by Monique Harris

'Branding' became one of the hottest buzzwords/trends of the late 90's, especially in the online world. It was a huge conversation piece among all the major corporations, who were trying to win wired audiences around the world. And theories galore were given by top marketing and advertising gurus who suggested every branding technique, from television commercials, to ads on the sides of buses, to personalized Web sites.

But how do you brand when you're just a one-man or woman band, who doesn't have the budget for a 30-second commercial during the "Drew Carey Show" - let alone the Super Bowl? What makes a potential customer remember your company, beyond their initial click-fest at your Web site?

Here are a few of my own tactics, which I refer to as the Cheap Click Branding Strategies. Use them when you want to create or solidify your place in the market. Use them when you want greater name recognition. But most of all ... just use them!

1) Tell people what you do, and how you do it.

Every marketing expert in the world says that it's not wise to talk extensively about yourself, within your marketing copy.

Hogwash! I do a daily e-zine called "Stories From a Brain Food Saleswoman," and all I do is talk about me. Well more specifically, I give a re-count of the daily trials and tribulations associated with being an infopreneur. I tell readers which promotional manoeuvers I'm using, how much it's costing me, what works and what flops.

Many people say I'm giving away my trade secrets. But in actuality, telling what I'm doing has DRAMATICALLY increased my sales.

As a one-person operation, you have to work twice as hard to prove that you're an expert at what you do. Sometimes giving a bunch of features and benefits won't do the trick. You've got to show prospects that you can walk the talk.

My daily diary has been the perfect tool to demonstrate my know-how. And by giving the diary adequate bandwidth on my homepage, return visits are unbelievably high. All of that from talking about yourself. Who would've guessed?!?

2) Give your customers more than they bargained for.

Whenever a person purchases one of my information products, I almost always throw in a freebie or two. I'm not talking about some cheap AM radio, or a pen with my company name on it.

I mean something worthwhile, that's going to make my customer say "Wow! This is REALLY nice!" Plus it has to be something that is complementary to what they paid for.

For example, I throw in a couple of special reports with all new orders. With an e-book I was selling, I would include a free 30-minute consultation. (None of this was mentioned in the sales letter, so it was always a welcome surprise.)

By doing this, you make the customer feel happier about their purchase. Plus they're 1,000 times more likely to refer people to you when you've gone above and beyond your vendor duties.

3) Do joint ventures with other business owners.

When small businesses team up with other small businesses, they both take on a bigger look. It's the combined strength factor that makes such alliances appealing.

You can endorse each other's products and services in your respective e-zines. Bundle the other person's products and services with your own. Do tele-seminars together. Include the other person's catalog with your orders. The sky's the limit.

As you can see, it's not a matter of having a huge bank account to brand your small business. A little creativity can go a long way.