If you're planning to develop new products and services, you should test them with your customers with just as much care and attention as a new business going to market for the first time.
These days, it's imperative to put your best digital foot forward by maintaining a positive online image. If you haven't thought about it before, perhaps it's time to take a hard (honest) look at how you're managing your online reputation.
While these Fortune 500 companies have deep coffers to spend on promotional advertising, be it a national campaign or a one-time million dollar Super Bowl ad, your average business does not.
So what's a fledgling business with a small budget to do? Well, if you're smart, you consider matte releases like those written and produced by Washington D.C.-based NewsUSA.
For those unfamiliar with this underused but effective marketing technique, a matte story is a preformatted feature article that print and online editors can use when they don't have enough copy to fill the space.
"When companies don't have million dollar budgets, how do you show investors and your sales team what you're doing? This is where NewsUSA comes in," said Rick Smith, founder and CEO of NewsUSA.
For a small fee, Smith said a client is guaranteed somewhere between 1,000-1,400 placements per story with media outlets in all 50 states. Clients are sent the tear sheets and screenshots to prove the placements. Currently, Smith said NewsUSA guarantees to place its clients' content on television sites and hundreds of digital and print newspapers.
Smith said NewsUSA will write and format the content based on the message the client wants to get across and provide images for client approval.
In terms of mass marketing to the consumer for that amount of money, "you don't," Smith said.
In this way, Smith said he believes he's created a nice niche for people who are trying to do something, but may not have a big media budget.