One of the most common questions asked by new Chamber members is, "How can I get the word out about my business?"

Here are ten business promotion ideas that are just some of the ways you can promote your small business without spending a small fortune.

With a little experimentation and time, you'll find out which of these ideas work best for you - and best get the word out about your small business.

1) Use every outgoing piece of paper and every electronic document as business promotion. You have business cards, but you also put out a lot of other documents in the course of doing business.

2) Writing articles on topics related to your business expertise is an excellent business promotion technique. Well-written articles can provide free advertising and build positive word-of-mouth. If you're a realtor, for instance, you could write a piece on preparing your home to be shown. If you're a website designer, you might write a piece about assessing website usability. The more specific your topic, the better.

3) Sending out press releases is another great way to get some free business promotion. The caveat to using press releases as a business promotion tool is that your press release has to actually contain information that is newsworthy. It should also be engaging enough to get people's interest. Has your business recently expanded? Do you have a new product? Have you been involved in some promotional activity such as sponsoring a charity event? Have you or your company recently won an award?

4) If you're an Internet user, spend some of your online time on business promotion. Posting messages in forums (a.k.a. bulletin boards) is a great way to make your business known to people you would otherwise be unable to contact.

5) Use buddy marketing to promote your business. For example, if you send out brochures, you could include a leaflet and/or business card of another business, which had agreed to do the same for you. This gives you the chance to reach a whole new pool of potential customers.

6) Give out freebies as business promotion. We're all familiar with hearing or reading advertisements that promise that the first 50 people to visit a particular store will receive a free (____). You fill in the blank. People love to receive things that are free.

7) Promote your business on a talk show. Our local radio stations or cable TV station may have programs that are looking for guests - a great low-cost way to promote your business! Business-related programs are ideal.

8) Promote your business by giving a seminar or presentation. You have expertise that other people are interested in! (You couldn't be in business if you didn't.)

9) Use your vehicle to promote your business. Mobile business promotion isn't just for white delivery vans. Think of all the people who see your vehicle when you're driving around - especially if you live in a place where people often get stuck in traffic!

10) Promote your business through your leisure activities. Whether your chosen leisure activity is working on a automobile restoration project, rock-climbing, or shopping there are all kinds of ways to promote your business.

Where's the harm in shopping or rock-climbing wearing a T-shirt that has the name of your business prominently displayed?

Get in the habit of doing business promotion wherever you go, and you'll be surprised how wordof-mouth builds.

The important thing is that you have to make it happen - so why not look at your current activities to see if there are ways to make them a promotional opportunity.

Time spent promoting your business is one of the most rewarding investments you can make!

We are YOUR Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce.