Consider the humble article.

Articles are everywhere, yet annoy no one. They're promotional, yet don't reek of in-your-face advertising. The best ones are easy to read, deliver valuable information, and entertain as well as inform.

Marketing experts hail articles as one of the prime lead generation tools for small business owners limited by time, budgets, and resources.

This workhorse of a content vehicle:

1. BUILDS YOUR EXPERT REPUTATION. People see you as important because you're out there. You're viewed as the go-to guru in your field. And you've got a leg up on the non-published competition because of it.

2. INVITES TARGETED TRAFFIC. Your article isn't a cold call or a sales pitch. It's a low-risk, low-cost portal for those who read your articles to visit your site, learn more about your offerings, and ultimately, do business with you.

3. INCREASES INCOMING LINKS. Article marketing gives publishers and professionals in your industry an easy way to recommend you as a resource to their audience and clients. (More exposure, leads, and opportunities!)

4. PRE-QUALIFIES YOUR PROSPECTS. This is a great way to educate your audience. If readers connect with what you're saying - your style, opinions, voice, vision, philosophies, knowledge, etc. - they're more likely to want to work with you when they're ready to move forward.

5. DELIVERS DIGNITY-RICH VALUE. Instead of feeling like they're being sold to, your audience gets what they want to know when they want to know it. They're grateful to you for sharing your niche information. They get to know, like, and trust you.

6. LEVERAGES YOUR TIME, KNOW-HOW, AND EXPERTISE. One online article can reach hundreds, thousands, even hundreds of thousands of prospects. And since it's online, it can attract new readers year after year. What's more, you can use these articles in your other marketing efforts - in emails to inquirers and current clients, on postcards, and as printouts at networking and speaking events, for example.

7. BOOSTS YOUR BUSINESS AND BOTTOM LINE! Online articles with exceptional resource boxes are organic, keyword-loaded traffic magnets that win the hearts of prospects and search engines alike!

Next time you have an hour or so to work on your business, why not give article marketing a whirl?

Jot down a few bullet points around a process. Answer a frequently-asked question in your area of expertise. Provide a how-to, share a case study, or launch a myth-busting rant.

Then submit your article to a online distribution service, industry publications, relevant media outlets, or all of the above. Post it on your website, send it to your current clients, and put it in your marketing arsenal for unlimited use.

That's the humble article, at your service. This could be the beginning of a beautiful, profitable friendship!