This is the sixth article in an eight-part series on how to help your small business compete with the big guys. Read part five.

Of course your website becomes one of your primary marketing tools, but there are other things you should consider to expand your reach. You may be doing many of these now. Focusing on a mix of marketing strategies will spread your name more quickly and effectively than simply doing one thing. But again, it’s important to be consistent throughout all of these efforts. You know the big companies are.

• Public Relations – Get to know your local or trade reporters. Share important company milestones or news with them so you get coverage in the newspaper or trade publication. Submit an op-ed or letter to the editor if you have a strong, compelling opinion on something in your industry. Use keywords and hotlinks in your press releases so that when issued through a service like PRWeb, your news will rise higher in the Google searches – driving more people to your site. PR provides terrific potential “third-party” coverage that can help to position your company, products and services in a way that can have a great impact on your target audience. Reading an article about a doctor in the local paper carries much more weight than a paid advertisement.
• Events and Trade Shows – Make sure your booth, hand-outs and even what you wear clearly portray your brand image. Carry your colors, logos and taglines through everything.
• Sponsorships – Identify possible events and organizations that you can sponsor in order to gain face-to-face visibility with your customers and prospects. Many speaking opportunities come along with a trade show sponsorship package, for instance. It may really be worth that investment if it puts you in front of the right people.

Next: Establish strategic alliances