We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give.” Anonymous I am always searching for ideas for this column and this past October weekend as I was enjoying Milford, Pa’ s “Black Bear Film Festival,”-- a gala event nestled in the fall colors of the foothills of the Pocono and the Catskills-- the muses granted me an inspiration. Here was an event that offered many promotional and advertising opportunities for local businesses for a few bucks. It was an event in its fifth year of success. Success due to the unrelenting efforts of volunteers-many associated with the film industry-and yet, too few business owners took advantage of the opportunity to broadcast their name and wares to an appealing cross section of the population. A population with a sense of community spirit as well as a willingness to spend a dollar or two. I will never understand why some entrepreneurs overlook such promotional opportunities. Think of it this way, local events in your community offer you a unique way to garnish some good will, build a loyal customer following, and say thanks to those who volunteer their time and money to build community spirit. Remember your business is part of that community- to view those little ads in a program bulletin as a waste of dollars is not smart thinking. You may think the identical ad in your local paper is a brilliant stroke of promotion - it may be, or you may be caught up in wishful thinking. Yes, it may sell some product for you, but it will not endear you to your community, it will not build word of mouth, it will not build goodwill, and it will not be saved from the trash bin. And if you are willing to sponsor a small ad, don’t make the mistake of using your business card as the format and layout. Dumb! You are paying for an ad not an announcement. Look at your business card- does it do any selling for you? Few cards do. Be prepared, If I have you thinking about advertising, now is the time to look at some of your past ads- I assume you have saved copies of your Madison Avenue talents, What do you think? Do they pass the test of time or do they appear “blah?” If you own a professional service such as accounting, legal, or real estate service you need a professionally designed ad that you can use for all occasions. A local ad agency can create what is called an ad mat that can be sized for any type of publication- and why one ad layout? Repetition builds long-term recognition. The next time some local event chairperson asks you for an ad- you are prepared with a message that will market your business, not promote your business title. And here is a bonus; people who support and are active in the betterment of their communities are quick to recognize your support. And unknowing to you become volunteer salespersons with an unofficial and uncontrollable positive word of mouth campaign for you. Here is something else you can do besides throwing a few bucks to help your communities’ activities, you can build your name and reputation by joining your local Chamber of Commerce. Your business is part of your community, your customers may be in Bangladesh, but your employees live next door. And if your customers live next door even more the reason to become a stalwart citizen. Time will surprise you with the benefit of loyal employees and customers. By the way, when you become a member of such business groups as a Chamber of Commerce, are you aware you have joined the largest self-help group in the country? Got a business problem? Need someone who has faced similar challenges? Who better to turn to than the guy or gal who has battled and won the same skirmishes? You will find that most of us are willing to share our business experiences and willing to offer helpful suggestions. After all, a membership in such organization is more than swapping business cards every few months or going to a lunch you do not have time for. We never know who we may meet that may open doors for a surprising turn of events. Remember the story of Ahab, who sold the family farm to seek his fortune elsewhere only to return and find the new owner discovered diamonds on Ahab’s former farm. Many times seeds of opportunity sprout under our feet and we trample them. Dr. Paul E Adams, Professor Emeritus Business Administration Ramapo College of New Jersey Author “ Fail Proof Your Business: Beat the Odds and be Successful.” Available at Amazon.Com If you have questions about your business- contact me: drfailproof@earthlink.net