Every small business entrepreneur I've ever met has been surprised by the importance of marketing to a burgeoning SB. Nobody discounts it going in, of course, but the sheer weight of marketing is almost never fully apparent to first-time SMB owners and operators. Just one of those lessons most folks need to learn the hard way. I know I did. Bottom line: You can't market enough. Period. For small businesses on l Bottom line: You can’t market enough. Period. For small businesses on limited budgets, you MUST include marketing dollars–and generously. Skimping here can kill you. I haven’t figured out any general rules of monetary marketing wisdom myself as yet save this one: Figure out what you think you’ll need to the penny (factor in Web site design/maintenance, PR, direct mail costs, events, travel, etc.)…and then just double it. That’s right flat-out double it. You’ll always be far closer to the real-life cost that way–and what’s left over you can simply use to fund whatever great marketing idea you didn’t have at budget time.A small article on SB branding from AllBusinessBusinessWeek’s Sales & Marketing 101 mini-portal — this is worth perusing. Technology Industry