In those crucial moments before a buying decision, those who don't know you will often judge on appearances - if it walks like a duck, they'll quickly conclude it's a duck. And, in most cases, this occurs before you've ever had the opportunity to make your big splash.

There is no disputing the power of a well-written, newsworthy press release. In fact, it is one of the single best things you can do for your business.

Aside from the obvious competition in the marketplace, as marketers, we have to contend with consumers who TiVo through commercials, listen to advertisement-free satellite radio, and block ads with their browsers. If you are lucky enough to garner a few precious moments of visibility, you better make them count. What can you do to get consumers to remember you?

Press release writing can be a bit daunting at first, but it is certainly a skill that can be mastered. Armed with the proper tools and a bit of patience, you can be crafting your own killer press releases in relatively short order.

Many a savvy salesman has lost a sale because he failed to know his customer. You may have infinite product knowledge, a slick sales pitch, and a phenomenal product - but, if you don't know who needs your product and why they need it - you'll be about as effective as a death row pardon at two minutes past midnight.

As business owners, it is easy to fall prey to a culture with a short attention span. But change, simply for the sake of change, is never a good idea.

Market like a dandelion? You betcha! We can learn a lot about "grassroots" marketing from those pesky little guys.

A fresh-faced young sales clerk gets a lesson in product knowledge using an unlikely prop - an athletic support. This true story played an integral role in the early training of a popular internet marketer.

One of the most common challenges that small business owners face is the lack of funds to properly promote themselves. One way to stretch those promotional dollars is to focus on leveraging creative marketing opportunities.

Like all good things, fonts are best when used in moderation. It's always a good idea to run your selections by a trusted friend or colleague before you go "live." While a design may seem intoxicating in the moment, things may look totally different in the morning...so font responsibly.

The word "niche" may be all the rage these days, but it really isn't a new concept. In fact, savvy marketers have been quietly raking in their fortunes using the niche principle for hundreds of years.

Employing testimonials as marketing tools is both cost-efficient and smart marketing. Now, more than ever before, word-of-mouth referrals and endorsements can quickly take on mythical proportions, seemingly overnight.

Applying the diet concept to our business can help us get the new year off to a healthy start.

Is it possible that the Terminator has something to teach small business owners about technology?

What can we do to make our company or product worthy of the water cooler?