Be Your Own (free) advert

If you are struggling for ideas about how to get your business name out and about then consider putting yourself forward as a case study.
Journalists are always looking for case studies to illustrate their features and in some cases you may be paid.
If you haven't already then sign up to Getting Ink Requests, a central resource for journalists who post their case study requests on a regular basis.
The website welcomes responses from small business owners and most journalists will include a reference to your business, book or website in return for participation in a feature.
It means you could gain valuable publicity, as well as building relationships with the press.
However, before you respond make sure you are happy to talk about the subject.
* Carefully consider articles which may require you to provide personal information which you may not be happy to publicise.
* Always ask the journalist to mention your business - don't expect them to automatically do this for you.
* You can ask to see the copy before it goes to press but be aware that once the journalist has submitted the copy to a publication it may be edited again.
* If they refuse do not be offended as journalists are often working to a very tight deadline and it can slow the process down.