There are various general ways in which people advertise. They take out ads, print fliers and brochures, link and create backlinking opportunities for their ecommerce websites, and anything else you can possibly think of. But these methods, when done alone, rarely work as effectively as they may have hoped.
If you are a small or medium sized business, and you are looking to expand, what you need is a marketing campaign to get you going. This will include a full, workable plan with a specific goal in mind (i.e raising profits, creating customer loyalty, penning a new brand, increasing visibility, ect).
When dealing with an Internet business or ecommerce site for an existing one, the most obvious option is viral marketing. This is simply a way of getting your image out there, and making it spread. Some do this using clever clips and videos, some do it using social networking sites or ads, and some do it by pushing word of mouth.
Either way, your most important goal to keep in mind is creating a buzz, and getting yourself noticed on a larger scale. This will, in turn, lead to all of the reason given above, and more. It’s simple and effective.