Running a business is hard enough and marketing your brand, product and yourself takes extra time, energy and brainpower. But to be successful and acquire more business you must do more than care for your customers, douse fires, and pay bills.

Publicity Works is here to help! We’ve come up with a few simple tips to market your business that doesn’t cost a fortune and won’t crush your cranium.

Give Thanks! We are huge fans of the personal thank you note. If someone has referred you, helped you, given you a plug via social media, let them know you appreciate it.

Blog. Even if they are brief, show the web that you have something to offer that other companies don’t.

Network like a pro. There are so many ways to connect with people in your industry as well as other vendors and contractors that could send you additional business. Find a way to connect whether it’s coffee talk, a cocktail party, linkedin or facebook.

Holler! If you like what you see let the owner of the intellectual property know you dig it. You never know what kind of products or services they may be in the market for. Introduce yourself via e-mail or social media and give them kudos. After all, everyone loves a shout-out.

Stay Current. Be sure to update your website and social media platforms with your most current work. You’d hate to be overlooked because you seem out-of-touch.

If you like what you see here give us a shout!

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Social Media has changed the way we do business. There is no doubt about that. At the same time, it has changed the playing field for job-seekers and employers. We all have more information at our disposal – which can be useful or detrimental to a job search.

We’ve compiled the following strategies to help you to connect with those companies that are hiring. Here’s how to get going and get noticed:

Research - Start with the company’s own Web site and blog. 
A company’s online presence offers a window into the business itself. Beyond the obvious services, this is how the company presents itself to prospective clients and the public. Read the blog. Become familiar with its writers and the topics discussed there. Consider commenting only if you could add something useful to the conversation. You can get a feel for the work environment long before you set foot in the office or get an interview.

Keep Going - Don’t stop there.
Research anything else you can find online – articles mentioning the company, it’s managers or employees. Find out if the business has earned awards for its work, if it is engaged with the community. You can learn a lot with a little digging.

Go Social - Use social networks to your advantage.
Seek out company pages on Facebook, profiles on LinkedIn. Search for personnel on Twitter and connect to them. By following daily updates you can get a feel for the flow of work and the personalities you’d be working for or with at the prospective business.

Get Networking – It’s time to engage.
Once you’ve established those connections you have a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know the employees. This is an ideal chance to find out if the company in question is the right fit. See what sort of education and background other staff members have, and show a genuine interest in the business.

Apply Yourself - From there, you’ve earned an edge above the competition.
Get your perfectly polished online resume complete with a concise, personalized cover letter over to the right person and express your interest formally. Ask for an interview. From here, the traditional job-hunting standards hold true.

The Flipside - Just remember prospective employers are also social media savvy.
They have these same tools at their disposal when seeking serious candidates. Monitor the information you’re putting out into the Blogosphere. Remember that public profiles on Twitter, Facebook, Myspace and elsewhere can and likely will be viewed by potential employers. If they contain something you wouldn’t want on your resume, keep those posts and profiles private.

Do you have tips for job-seekers? Have you found a job thanks to social networking? We want to hear about it.