publicity campaigns. Before the formal launch of your business

Tossing a completely unknown name into a sea of information-saturated minds is a surefire guarantee to anonymity. Yet, methods have to be devised to keep that name alive in people's minds.

If these methods are limited to advertising, the company will probably be seen as a spammer. This is where PR comes in - establishing credibility and building a reputation, so that customers get to know about the company from honest, credible sources.

In this piece, I shall outline five ways to earn credibility in the eyes of complete strangers:

First, publicity campaigns. Before the formal launch of your business, you need to build up some buzz around it. Spread information on the Internet, submit pieces related to your industry to the local papers, and get people talking on topics related to your business. This generates a demand for your product, just before it hits the market. Obviously, the economic climate should also be taken into account before choosing your launch date - launching a line of winterwear in May is not a clever move, to give you a simple example.

Secondly, press releases. Press releases are writeups about specific events that are submitted to news channels, supplying necessary information for them to perform an analysis. Getting your press release turned into an article by a noted business analyst can do a lot to boost your reputation among that news channel's readership. Always, ALWAYS get your press releases written by certified PR professionals. A lot of press releases arrive at journalist's doors in shambles - badly written, misspelled, containing too much fluff and not enough fact. I'll leave you to guess where all of these end up!

Thirdly, communicate with related firms in your industry. For example, a new RAM manufacturer who can get endorsements and recommendations from motherboard suppliers will quickly get hold of a core group of clients. Fourthly, earn referrals. Getting recommendations from clients is the best way to find new clients. A person who receives a call with a recommendation behind it - warm calling - will be much more open to the idea of investing with the business than the recipient of the cold call. Fifth, always have marketing plans in place for several types of new clients - individuals, small businesses, corporate firms etc. These are your micro-level marketing plans, to be used while in one-on-one or small group meetings with prospective clients. In these situations, a specific message tailored for the customer is necessary. Earning third party credibility is tough, yes, but setting up a group of core clients who you have earned by sheer business marketing - rather than personal connections or influence - serves as a solid base for business in the future. Small businesses often succeed in marketing through referrals alone, which shows the power of this core group. Of course, you can always add some incentive - written or unwritten - for referrers, by offering freebies, discounts or extra special treatment for your regular customers.