Every business must have some sort of advertising. Conventionally, this has been fairly expensive, but it need not be, if you are marketing over the Internet. This is great for most Internet marketers, as most Internet businesses have a small to non-existent advertising budget.
Whichever kind of business you have, you ought to think about promoting it on and off line. I find it easier to reflect on the off line aspect first, because there are fewer options than with on line advertising and they can often be dismissed. For most businesses, off line advertising typically comes down to newspaper adverts, sign-written vehicles, free ads and handbills.
These types of advertising are very valuable for local shops and local businesses such as builders, glaziers, hairdressers et cetera, but they are relatively expensive. Here are a few unusual suggestions for off line advertising:
Try to give something away. This may sound expensive, but it does not have to be. For example, if you run a poodle parlour, you could write a leaflet on how to wash your dog or how to get rid of fleas. Advertise this give-away on line, in your shop window and in the newspaper. Encourage people to come into your shop to pick one up.
Ask your local newspapers whether they accept press releases. If they do get details of ideal length and subject matter and send them a press release whenever you take on new staff, win an award or start advertising a new product or service. Press releases should be free of charge.
Next time their is a local event, hire a booth and give a demonstration of what you do; take a survey of what you want to know; and hand out flyers. Stalls at Girl Guide Jamborees or Bring-And Buy sales are very cheap and you may meet thousands of people in person. Then hand out a press release out about the event.
Offer to present a prize to a local charity event and / or have the tickets made too. With your name on, of course. Hundreds or people will see you name linked with a good cause.
Run a competition with a prize. Run it in the local paper or from your shop. As a building firm, we on one occasion offered a man Friday free for a day. It ran over a three week time span and every week we required five trivia questions to be answered. The newspaper ran it free of charge.
Thousands of people entered and our cost was a day\’s wage. An old widow won him and she had him doing little odd chores about the house all day while she made him tea and sandwiches and had a good old natter. I think it made her year, but it got us a lot of goodwill and good publicity.
You could offer badges, coupons and novelties as lower prizes
Send out Christmas cards and promotional calendars to past and potential customers. A calendar will keep your name in front of someone\’s eyes all year around.
You could offer free seminars on the key features of your business. If you could talk in the community hall for thirty minutes, you could take questions and answers later on. Try the local Womens\’ Institute.
Some of these techniques can be used to promote an online business or website too.
Owen Jones, the author of this piece writes on many subjects, but is at present concerned with Marketing Your Website. If you would like to know more or check out some great offers, please go to our website at The Best Sales And Marketing Strategy.
