Boosting your Word-of-Mouth: Early Stages

One-page flyer.

Have a brief overview of your business ready to pass along at all times in case you meet someone while networking who wants to quickly pass along your information to a prospective client he or she knows.

Q&A sheets.

One of the quickest ways to learn about a person's business as a networker, and for him or her to learn about yours, is to make the initial meeting as organized as possible. A sheet with questions that you can each ask each other can ensure you don't forget to find out the information that could lead to a quick referral.

Testimonials.

This can be one of the most effective ways to showcase the quality of the products or services you provide. You can keep hard copies in a binder or post them to your website. On your LinkedIn profile, ask the clients in your network to recommend you.

Photos. 

Having a professional photo of yourself is important for promotional opportunities and for your social media profiles. Photos of your office or business operation and products help to legitimize your business and gain credibility. Also consider having photos of awards and certificates you and your staff have earned.

Something that explains your business.

These can include: your annual report, mission statement or a written history of your company. You can also use information published articles, results from surveys created and compiled by you or by others in your industry, presentation notes or slides, your advertisements, or multimedia presentations.