Billboards & Bumper Stickers

In every community, the doers are perceived as the movers and shakers. To build your business's identity and enhance its image--and yours--become active in local Kiwanis or Rotary clubs, join the chamber of commerce, do some public speaking, write informational articles for magazines, publish your own newsletter, or offer to serve on the United Way board. "It takes time to create an image without doing image advertising, but your efforts will produce results," Gerson says.

You can get free publicity by doing something newsworthy. "Apply for business awards," Senjem advises. "Publicize your awards and achievements with a news release to newspapers, and make a public service announcement to local radio and television stations."

This article was originally published in the December 1996 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: Billboards & Bumper Stickers.