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1) If you haven't figured out exactly who you are, then you're not ready to be telling others.

Seems obvious, yet the biggest mistake many businesses make is being unfocused. You must have a clear picture of exactly who you are and what you offer. Know your niche, and if you don't have one, find one.

Keep in mind, however, that despite excellent business skills senior management can often be too close to the business to provide a necessary objective assessment. Getting reliable help at this early stage will probably pay big dividends down the road.



2) If you're not like everybody else, don't look like them.

This isn't rocket science. The idea behind effective advertising is to stand out. After all, if your advertising goes unnoticed, it doesn't matter how great your product is. And considering that your customer is bombarded with about 3,000 advertising messages a day, this isn't the time to play it safe. Your advertising must dare to be different, but...



3) Be sure the personality of your marketing reflects the personality of your business.

Like your product, your company should have a specific brand personality -- a style, a look, and an attitude that best reflects who you are and what you're selling. And your advertising must never waiver from reinforcing that personality, right down to your business cards.



4) You don't always need a big budget, but you do always need a big idea.

Creativity is the only unfair legal advantage you can have over your competition. It's that magical ingredient that makes the difference between a live ad and a dead one. Because it's not always a matter what you say, it's how you say it.

A creatively focused campaign combined with cost effective guerrilla marketing techniques can enable a client with limited funds to successfully compete against its better funded competitors. So, how do you get a creatively powerful ad campaign?



5) If you want it done right, don't do it yourself.

This is often the most difficult step for small businesses to learn, which may be why they remain small businesses. Just because you know your product doesn't mean you know how to market it. Even if you've got good marketing instincts, realize it's not your specialty. Effective marketing requires professional skill, experience, and talent.



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For marketing help, see

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