As we begin a new year, most of us think about what we were able (or unable) to accomplish the previous year, and we set new goals for ourselves. Sometimes our goals are personal, like losing weight, starting to exercise, and eating better. Maybe we plan to make home improvements or spend more time with the family.

In business, we often focus on reaching more customers and selling them on our products or services. But unless we have a business that no one else has, or it is so much better than all others, it may be tough to make a big impact. Not to fear! There are myriad ways to get your company out there and get noticed by new contacts that won’t break the bank.

Here is a short list of things you can do to help promote your company:

Email Marketing – Bing works with small to medium businesses to help them reach out to current and new clients, creating awareness for their product and services. We take advantage of various online services that offer pre-made templates to simplify the process and keep it affordable. We’ve also found that creating customized HTML emails is a way to get attention and promote what you might be up to or have to offer. Costs for the various services are based on your recipient list. Costs for customizing HTML and graphics for your brand is determined by your goals.

Social Media – Many people now have their own account on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Google+, or other popular social media sites. Why? Some like to have personal access to friends, co-workers, or staff, others just like to share with the world. Here at Bing, we know there is a real benefit to having a social media presence for your business. One, you are out there in a very public space and accessible. Two, you can use that space to attract old and new customers. Just note, social media outlets are very keen to businesses fishing for new business. Be real, be honest, join in conversations and you’ll find leads. With many sites, you can also have a small page for your business. Just be cautious about depending on these sites for all your web presence, they still own the space, not you. Most sites are free to join. Costs for strategically establishing your brand and goals is determined by your situation.

Web Site – The days of starting a small business site out with a very expensive platform and hosting package are gone. These days, reliable hosting is extremely affordable and we can help you establish a CMS site with all the contemporary bells and whistles. Bing works with clients daily to establish hosting, select and purchase a domain name(s), map out a site, and build content that is good for SEO, relevant to users, and easy for clients to edit and modify if needed. We often work with clients on monthly maintenance such as copy revisions, new content, and special offers relevant to individual branding and marketing needs.

The economy seems to be slowly progressing and growing. If you can position your company well now, you’ll be in a better place to manage new work, with less struggle to bring it in.