Laboring in obscurity is not the formula for success in any business, large or small. One way or another, in order to make a living you will have to spread the word about your fantastic new product, service, or store.

Perhaps the most obvious way to do this is to advertise. Have your accountant or financial advisor help you plan an annual advertising budget, which should usually fall between 2 and 10 percent of your estimated yearly gross. Be sure to pick the best possible medium for your product--radio, television, magazines, local newspapers, and publications with a specialized market (travel magazines, antiques periodicals, food publications). Keep track of the responses you receive from your ads. Advertising is expensive, and you want to get your money's worth and reach your target market. Debby DuBay took this tack with her Limoges antiques shop: "the first year I advertised in everything. The second year, I advertised only in those publications that I got responses from."

Every businessperson needs to be media savvy. Hiring a publicist who knows which magazines and media outlets cover your particular business is not a bad idea, at least at the outset. But you yourself will probably be the best promoter of your business. Your unique touches may be the most effective form of advertising. New York interior designer Charlotte Moss made the bold move of inviting appropriate magazine editors, one at a time, to tea when she first opened a store. She has since been featured in many interior design magazines, which has given her incredible amounts of exposure.

Another fun way to get the word out about a new store or business is to throw a Grand Opening party. Invite as many people as you can handle--friends, relatives, local business owners, neighbors. If you have the space for a really large function, consider putting an ad in the local papers with an open invitation to the community. Parties are a great opportunity to spread goodwill about your business, and they need not be expensive. Barter with neighboring businesses, offering them free publicity in exchange for refreshments, entertainment, or flowers.

Some businesses find these events so successful they host parties on a regular basis. Conni Cross holds an annual Christmas Fair, selling holiday wreaths, plants, and antiques. This allows her to celebrate the season with clients and make sales during what would otherwise be a slow winter season in the garden-design business. Rebecca Black, owner of the beautiful 17-acre Foxglove Farm, which sells dried flower arrangements in British Columbia, holds an annual two-day Fall Fair, sending invitations to customers on her mailing list and encouraging them to bring friends. Featuring music, workshops, and antiques, the event draws a few thousand people, is great publicity, and enables Rebecca to sell a lot of her creations.

Copyright © 1999 Hearst Communications, Inc.

The Business of Bliss
How to Profit from Doing What You Love
By the Editors of Victoria Magazine and Janet Allon
Published by Hearst Books; 0-688-16084-0; $25.00US

If you thought it was impossible to make money doing what you love, think again. Hundreds of thousands of women do succeed, and you can too. More than any other publication in America, Victoria magazine has celebrated women who have turned their dreams into profitable businesses. In this inspiring new book, their stories come alive to encourage you to achieve your own business of bliss. Behind every successful woman is a tale of self-reliance, persistence, and the joy of following one's heart. Author Janet Allon, a New York Times reporter, distills the essence of the entrepreneur and explains the secrets of:

--choosing your niche in the marketplace

--working with family and friends

--creating a place that reflects your style

--finding the courage to take risks

--turning mistakes to your advantage

In an extensive resource section, listings of the most useful publications, websites, and professional associations guide you toward your goal. Whether you want to be a hatmaker or a shoemaker, a potter or a pastry chef, you'll find the way in The business of Bliss.