An entrepreneur I met with told me her startup business needed a website. When I asked why, she said, “Because every company has a website, so why should mine be any different?” When I pressed further and asked what end the website would serve, she paused, looking a little puzzled, and said, “Well, I don’t know, you tell me.”

This same entrepreneur never would have imagined launching her startup without a business plan. Yet she had no problem with the idea of starting a website with no purpose in mind. She is not alone. This Field of Dreams mentality of “If you build it, they will come” is pervasive among startups. Unfortunately, it does not work.

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1. Business Cards

Whether you love them, hate them or are simply indifferent, you can’t discount how much business those little 3.5 x 2 inch cards can bring you. But are you aware of all the many things you can do with them? The standard image that comes to mind is passing them out at a networking event while chatting with interested prospects, but don’t stop there! You can include them in correspondence (this includes statements, invoices, thank you cards, etc), leave them at your favorite café or restaurant, have friends and suppliers pass them out for you, leave them with tips or payments, throw a party and tie them to helium balloons all around the room, get magnet versions and pass those out, throw a business card exchange or party, and so much more. Be creative!

2. Postcards

Some people would prefer you to believe that with the internet as the “new” rage, printed media and direct mail are dead. Never! With more and more companies turning to the world wide web, print is even better than ever due to the market becoming less saturated as companies try to save costs by choosing to advertise online. Now, you don’t want you to market in mass. You need to be selective. Break out your contact list and send postcards that are tailored to keeping your current clients, prospects and suppliers interested in you (preferably contacts that you’ve spoken with in the last 6 – 12 months). This will surely get you some business you didn’t know you could get.

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