How to promote a business in Mauritius?

Looks like @anonymousIRC has given you quite a few ideas for promoting a business online. So let me touch a bit on offline advertising.

You should start with your friends and family. Tell them about your business, ask them to tell their friends about it. Give them a discount for buying with you, give their friends a discount as well. Initially it's more about getting people to know about your business than making a profit. Offer great products at a great price. Show them they're getting a bargain. Honestly, make them know they're getting a bargain buying with you than someone else. Word of mouth is an incredible thing but be careful, if you're offering a bad service, this will indeed play against you.

Now combine that with online advertising. Send an email round to all your contacts. Don't sound like a sales person (no one likes reading email asking you to buy things), just make the people on your contacts list aware of what you're doing.

Create your page on Facebook, ask friends and relatives to like the page before you show it to the world (no one will like your business page if you don't already have likes). From time to time (not all the time!), post about a great product you're selling on your personal facebook account. Do the same for Twitter, Google Plus, Instagram or whichever social websites you like.

A website is important to show case your services/products. Get a business card printed so that you can hand out to people you're meeting. This should have your website printed on.

You can also list your business on Clever Dodo Business Directory for FREE or add it to similar sites for more online exposure.

Consider also getting a listing in the Yellow Pages if you can afford it.

Anything else I haven't covered? Yes, advertise in the newspaper - it's cheap.