Good marketing plans and programs will make for a successful startup. Learn about small business marketing basics.

• Marketing Basics - Marketing programs are the key to attracting customers. This article explains some marketing basics that will get you started. More...
• Marketing Research - Conducting market research early and often can save you grief further down the road. Here we explain the steps involved in marketing research. More...
• Competitive Analysis - Good marketing starts with a thorough competitor analysis. Who are your competitors and how do you differentiate your company from the competition? More...
• How to Write a Marketing Plan - Want to know how to write a marketing plan? This article spells out the necessary steps to write a marketing plan that works. More...
• Introduction to Advertising - Learn how advertising works. Advertising can be a useful part of any small business marketing plan. More...
• Comparing Advertising to Public Relations - Which is more effective — advertising or PR? We compare and contrast advertising with PR. More...
• Working with an Advertising Agency - The role of the advertising agency is not nearly as mystifying as it seems. Their job is simply to help you reach your goals by presenting your company in the best possible light. More...
• E-Mail Marketing - Learn about e-mail marketing, one of the most effective ways to keep in touch with customers. More...
• Exhibiting at Tradeshows - Trade shows are designed to let entrepreneurs meet many potential customers face-to-face in a brief period of time inexpensively. More...
• Billboard Advertising Costs - How much does billboard advertising cost? Using billboards to advertise your products and services might be a smart move, and billboard costs might be less than you think. More...
• Buying Radio Ads - How much does radio advertising cost? Are the costs of radio ads worth the money? Many companies have used radio ads to transform their businesses. Is buying radio ads right for you and can you afford it? More...
• Creating a Web Presence - Interested in building a web site for your company? Marketing via the web is a smart move, and creating a web site isn't as hard as the experts might have you believe. More...
• Advertising in Magazines - This article provides a primer on magazine advertising: it's a must-read before you jump into your first magazine ad campaign! More...
• Television Advertising Costs - How much does a TV advertising campaign cost? Many entrepreneurs assume television ads are incredibly expensive, but TV ads may be more economical than you might think. More...
• Business Cards - Designing business cards should not be done in haste. Take the time to create business cards that will work hard for you and help you to grow your business. More...
• Business Logo Design - Need a business logo? A business logo is the first step in branding your company and its products. Here are some considerations for designing your business logo. More...
• Responsible Marketing. - Responsible marketing isn't just a good business practice. It's the right thing to do. More...
• Pricing - How much should I charge for my goods and services? That's a question that plagues many an entrepreneur. We offer some tips on finding the right price for your wares. More...
• Toll Free Numbers - An entrepreneurial primer on toll free numbers. How much do toll free numbers cost? What are the advantages of a 1-800 number? How do I get a toll free number? More...
• Effective Direct Mail Campaigns - Designing effective direct mail campaigns is an art form. This article tells you how to get the most out of your direct mail campaigns. More...
• Getting Publicity - Learn how to get publicity for your small business. Superior entrepreneurs use public relations to work miracles. Now, you can too. More...
• Advertising on Buses - Bus advertising is very effective. Learn whether advertising on buses is a good move for your business. More...
• Point-of-Sale Displays - Point of sale displays that grab prospective customer attention as they are contemplating making a purchase might be the key to increasing your sales. You cannot be there to make the sale, but your point of sales display can be! More...
• Conducting Sweepstakes Promotions - Sweepstakes promotions are a great way to increase your marketing visibility and obtain sales leads. Before you conduct a sweepstakes, read this article. There's a lot to know and think about. Most importantly, don't conduct an illegal lottery! More...
• Creating a Press Kit - Every company needs a press kit. Simply put, a press kit is just a concise set of documents that introduces people to your business. More...
• Advertising in the Yellow Pages - Advertising in the Yellow Pages remains a highly effective advertising vehicle for entrepreneurs who want to connect with local buyers. Before you place an ad in the Yellow Pages, read this article on how to advertise effectively. More...
• Six Tips for Getting Customer Testimonials - Getting customer testimonials can be the key to unlocking your business potential. Here are a six time-tested moves to add to your marketing repertoire that will help you get the most out of customer testimonials. More...
• Advertising on the Web - Ready to get started with advertising on the web? If you own a small business, it's important to have a web presence. In this article, we cover the fundamentals of small business websites and how to promote your website once it's up and running. More...
• Seven Low-Cost Small Business Marketing Ideas - Some entrepreneurs get so busy, they forget to market their products and services. Here are seven easy, low-cost marketing ideas that get restart your marketing and grow your customer base. More...
• Dealing with Angry Customers - Angry and difficult customers are a challenge that every entrepreneur will face. When your time comes, will you be ready? This article explains how to deal with angry customers. More...
• Customer Loyalty Programs - How are your customer loyalty programs doing? Customer loyalty is key to business growth. After all, keeping an existing customer costs far less than acquiring a new one. More...
• Advertising on Google - Google offers online promotion programs that can work miracles for small business owners who are chasing after effective small business growth strategies. More...
• When to Get a Toll Free Number - Do I need a toll free number? If the answer is yes, then and only then should you ask other toll free number questions: How do I get a toll free number? How much do toll free numbers cost? More...
• Writing and Submitting Contributed Articles - Wondering how to write and submit contributed articles? If you're a smart marketer, you should be. Writing a contributed article is a great marketing technique. More...
• Pricing and Positioning - How much should I charge for my products and services? Focus on positioning instead of pricing, and you'll find you're in a great position to raise prices and grow your business. More...
• PR Versus Advertising - Wondering how to get started with public relations? PR can be very cost-effective but, in comparison to advertising, it's also comes with considerably less control. More...
• Newspaper Advertising Costs - How much do newspaper ads cost? Newspaper advertising costs vary considerably. We've isolated a few advertising costs for newspapers to give you a feel for what you'll get for your money. More...
• National TV Spot Advertising Costs - Think television commercial prices make it impossible for you to advertise on TV? Think again. It turns out some television advertising costs are quite reasonable. We discuss how much it costs to make TV commercials and how much it costs to run TV ads after you've done the production work. More...
• Media Kits - A good small business public relations campaign starts with a good media kit. Learn how to put together a media kit for your business today! More...
• Sponsoring Local Events - Looking for small business marketing ideas? Sponsoring community events can be an excellent way to build goodwill in your community. More...
• Bus Bench Advertising Costs - How much do bus bench ads cost and is bench advertising a good marketing investment? We cover that and more in this article on bus bench advertisements. More...
• Billboard Advertising Best Practices - Driving down the highway, you'll notice that some billboards are more effective in grabbing your attention than others. Here are some best practices for effective billboard advertising. More...
• Making the Most of Trade Shows - Even if your firm is not exhibiting, attending trade shows is a great marketing opportunity for your firm. Before you attend your next trade show, read this article for some pointers on how to make the most of your visit. More...
• Music on Hold - You've just invested in a nice new phone system for your business, and now comes the key question: what music will they hear when you put them on hold? Surprisingly, many studies suggest that this is an important business decision that can help or hurt your business, depending on what choice you make. More...
• Phone Book Advertising Costs - How much does phone book advertising cost? What makes for an effective Yellow Pages ad? We've assembled some excellent tips for those of you who want to advertise in the phone book. More...
• How to Get Started with Advertsing - Getting started with advertising is typical of any business decision you make. At first, it seems very complex but if you can isolate a few simple principles of how to approach advertising, advertising is easy and it can be a boon to your business! More...
• Advertising Campaigns - The best advertising campaigns start with a keen understanding of the customer, but that's not all it takes to create great advertising campaigns. More...
• Pros and Cons of Advertising - What are the pros and cons of advertising? You know that advertising is a paid mass communication via print, TV, radio, websites and other media, but do you truly understand the advantages and disadvantages of using advertising to grow a business. More...
• Yellow Pages Advertising Advice - Looking for Yellow Pages advertising advice? You've come to the right place. Our list of Yellow Pages advertising best practices will help you make the most of your investment. More...
• How to Be an Effective Networker - Wondering how to be a more effective business networker? It's a skill that can help you grow your business immensely, so why not give it a try? More...
• Print Advertising Costs - Print advertising costs are dependent on many factors, such as the circulation of the publication, ad size, ad placement, and whether you go with a color print ad or a black and white print ad. More...
• Elevator Advertising - Just a few short years ago, elevator advertising didn't even exist. Today, it's one of the hottest new advertising trends. More...
• Local Search - Haven't tapped into the power of local search yet? Big mistake. Local search is the key to growing your customer base in your area. More...
• Holiday-Powered Marketing - Holiday-powered marketing involves tying your marketing programs into a specific holiday. It's a tried and tested way to get customers interested in your products and services. More...
• Promoting an Online Business - Starting a business on the web is easy, but starting a successful business on the web is hard. We offer three great tips for promoting an online business. More...
• How to Market to Accountants and CPAs - If you've got something to sell to accountants or want to get accountants to recommend your products or services to your clients, then it's time to learn more about marketing to accountants. More...
• Avoiding Bad Product Launches - Launching a new product? Take the time to get the product launch right. You only get one shot at glory. Don't waste it. More...
• Planning an Event to Promote Your Business - Once you’ve established a solid marketing plan for your business, working an event or two into your promotional schedule is an excellent way to build brand awareness. More...
• Customer Loyalty - Boosting customer loyalty just got a little easier. We offer a number of helpful tips on improving customer loyalty and encouraging repeat business. More...
• Search Engine Promotion - Search engine marketing is helping many small business to ramp sales to a level that would otherwise never be possible. More...
• Internet Advertising - Internet advertising is a great way to advertise your business, even if you don't have a website. More...
• Typical Direct Mail Response Rates - If you are about to launch a direct mail campaign, estimating your typical direct mail response rates should be priority one. More...
• Viral Marketing - Viral marketing is a highly effective, cost-efficient marketing tactic. We offer some excellent marketing advice on how to market your products and services via viral marketing. More...
• Smart Branding - As you contemplate your branding, here's some marketing advice that will come in handy: smart branding involves tailoring the brand to the customer. More...
• Examples of Marketing Strategies - Looking for some example marketing strategies? Here are a few marketing strategies that often prove to be very effective. More...
• Telemarketing Service Costs - What does it cost to hire a telemarketing firm? Here's what you can expect in terms of some baseline costs. More...
• Technology Marketing - Is marketing hi-tech products different from marketing low-tech products. You bet! Here's why. More...
• Marketing Versus Sales - In many organization, marketing and sales are fierce adversaries. Here are some tips to get your marketing and sales team working together as a team. More...
• Transit Advertising - Transit advertising can be a great way to reach potential customers. Here's a primer on transit advertising for entrepreneurs. More...
• Radio Ads - What makes for an effective radio ad? Here are a few things that you should keep in mind when creating a radio ad to promote your wares. More...
• Direct Mail Costs - It's official. The boss wants you to put together a direct mail campaign but first he wants you to estimate the costs. Fortunately, we're here to help! More...
• Facebook Advertising - Want to advertise to young people? There's no better place to find them than at Facebook. Here's what you need to know about Facebook advertising. More...