“May you live in interesting times” is the English translation of the first of three Chinese proverbs. These are exciting times for business owners struggling to market their products and services without simultaneously emptying their bank accounts. It seems like not a week goes by without me finding out about another free or (almost as good) low-cost marketing tool on the internet.

This week was no exception! I set up an account at SlideShare.net, a free online slide hosting service. Users can upload files in PowerPoint and PDF formats, among others. It is comparable to YouTube, but it is mainly for slide shows. Launched in 2006, the website was originally designed as a vehicle for companies to share slides with employees. However, it has since expanded to host slides and videos for entertainment, educational, and other purposes.

SlideShare has 50 million visitors and 90 million page views per month, making it one of the 250 best websites in the world. The White House used SlideShare to publish President Obama’s birth certificate in April 2011. The impressive list of Blue Ribbon users also includes NASA, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, IBM, various branches of the US military, Dell and the University of Texas.

Here is the list of things I learned about SlideShare that will help you “Avoid Market Darkness”:

1.Start your exciting marketing experience by opening a free account at slideshare.net. You will be asked to create a public profile that includes a description of your business, address and contact information, logo or image, website link, industry, keyword tags, and other basic information.

2. Like most “free” online services, this one has several improved versions. They range in price from $ 19 to $ 249 per month. Additional fees buy custom channels, expanded functionality, visitor analytics, and the removal of banner ads, among other benefits. All updates include Zipcast, a virtual meeting service similar to the more popular GoToMeeting and undoubtedly more robust. The advantage is that subscribers receive a personalized link to share with their attendees. Those wizards simply click the link without needing to download software or open a SlideShare account.

Regular readers already know my advice on this one! Even if these features appeal to you, I suggest you resist the urge to upgrade until you’ve had a chance to evaluate your experience for the first thirty to ninety days. You may find that the additional cost is unnecessary. I should add that the free service includes unlimited slideshows and documents, plus three videos per month.

3. SlideShare collaborates with the social media giants Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to promote and share content. For example, you can embed presentations on your Facebook fan page, your LinkedIn profile, or your blog. Viewers can also like, retweet, or share presentations with their followers and connections. My three presentations had over 150 views combined during their first 24 hours online. I’m sure this activity, which embarrasses my YouTube stats, was largely the result of the other social media services. Take full advantage of these capabilities to gain maximum market exposure.

4. I recently started promoting a simple 12 word marketing strategy to clients and friends. It is this: Communicate a message, promoting a brand, to multiple audiences, at no cost. While article n. 3 fully supports this strategy – don’t stop there! I published three free press releases. I have also posted this information as a pdf document on SlideShare and plan to publish it using various free article marketing websites.

5. The first slide of a presentation will appear as a small icon link on your profile page. It must be legible, attractive, and descriptive enough to invite viewers. You will also be asked to provide a description, category, and tags for each file. Making this information keyword rich makes it easier for interested views to locate your slideshows and videos. Doing something keyword-rich simply means using certain words and phrases that potential customers are likely to use in search engines when searching for your business, products, or services.

6. SlideShare offers users the option to allow viewers to download files. Additionally, presentations may be available only to authorized viewers with any of the updated versions. Then it’s a viable option to share private files that are simply too large to email. An example could be a large contract or a proposal in pdf format.
If you don’t know how to create a pdf file, Google CutePDF Writer and download their software. It is a free version of commercial PDF creation software. CutePDF Writer installs as a printer subsystem. This allows virtually any Windows application to create professional-quality PDF documents.

7.SlideShare can be used to promote and support your event marketing efforts. For example, you can make advanced copies of upcoming seminars available online to help invitees decide whether to attend, or provide copies to interested parties who cannot attend.

8. Users (and their followers) can post additional information on their wall, much like Facebook. I posted a free seminar notice based on one of my uploaded files, along with a link to EventBrite for event details.

9. I was pleased to see that PowerPoint speaker notes are visible for every slide. Even if you don’t typically take advantage of this feature in your presentations, you should consider using it to replace any narrative that you would normally add in a live venue.

10.One feature of PowerPoint that doesn’t translate through SlideShare is animation. I typically have numerous visuals coming in and out of the slides as appropriate to support my verbal narrative. When reviewing my published slideshows, I quickly noticed that all the images are on the screen. In my case, this made some slides very busy. Consider adapting loaded slides accordingly.

11. If you decide that one or more slides do not convey the full story after viewing them online, you can simply adjust your PowerPoint and replace the original file with a new upload. This will avoid having to re-enter descriptions and tags, something I learned was necessary after deleting multiple files to make minor changes. It also keeps the correct display statistics.

12. I’m always amazed at the cost of print projects. My frustration at this expense is magnified by the need to “bring a few extra copies” in case more attendees arrive than expected, knowing that most will be left behind or thrown away when leaving. SlideShare presents an opportunity to reduce or eliminate this unnecessary outlay. First, I suggest presenting only a cryptic outline of your presentation at the event, probably no more than a page or two. The purpose of this short booklet is simply to make note taking easier. You have the added benefit of directing the attention of your attendees to you instead of flipping through a bulky brochure. Then allow attendees to download their own slides, either before or after the seminar. Since only those of interest will print, this is a legitimately green initiative.

As a final tip, if you are one of the nearly 15 million unemployed Americans, consider creating and posting a visual resume on SlideShare.net. You’ll add another place for potential employers to find you, while demonstrating your communication skills and knowledge of current social media tools.

Well that’s my full list. I hope you find something of value and, more importantly, that it encourages you in your continued pursuit of the low-cost marketing experimentation that I talked about so much in my book, Highly Visible Marketing: 115 Low-Cost Ways to Avoid market darkness. .

Finally, for the record, the other two Chinese proverbs are “May you attract the attention of powerful people” and “May you find what you are looking for.” Again, both seem to apply to my target audience of small and medium-sized businesses, especially when you consider that the most powerful person of all is the customer whose attention you are seeking.