No matter your reasons for wanting more exposure, doing something wacky in front of other people will always get the job done. People may think you're funny, creative, desperate, or one brick short of a full load. But hey, no matter what people think of you, you're sure to get some attention, and that's where success begins.



Pulling a crazy stunt doesn't have to cost a lot of money. How about renting a lobster or gorilla costume from your local costume shop, then standing on a busy street corner with a sign around your neck? Wave to passing cars, hand out flyers, or distribute free samples. At the very least, you'll make an impression on the minds of several hundred people, arousing their curiosity about who you are and what makes you crazy enough to pull a stunt like that. Who knows... if you're crazy enough, you just might end up on the local news.

If the local crowd doesn't interest you, how about doing something outrageous online? Put together a web site of crazy video clips (like the ones people email to you all the time), jokes, and cartoons. Register the site with search engines and let fun-seekers check it out. In several prominent places on the site, place a link to your business. Your joke site may not have anything at all to do with your business, but if you're looking for plain old-fashioned attention, that really doesn't matter.

Contests can also work wonders for exposure. One local car dealership in my city staged a bad credit contest. They held a free barbecue and invited anyone with poor credit to come by and fill out an application. The contestant with the absolute worst credit of all was given a brand new car. People may have questioned their tactics, but hundreds of people showed up for the contest and free food. So, why not stage a live or online contest of your own? Reward the winner with a prize and plaster your label all over the t-shirts, entry forms, etc.

Above all, remember that if you can make people grin, wonder, shake their heads, or chuckle, they'll remember you the next time they need a service like yours.