The Web levels the playing field between big and small companies. A small local operation can have a Web presence as robust and impressive as a multi-national company, allowing it to appear much larger than it actually is.

Size doesn’t always matter. Smaller companies can play the position that every customer gets royal treatment and personal service. But sometimes, looking bigger than you are can open doors that might otherwise be shut.

For those times when you need to look big, here’s how to use marketing to give you the look you need.

Produce a Professional Web site
Understand what your customers and prospects are looking for and develop your Web site to meet their needs. You don’t need every bell and whistle, just those that your customers and prospects need to get the information they’re looking for. Use a “style sheet” to provide a consistent look and feel to the entire site, including fonts, headlines, page layout and colors. Even the details count: spelling and punctuation, working links and compatibility with different Web browsers are important.

Build Visibility in Your Target Market
You don’t have the resources to be visible everywhere, but you can choose your hottest target markets and build a pervasive presence among your audience. This is not only a way to look big, but it’s smart marketing too: focusing your resources on your best markets. That’s how you grow revenue and increase ROI on marketing investments.

Become an Expert in Your Industry
By expert I mean ‘Thought Leader’ but the jargon jury won’t allow that term. To be noticed and respected, publish articles and become a spokesperson in your industry. You can pitch story ideas to editors of online and printed trade magazines, offer to be an information resource to editors when they are writing stories, and publish articles on Web sites that accept third-party content.

Maintain a Consistent Visual Identity
Nothing says “small” like cheap business cards, amateur graphics or clashing colors. If you want to look big, develop a consistent and professional look for your business. Make all of your marketing materials look like they come from the same company: collateral, Web site, presentations, business cards & stationery. Customers, prospects, partners and even competitors will come to recognize your look and know your company. And that’s good news.

Maintain Some Transparency
The goal of looking bigger is not to deceive anyone; it’s to demonstrate that your small company is a significant and respected player in the market. Don’t stretch the truth about what your company can do and markets it serves, but do use marketing to keep the playing field level and achieve the position and status your small company deserves.