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Published: Nov. 27, 2018, 10:58 a.m.

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In the retail world, product placement is everything. In Woolworths and Coles supermarkets you\\u2019ll always see Coca Cola in the soft drinks aisle before you see Pepsi. Coke knows the value of being the first thing you see.

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In the TV show Sex & The City, the sight of a constantly upside down lit-up Apple logo led annoyed designers at the tech giant to turn the logo around so that it was showing correctly to those who saw it lit up and open, rather than to those who only ever see it dark and closed. Apple understood, eventually the power of placing that logo in a place and a position that optimised the ability for it to be seen by an audience.

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Likewise, as I look around any airport, I see strategically placed advertising for liquor brands, chocolate brands and perfume brands. The companies that pay the most have their product, logos and posters in the most prominent position. They know the power of being not only seen, but being seen above all others in that location.

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In small business it may seem impossible to get that kind of placement or exposure on the street front, in a shopping centre or on any form of advertising. Big business and franchises dominate streetscapes, TV, radio and even Google search results. So how can you compete.

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Small business is at it\\u2019s best when it finds a niche to serve. Likewise, small business advertises at it\\u2019s best when it finds an undersold space to advertise in. Here\\u2019s three spaces to check out that big business tends to either ignore or play poorly in.

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Facebook - big business is really bad at Facebook Ads. That\\u2019s because their advertising is usually managed by agencies who either don\\u2019t know how to use Facebook Ads effectively, or they are stuck in a 1990s mentality where budgets go to TV, outdoor and print because that\\u2019s who throws the biggest parties and gives them kickbacks. That\\u2019s why you rarely see any ads in regional Australia for. Big brands. It\\u2019s a realm that they simply have no idea how to behave in.

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Late night and weekend radio and TV. While prime time is TV gold, and radio is crowded out by big business during breakfast and drive-home commuter periods, late night and weekend daytimes have much lower audiences and your can often pick up much cheaper advertising rates at those times. That means you can dominate those times with your message at a time when the big guys have no focus,.

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Sport and kids clubs sponsorship. While I am never a massive fan of this medium as a form of advertising, there are some niches where sponsoring strategically can really pay off. While sponsoring the Under 8s G grade footy team probability won\\u2019t win you too much in the way of exposure or recognition, sponsoring space in club newsletters, end of season books and club calendars buys you attention in a space where big business never goes, because the audience is too small. Just as long as you recognise that you are not reaching lots of people, but reaching people who will be looking deeply in to that\\u2019s publication, you can expect a small, but dedicated crowd to notice you.

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I\\u2019d love to hear your ways of reaching an audience that\\u2019s a little out of the box. Email darwin@clickstarter.com.au or following Clickstarter on Facebook.

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And remember that if you\\u2019re not doing something this week to get known, get found or stay know, your business is standing still.

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