So you run a head shop in Ocean Beach and you want to get national coverage for your business. What do you do? How can you take your business and make it so that it stands out?

These past two weeks, The Black, a head shop in Ocean Beach, accomplished this and more. By simply courting controversy (in this case, creating a bumper sticker encouraging visitors NOT to help OB’s homeless), they not only got coverage on all the local TV stations but nationally as well.

It’s a bold tactic. Not knowing any of the folks who run The Black, I don’t know if it was intentional. Nonetheless, it’s a major coup when you can get a store that basically offers something of a commodity and have it get such strong publicity.

Controversy marketing is what a lot of successful marketers have used. From Howard Stern to Glenn Beck to Geno’s Steaks, controversy works. It helps if you believe what you’re saying of course.

What controversy can you start with your business?