Good marketing is a long-term strategy

Marketing campaigns aren't something you can buy off the shelf they only work if they're tried, tested and constantly tweaked to achieve your business goals. The effectiveness of marketing depends on the commitment from the business and the implementation of a long-term strategy it is not a quick fix.

If you're looking to get more clients in the door, you're right in assuming that getting your name out in the marketplace has to be a priority. There are plenty of marketing avenues to get your business some attention advertising, PR, editorial and networking are a few that generally work. But you need to be strategic in your approach and know what you want to achieve before figuring out how you're going to achieve it.

Marketing doesn't have to break the bank, but your strategy does have to talk to the right audiences and deliver a clear message. Spend some time considering your options and don't fall into the trap of trying one thing and letting it fall by the wayside.

I AM a qualified carbon manager and an auditor, and am planning to start my own small business as a consultant and an auditor. After a lot of thought, I have registered the name pointCarbon for my small business, which I plan to operate from Townsville. When discussing this name with a friend, he advised me that there is a very large company, owned by Thomson Reuters, based in Europe with the name Point Carbon, which deals in carbon trading, energy insights and markets on a global level. Its website is Pointcarbon.com. Can I use my preferred business name and use a website pointcarbon.com.au? Are there legal issues to be aware of or should I try to come up with a different name?

If you're planning on marketing your business in the local media and you want to run a small, tight ship in Townsville, you'll probably be OK. But if you foresee a majority of your business coming from website inquiries, you might want to reconsider the name.

It's doubtful that people will confuse your company with the Thomson Reuters one, but the hard truth is that you'll never be on top of a web search if you're up against a global company in the same industry. If you're dead set on the name and think the web will be a good lead generator for you, make sure you have strong identifying factors that position you as a Queensland-based business.

Point Carbon seems generic enough that you won't run into legal problems, but run it by your lawyer anyway. I suggest you register pointCarbon as a trademark.

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Mark Bouris is executive chairman of Yellow Brick Road, a wealth-management company and small business adviser that offers products and services for home loans, financial planning, insurance, superannuation, investments, accounting and tax: ybr.com.au.

If you have a question for Mark Bouris email it to Adam Cooper at adam.cooper@fairfairfaxmedia.com.au