15. Write an op-ed or letter to the editor
If a story that relates to your business breaks and you're not part of it, you can always comment on it in the form of an editorial, says Dorman. Your commentary may be picked up by the outlet that originally ran the story, and such submissions put you on the editor or producer's radar as a future source.
16. Post a video
A simple digital video recorder or webcam is all you need to create information-packed videos, which can be uploaded for free to YouTube, Google Video and other video sites, says Hager. Cynergy Systems shot a simple video in-house to promote its Cynergy Labs program, which gives funding and support for employees to develop their ideas on the company's behalf. When Cynergy posted the video, one of its employees e-mailed the video to a friend. Within 10 minutes, it had been downloaded hundreds of times--214,000 times to date.
17. Exploit the web
Dorman advises clients to get their companies on free sites like del.icio.us.com, Digg.com, Squidoo.com, and Yelp.com, "and, more important, have the fans of your product or service touting you on there as well." In addition, local newspapers and websites like Craigslist.org and Metromix.com often have free online calendars where you can list upcoming seminars, celebrations and so on.
18. Hit the streets
Face time with customers, especially in the B2B world, can make or break relationships. When Michelle Menard wanted to drum up more business, she and her employees made customer visits around Valentine's Day, delivering chocolates and building goodwill. Accompanied by a fun, holiday-related card requesting referrals and later supplemented by a mailing to customers who the company couldn't reach face to face, the effort bumped up revenue by $22,000 within a month.
19. Use your space
If you've got a high-profile location, use signage or banners on your property to promote your business (after you check the municipality's signage rules, of course). Billy Maupin uses small foam-core signs on mounts that can be stuck into the ground. Available for $20 to $30 each from his local print shop, they highlight seasonal promotions and point people toward his restaurants.
20. Create a customer advisory Board
Cooper suggests inviting customers to be part of a panel that can give you feedback on everything from your store design to your latest ad campaign. They can also help brainstorm new ways to reach new and existing customers. Reward such valuable insight with a small gift or a special discount.
21. Team up
Most businesses can find a way to team up with another noncompeting company that targets similar customers. Restaurateur Billy Maupin teamed up with a local personal training facility to promote his green fare to the trainers' health-conscious clientele. People arriving for personal training sessions place and pay for an order at the beginning of the session. The training facility passes the orders to Green Tango's staff members, who deliver the salad so that it's waiting for the client at the end of the session.
Aside from the amount of time they take to coordinate, these tactics range in cost from a few pennies to the cost of a few discounts. However, those small investments can pay off in a big way through increased awareness and outreach to prospective customers.
—By Gwen Moran, who is Entrepreneur's "Clicks" columnist.
