try and do as much as you can but stick within the budget restrains that you made earlier. Online directories, local papers, seo, pay per click, tv whatever it is go do it, and negotiate!!! advertising for businesses is often buying space. That space is valued by the supplier, and by you the customer, make sure you haggle, and never commit on the first price they give you.

5) TRACK!!!!!
This is probably the most important of all, if you dont keep track of the enquiries that you get from the advertising you do, how can you see what has worked and what has'nt?????
Make sure customers have to quote a reference if its newspaper advertising, that you have something tracking your website for traffic (like google analytics or statcounter.com)

Once you have the answers to number 5 and can see what has generated the biggest response, go back to that method and spend twice as much on at least double the exposure.

enjoy the rewards of succesful advertising!
(and ROI)