Run out of ideas of how to promote your business. Below you will find 25 marketing and promotional ideas that will get your mind back on track. Use these ideas and tactics to spark additional marketing and promotional initiatives for your particular business. Be sure to evaluate the benefits and their related costs as it relates to your particular industry and business structure.

For a FREE Guide to "Over 150 Ways to Promote Your Business", follow the link at the bottom of this page and sign-up for our FREE "Business Tips Newsletter". It will help you increase your customer base and increase your sales. Ok, let's get started with 25 ways to promote your business.

1. Sending 'thank you' letters or 'sorry for any inconvenience' letters can effectively put forth your company's caring and considerate message, while simultaneously encouraging repeat business and important referrals. Also, company cards sent on occasions other than Christmas will surely draw more attention.

2. Winning prestigious awards and organizing or attending awards banquets will help to both boost the morale of your employees and co-workers, as well as to draw attention to your company and products' achievements. If an award in your realm does not exists, then take charge by creating an award and winning it yourself!

3. E-mailing can be a very effective way to promote your product, as long as you go about it correctly. E-mailing permits rapid transmission of data, quotes, and product information to interested consumers. Ensure, though, that you have an effective and captivating subject for your message, that you enclose your return e-mail address, web address, correct email address, and that you target your markets in your e-mails. Remember too that in the face of technology's increased use, the value of a personal call or mailed card has not diminished.

4. On the occasion that your product or company runs into a crisis or press problems, ensure that you have a back up public relations plan to boost interest, understanding, and sales. This may include public appearances, or increased informative publications for your target market.

5. You can promote your company and your product, and also voice your views among those in your target market through writing in a guest column for a magazine or newspaper in your business trade. Calling up newspaper reporters to have your picture and a caption or short story in the paper is also sure to be an effective promotion device.

6. To accentuate your advertising campaign, giveaways can be a very effective way to promote your product among potentially enthusiastic users. Having well-known people using your product is sure to endorse it and your company.

7. Aside from targeting your markets, targeting who you advertise through and where you send your press releases is fundamental in promoting your product and service. Sending samples and press releases to those magazines and journalists who have a history of covering your type of product is sure to be effective.

8. When you sponsor an event, make sure that you cover not only the event, but build awareness by leading up to it with advertising, and follow up after it with encouraging coupons, flyers, and effective press photos. To really have an effect, opt for offering more than the suggested sponsorship amount, and instead create a grand prize in the event. For example, offer a large prize - even one that you cannot afford to giveaway - to the individual who manages to beat a certain record. Insurance policies can be taken out to prevent yourself from potential losses.

For example, major sponsors of golf tournaments sometimes pledge a $10,000 cash prize to a golfer who gets a hole-in-one. The sponsor buys insurance at a much lower price than the $10,000 cash award. Should a golfer get a hole in one, the insurance company pays the cash prize; not the sponsor. As you might suspect, the sponsoring company can get a great deal of free press using this tactic.

9. Throw a function for your target market, something specific to their interests, and invite the media. You could also make use of your knowledge of your target market, and instead of throwing a party or organizing a function to bring them to you, be where they are. Delivering promotional demonstrations, luncheons or giveaways in crucial areas of interest to your target market is sure to increase awareness and interest.

10. For a free promotional boost, call in on radio talk shows to voice your point of view and to present your product and company over the airwaves. People discuss what they hear on the radio, and this can help encourage word of mouth advertising.

11. Research your customers. Find out their preferences, feelings about your products, prices and service, and explore what they think you could do to improve your service to them. Ask them if your product would be useful and of interest. Use the results of these findings to assess your staff, product, prices, and presentation, and make the necessary changes to ensure growth and prosperity. It is also useful to poll customers that did not take an interest in your product or have lost interest in your product. This will help you understand what you may have lacked, and thus improve your quality, appeal, and service.

12. Encourage your consumers to fill out questionnaires to help you improve service. This can be achieved surprisingly by offering discounts or prizes to potential questionnaire participants. Even conducting simple, quick oral polls - such as, "if we made this in a larger size, would you be interested in purchasing it?" Tactics like this can help you gage ways to modify and improve your product.

13. The name of your company is very important. It has to be clear, concise, relate to your product and your business philosophy. It must be attractive, informative, and easy to remember and spell.

14. An effective way to find out how you are managing consumers and clients is to call your own company and pretend to be an inquisitive consumer yourself (or have a friend call). This will help you discover whether your sales team is courteous, informed, and cordial towards potential clients.

15. Discover how your customers first came to hear and know about your company and your product. This question yields important answers that reveal which of your advertising methods are best paying off.

16. Ensure that questionnaires are concise and easy to understand. True or false, ranking quality tests, or multiple choice are sure to elicit more useful responses than written answer questions.

17. Set up a toll free line that enables consumers to contact your company and leave messages at their convenience. Be sure to respond to all calls of queries and concerns to show prompt and attentive customer service.

18. Look towards universities and colleges that may have students eager to get experience in your realm of business. They may conduct surveys or do market research for you, for very little cost to you, and a significant educational benefit to them. In addition, many universities or colleges will entertain the idea of getting their students to perform specialized tasks that you don't have time for such as web page design. As you can see, this arrangement benefits both you and the students working on the project.

19. A couple of weeks before you attend a seminar, for instance, it is wise to send a copy of your latest book, business publication, or informative pamphlet to the guest speakers. This acts as an ice breaker and gives you a method to approach the guest speakers at the event. It increases your network and may generate sales through future referrals through the speaker's circle of influence.

20. If you generate your own corporate mailing list (be it physical mailing addresses or email addresses), make sure you NEVER EVER sell the list to third party entities. This is simply unethical and will ruin your business! At www.peibiz.com all contact information is held in confidence and backed by our privacy policy! I suggest you adopt the same policy!

21. When mailing out information, use regular sized postcards and envelopes, and send mail in a timely manner to avoid the fees for larger envelopes and faster shipping. Provide an attractive logo or picture on your outgoing mail envelop representing what your business does. Think about it... How many people will see the envelop before it actually reaches the intended recipient.

22. Analyze your company documents to identify your top clients, your peak selling period of the year, and your top selling products. These pieces of information are sure to help you in future business decisions regarding product orders, cards to send, or when to hold liquidation sales.

23. Ensure that your marketing campaign demonstrates the most complete service, and the best quality product that you can offer to consumers.

24. Include some kind of incentive with your catalogues, information packages or flyers. Additions like gift certificates, coupons, and free gifts are sure to draw attention to your winning offers and products. Also, don't hesitate to advertise on the outside of your packages or envelopes to allow your customer a sneak peak at the value and quality inside.

25. Promote your company and your product by wearing hats, pins, t-shirts, or jackets advertising your logo and slogan. Sell these, or give them to clients and employees to increase your exposure.