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Guest post by: Jessica Swanson Become an Author

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A few days ago, I was out to lunch with my friend and small business owner, Betty. Even though she runs a fairly successful small business, Betty gets bogged down with the marketing side of things. Actually, forget about "bogged down," it's more accurate to say that Betty's marketing is usually at a full-fledged, screeching halt.

And, her non-existent marketing campaign is the direct result of the "Busy-Betty" syndrome. Betty is hard at work running her small business and can barely keep her head afloat, much less spend time on marketing.

But, Betty knows that when she doesn't market, she can't bring visitors to her website, create leads or make new sales. More importantly, Betty knows that if she is going to bring her small business to the next level, she absolutely must get busy marketing.

So, Betty asked me to lunch because she wanted the "skinny" on my favorite marketing tips. She wasn't interested in the long-drawn-out and expanded marketing report. Betty wanted the Reader's Digest version of marketing.

So, for all of you "Busy Betty's" out there, here's the abbreviated adaptation of my top five favorite Shoestring Marketing tips:

•1. Flaunt your uniqueness.

In the marketing world it's called your Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and it's an indispensable part of your small business. With small business competition at a premium, small business owners need to clearly differentiate themselves within their industry.

Your clients and customers need a compelling reason why they are going to do business with you as opposed to everyone else out there who is clamoring for their attention. You must prove to your prospects, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that you are the exclusive "go-to" person in your industry.

•2. Create massive visibility.

In today's fast-paced world, your prospects need to see your marketing message up to twenty-seven times before they even notice you. That's why it's crucial that you create a dominant presence on a variety of marketing platforms.

If your prospects read your Tweets, view your Facebook updates, read your online articles and watch your YouTube video, they can't help but pay attention to you. You want your prospects to ask, "Wow, she is everywhere! Who in the world is she?" Once they ask themselves this question, the natural next step is for them to find out more about your small business.

•3. Create a rock-solid business foundation.

Most small business owners understand the importance of a web-presence in today's marketplace. However, small business owners who create a landing page that asks prospects to supply their name and email in exchange for an irresistible free offer are able to build a list.

In today's competitive environment, asking your prospects to sign up for your free newsletter is not appealing enough. To build a robust list of interested prospects, you need to create a tantalizing free offer that your prospects simply can't refuse.

•4. Educate your list.

Once your prospects join your "list," you will need to nurture that relationship. A prospect needs to like, trust and ultimately learn from you before they are ready to make a purchase. So, it's important that you send them valuable and educational tips, tools and strategies from your industry: articles, videos, podcasts, blog posts and press releases. Education is the fastest way to capture your prospects' hearts.

•5. Treat your customers like royalty.

Don't make the all too common mistake of forgetting about your current customers. Too many small business owners make the sale and mistakenly think that their job is done. Your current customers and clients are your most valuable asset. Treat them with a bit of extra TLC by paying extra attention to them, giving them special offers and discounts and rewarding those who are loyal. When you treat your customers well, up to 30% will purchase from you again and again.

So, there you have it; the condensed version of my top five favorite Shoestring Marketing tips to help all you "Busy Betty's" get busy marketing.

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