Attracting new customers to your business is expensive and time-consuming. If you let your customers do the marketing for you, you can concentrate your time and money on one of the countless other projects on your to-do list.

And the Internet allows you to promote your business to customers while at the same time making it easy for them to recommend your business to their friends, family, and colleagues. Here are a few time-tested solutions.

# Email newsletters. Including useful content and valuable incentives in your email newsletters will encourage customers to forward your newsletter to potential customers.

# Promotions. Two-for-one deals or friends-and-family discounts can encourage current customers to bring new clients to your business.

# Unique Web site features. If you're promoting your services as a nutritionist, for instance, include a calorie calculator on your site. Customers who find the calculator useful can easily forward a link to friends and promote this feature.

# "Email a friend" feature. This makes it easy for site visitors to email content or information to other interested people. The fewer hurdles you provide to customers, the more success you'll enjoy.