Building a loyal customer base is vital to the success of any new business—but competing for attention in a world bombarded with advertising may be a young company’s most daunting challenge. Packed with advice from experienced entrepreneurs, this video highlights smart ways to generate recognition for a start-up business and drive traffic to it. Viewers learn the necessity of researching a competitor’s advertising tactics, developing a marketing plan, and testing various promotional strategies. Topics include the need for targeted messaging that connects with the customer base; effective Web site building and development; networking through involvement in the community; the idea of business referral or liaising with other firms that aren’t direct competitors; and smaller-scale advertising based on repetition as an alternative to more splashy and expensive methods. Part of the series You’re the Boss: Starting and Running Your Own Business. (25 minutes)
