How to market your small business

If you are a small to medium sized salon or a freelancer, chances are you often feel you've quite enough to do, without entangling yourself in the business of marketing yourself. But, according to new book, 85 Inspiring Ways to Market Your Small Business, neglecting the publicity machine could stunt the growth of your business or even threaten its viability.For those daunted by the prospect of wading through pages and pages of management speak the book's author, and director of marketing consultancy Marketingco, Jackie Jarvis, has packaged her message in 85 bite-sized chunks. It goes on to offer practical and immediate solutions to explain how marketing will benefit your business. According to the author, the book will help you:

• Understand your market place, your competition and customers
• Develop a credible marketing message that attracts your target customer
• Decide on the most effective marketing methods for your business
• Attract new customers and boost business with existing clients
• Build your business profile so it's always working for you
• Sell yourself and your business with ease and confidence
• Complete your marketing plan and create a successful marketing system.

Of course, as a marketing guru, it could be the author is simply doing a good job of selling herself. But if she is following her own advice then, it stands to reason she's probably got a few good pointers between the pages for the rest of you.