Turning your great idea into reality always feels like the most difficult step in getting your start-up off the ground -- until you realize that nobody beyond your family and close friends knows about your amazing product or service.

This difficult lesson evades many aspiring entrepreneurs: The success of your startup is limited by the number of potential customers who know about it.

Ideally, you’ll market your startup well before you’re open for business. And you need to spread the word quickly to gain customers.

Remember that: “Short-term wins absolutely exist, but instead of spending time and money searching for them, early-stage companies should formulate repeatable, scalable marketing techniques.”

In other words, your core marketing strategy shouldn’t be swinging for the fences and trying desperately to create a viral video. Rather, you should be focusing on the following basics to increase exposure in a sustainable way: define your brand, reach your audience and craft a SEO strategy.

Dave Summer