Nothing hurts like talking to yourself about your awesome startup. Teens can come up with the most innovative and creative entrepreneurial ideas, implement them and start something significant, but many forget that it takes effort (and a marketing strategy) to spread the word.

You trade your social life for this dream, do due diligence, work at it like crazy, but can be discouraged when you – and a couple of ‘besties’ and family – are the only ones who actually know about it or it does not catch on as you anticipated.

Perhaps your product and/or service just needs that little something-something that you can’t quite pinpoint as yet. Here are 3 nips and tucks that you could be looking for to call for a turnaround.

Be tech savvy

How are people around you going to get to know about your startup? Do you have a website, pamphlets, sign, business cards or something to let the world know about your venture? In this digital era, there are means to easily create free websites, digital cards and other marketing material.

Start a Facebook Fan Page

Chances are you – or someone you know – is on Facebook. They in turn will have friends and/or family on this social networking site. By starting a Facebook Fanpage (for free) and inviting your peeps (asking them to pretty please invite their folks), you can reach a new market who would otherwise not have heard about your startup.

Keep it fresh

Whether you are thinking of web content to place on free classified portals or tweets, the catch is that your updates should be fresh and relevant. Make sure your specials have not expired and keep pounding timeless info.

Interrogate yourself and see how far you are prepared to take risks (within reason) in order to grow your startup to take it where it has never been before. No matter where you are right now, you can write your own rags to riches narrative (even if you are already rich, you can never have too much can you?). Think hard work. Think perseverance.

Now stop thinking and make it happen.