Small Business Guides

3 Realistic and Actionable Tips to Get More Eyes on Your Business ASAP

Businesses come and go. Entrepreneurs and the public alike know this all too well.

The reason why so many businesses fail, though? They fall under the radar. They lack that it factor that makes them compelling in the eyes of potential customers.

The question remains: how do you avoid the same fate with your own company in the long-run?

Whether you’re seeking to fund your mobile startup or are simply a small business that’s struggling for attention, there are many common threads between what modern companies should do to build buzz about themselves.

The following five tips are fair game for businesses of all shapes and size looks to leverage the web and get more eyes on their business without resorting to any off-the-wall or impractical tactics.

Now, let’s dive right in!

Don’t Obsess Over the Competition

This piece of advice might seem so elementary, but many entrepreneurs tend to screw it up.

Just as you shouldn’t obsess over being the “next” Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs, you shouldn’t solely concern yourself with what your competition is up to. And on the flip side, in pursuit of being different, many companies simply copycat the likes of their competition and inevitably “play it safe” in the process.

Big mistake.

Competitive research does matter in terms of finding a unique tone and selling proposition for your products, sure. At the same time, think about it like this: the more concerned you are with what your neighbors are doing, the less you can focus on yourself. In short, don’t be your own worst enemy.

Leverage Your Earned Media

Arguably the best way to build up your clout and reputation for your business is by letting other people do the talking. When you’re relatively new on the block and don’t have tons of social proof to throw around, though, what are you to do?

Tap into the power of earned media. At its core, earned media represent press mentions such as articles, blog posts, interviews and even shout-outs by industry influencers. While a company blog can go a long way toward promoting your business, the most powerful promotion comes from the movers and shakers in your industry.

Such exposure doesn’t come by accident, though. Pitching stories, reaching out to editors and otherwise breaking ground in your industry is exactly what’s going to earn you those earned media mentions. It takes time and patience, but it’s totally worth it in the end.

Also, earned media oftentimes represents a sort of snowball effect: once one outlet starts talking about, more attention quickly follows. Of course, be mindful when cold contacting and reaching out for stories as not to label yourself as a spammer. As noted earlier, reputation is key to a thriving business.

Make Yourself as Public as Possible

There are a few layers to this tip, all of which are easy to overlook when you’re a company that’s flying under the radar.

You won’t score many points in your industry by being a total island. Putting yourself out there can take many forms and is arguably easy than ever in the digital age, but some prime strategies include:

  • Taking strong stances: many companies explode via the likes of Medium and social media because they make bold statements that go against the grain of their industry
  • Making yourself vulnerable: people respond to storytelling and authenticity, so don’t be afraid to share your goals, struggles and challenges in pursuit of a more personal connection with the public
  • Get involved in the community: don’t neglect the power of face-to-face networking, community involvement and volunteering for the sake of letting people know what you and your company stand for.

All businesses crave attention, and rightfully so. The key takeaways are for businesses to both take a stand and put themselves out there rather than assume that such much-needed exposure is going to happen overnight. While it may take some networking and legwork, putting these tips in action should be a top priority.