Marketing is a business' most important activity. However, it is also one of the most dreaded for most small business owners. Regardless of your business type, if you don't market your business you won't have a business. Therefore, you should constantly be looking for new marketing opportunities even as you are in the midst of running one. Actually, that is the BEST time to discover new ways to market your business. You have heard the proverb, "A rolling stone gathers no moss." Well, opportunity comes to those who seek, as well. Time and again, you will be sending out marketing materials when out of the blue another opportunity will either come to mind or be offered to you by one of the very people you are marketing to. So, to give you a jump on your competition here are a few ideas to get you started.

The number one thing you can do is to create a marketing plan. Ya, easy for me to say. Really, it isn't that difficult. When you know the definition of a marketing plan, and see how easy it is to create one, you will laugh to yourself that you ever dreaded writing one. Wikipedia says that a marketing plan is nothing more than a list of actions. See, it's not the how to; it's more the what. Of course the "how" must follow the "what," but start with the "what" and go from there.

So now for the what; some ideas to get you started? Okay, I can help with that. Start with the annual Weird & Wacky Holiday Marketing Guide available online. It is chocked full of marketing ideas developed around unusual holidays that happen every year. Not only is it a terrific resource for your business for ideas, it contains tools and templates to help you get started on a few select ones each and every year.

Another idea is to conduct a survey or start an "Elite Group" of your own. A simple survey will tell you what your customers would like to see, while a private group will help you come up with ways to implement those ideas.

Is it time for you to create a brochure or update an old one? Yes, these are important tools for marketing your business too. Another one I have used is fee pieces that you can digitize and make available for free or a small fee to help build your customer base. If you look at my online sites you will easily find some tools that I have designed to do just that. There are eBooks, reports, a US State Abbreviation & Keyboard Symbols sheet, and even a new offering, My Weekly Activities sheets. All of these types of tools should contain your contact information so others who happen across them will know how to find you. Heck, you can even give them away at networking events. People love free and now your business contact info is in their hands.

Take it offline. This is often an overlooked marketing tool. So often we get caught up in our comfy computer chair that we forget there is a local market for our products and services. Get out of your chair and go out and get some fresh air. Even at a park or grocery store you have the opportunity to connect with a new prospective customer. However, a word to the wise here, don't push it. If the conversation doesn't go in the direction to allow you to hand them your business card then don't. Speaking of which, you do have a nice professional looking business card, right? Not the one you personally designed and printed on your desktop printer.

Register for a conference. Do something to get out there and meet other people. You never know when you will run into someone who either needs your product or service or knows someone who does.

Offer an incentive to your current client base to send you referrals. This is one of the best ways to market your business. I have been offering a 10 percent referral bonus on first invoice to my clients ever since day one. This one marketing medium has increased my client base and my bottom line. Give it a try the next time you get a chance. You have to tell them so they will know.

How about sending out a snail or e-mail to start the ball rolling? Everyone knows any reason to touch base with your customers is a terrific way to get your business name back in their mind's eye.

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