5. Partner with your clients in a marketing effort, workshop, or special event. The more opportunities you have to spend with your clients, more you will connect on a personal basis.

6. Provide value every day. Freebies and discounts are a great way to keep clients and make new ones. A free car wash, hair cut, facial, or gift certificate are always popular. Offer something unique to show your customers that you are creative and open to new ideas.

7. Follow successes of companies that have a reputation for outstanding customer service. By learning from pros, your business will grow and improve.

8. Connect with your clients on common ground. Find out what you share in common with your clients. They will remember you and develop a sense of friendship.

9. Spend time with your competition, and know what they are doing. In this competitive world, it is difficult to stay ahead. Design a suggestion box for customers to let you know about better prices and better service.

10. Remember! Your customers are always right even if they're wrong. Thank your customers for both positive and negative comments. Do all in your power to make them happy

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29% - “Think Local & Large Media Are The ONLY Media” These are ones who think of their media market in two simple terms: LOCAL & LARGE LOCAL, as you might imagine, means media outlets in their city or surrounding geographic region -- local newspaper, a regional business magazine or two, a few shows at local radio/TV stations. LARGE, on other hand, are media outlets like The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Good Morning America, Oprah or your other favorite large circulation, trade specific media outlet.

The Lesson: The reality is local and large are indeed part of your media market, but not only ones. The best media market opportunities may well be dozens of other smaller scale papers, magazines, newsletters or TV/radio/cable shows that may generate more customer interest and sales than a placement in big media might. Because of a lack of media market knowledge, many business owners don’t even know these smaller, more targeted media outlets exist. This is where a PR agency or publicity specialist can be integral in your publicity campaign. They know media market very well and will be able to find those media members who will be best for generating editorial features on your business or product. They also have great media contacts that can turn one feature into a syndicated story that runs in multiple media outlets nationwide.

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41% - “Have A Good Grasp On Their Potential Media Market And Its Benefits” These are media-savvy entrepreneurs and business owners who are realistic and knowledgeable about how media can benefit their business. They know that they have to narrowcast their media pitch to a select segment of media in order to get coverage that will increase exposure for business.

The Lesson: Don’t let a PR agency or publicity specialist tell you they will send your pitch to 20,000, 30,000 or 50,000 media outlets. The reality is, of 8,000 daily & weekly newspapers, 11,000 magazines & newsletters, 15,000 radio/TV/cable stations and 7,000 Internet news sites in North America, only about 25% of those accept press releases from outside their geographic area. They cover only LOCAL issues, businesses and products, and it is a waste of time to target them. The key is researching to discover which media outlets will be receptive to your pitch and knowing how to parlay those media contacts into positive consumer interest features that will educate and entice customers about your product or business.

Just like marketing to find right customers, one should be equally diligent about finding and pitching right media market. Bottom line – whether you have a general interest product that has widespread consumer appeal or a trade specific business with a very narrow customer base, knowing your appropriate media market can mean difference between product/business publicity or product/business obscurity.