Small-business owners, who work in an office or at home, quickly forget that there is a whole, real world out there. It's so easy to get caught up in what you're doing and what is going on in the office that you forget about the real people out there who could use what you're selling.

Particularly people who have online businesses tend to focus on online marketing methods. The problem with this is that you are really limiting your exposure.

At the same time as you're competing with another business or consultant in the next city, there are hundreds of people in your very suburb that need you!

Take a trip to your local mall and start thinking about all of the ways that you can market your business to the people around you. Everyone goes to the mall once in a while and it's the perfect opportunity to get back in touch with what's real.

Think about the things they are doing that day, the things they'll be seeing and the things they'll be buying. Think about the roads they'll travel on to get to where they're headed. Keep a note book handy and scribble in your ideas -- you'll have plenty to write down.

Once you've gotten back in touch with the real world, make a decision to start a simple marketing campaign that very day. For example go home and print 300 well thought-out pamphlets and get somebody to distribute them to people who might be interested in your product.

If you sell ink jet refills, ask your distributor to target people in suits.

If you sell low-end cellphones, ask your distributor to target casually dressed adults and even teenagers.

Try and make sure that you can track responses to your campaign. For example offer a 10% discount when somebody brings your pamphlet with them or mentions a special code on the pamphlet over the phone.

This will give you an idea of what works and what doesn't. If you get no response or a bad response then start looking at ways to fix it.

One problem could be with your distributor. Another could be with the way that you wrote your pamphlet.

Research ways to improve your advertising and keep trying until you start getting a response that is worth the money you spend on printing and distributing.

After that, think up other ways that you can market your business to the man in the street because he is going to be there anyway, so he might as well be reading your pamphlet!

BlueWaterArticles.com: - Get out There and Market

About the Author

Article written by Norio De Sousa of www.Marketing-Course.co.za.