One of the most frustrating things for marketers and public relations professionals is that companies tend to be so focused on producing sales, and/or marketing to prospective clients, that they become a bit like horses with blinders on -- focused on the single carrot in front of them – namely, customer acquisition.

Don’t misunderstand me; whether you’re a start-up or an established business, of course you must build your business, that goes without saying. The point I am trying to make is that it pays to be open to new ideas which can help you accomplish that goal.

With the advent on the Internet and a new digital world, public relations and marketing have changed drastically. There is a whole new world of opportunity available enabling you to create an impact and get your name out there, where you need to be.

Plenty of opportunities exist for companies to build brand awareness throughout the industry and position executives as thought leaders. Sure, it’s a long-term play -- but it works. Inevitably, through consistent quality content your audience starts paying attention, views your blogs and articles, writes comments, attends your speaking sessions and interacts with you. And, when the time is right, your company is top-of-mind during the selection process.

Perhaps that influence is only subconscious. However, the fact remains that your message could have resonated with them and be the one thing that tips them over the edge and towards you, versus your competition.

There is a lot of value to be gained from establishing your executives as experts through blogs, articles in trade magazines and speaking opportunities. These opportunities raise your profile and help place you top of mind. While leads and new customers may be your goal, there is another upside here. Your core audience starts to see you as an expert and a source of great data, which can also lead to reseller agreements, partnerships and, if you’re interested, company acquisitions.

If your focus is so narrow that it is solely placed on building a client base (or increasing one), you can miss out on the opportunity to also get your company, executives, products and services in front of like-minded, complimentary and eager businesses that need such a product to offer to their client base.

Opportunities abound in the automotive space. Through webinars, press releases, white papers, case studies, trade magazine articles, blogs, social media, and more, your company can achieve a great deal of exposure by leveraging audiences that have been cultivated over decades. All it takes is a little effort.

The best position to be in is to have a stellar product everyone wants while, at the same time, being a company that every other company in the industry wants to partner with. That’s like having your cake and eating it too.

But many are so focused on acquiring new business that they miss – or never see – the opportunities that are ripe for the picking -- because they are so focused on the carrot they so desperately want.

And, by the time they figure out that that they should pay attention to, a competitor has already swooped in and not only taken the carrot they’ve been chasing, but also all those opportunities they could have had, if they had only had a broader focus.