Becoming known as an expert in your industry will grab the attention of even the biggest potential customers. The task takes time, but over the long-term building your reputation will build your customer base.

Writing articles with your byline attached puts your name in front of hundreds if not thousands of readers. And there are a wealth of publications willing to print your words of wisdom. Local chambers of commerce publish newsletters. Offer some of your small-business insight and knowledge in a regular column. Trade publications are great outlets for industry-specific information, as are association publications.

Don’t overlook Web-based e-zines. Most are in constant need of fresh content. They range in flavors from general small-business to finance to technology. Read several issues of the e-zines you’re interested in, then craft an article and submit it.

Press releases, written correctly, can also position you as an expert. Use them to comment on industry trends, to offer yourself as an interview source for journalists and to tout the problem-solving virtues of one of your products or services.

Your best bets for getting press releases published locally are free neighborhood papers and small-town weeklies, which hunger for news. But Web-based outlets can take you national and even global. Services such as ARA Content, www.aracopy.com, will post your releases and articles online for the world to see.

“Imagine the benefits of newspaper and magazine editors accessing articles about your company and downloading them for publication with a simple stroke of a computer key,” says Fran Yoch, vice president of ARA Content.

Online newsgroups also offer the opportunity to bolster your image as an expert. Join discussion groups that address issues concerning entrepreneurs and small business. Ferret out groups that discuss concerns in your specific industry. Lurk and read for a while before contributing. Then join the discussion, always maintaining your professionalism and remembering that your objective is to position yourself as an expert in the discussion area. To find discussion groups that might be appropriate for you, visit http://groups.google.com.

Whether you’re contributing to a newsgroup, sending a press release or writing an article, always provide your company name, contact information (including e-mail address) and your Web site address, if applicable.