In a previous post I talked about how to market your small business in this economy. Here are three more ideas to grow your business using offline marketing ideas even when the economy is sluggish:
#1 ~ Wear Your Company on Your sleeve – or chest or purse or back…. Logo wear is coming back in style and if you are proud of your company wear it! You never know when you will be in the supermarket and someone will strike up a conversation and ask you about it. I have found my Shaklee distributor, my Mary Kay distributor, my dentist and my dog groomer this way….. Think of McDonalds – it is no accident that everyone in the company wears McDonalds attire. Its branding – brand recognition is especially important in a down economy because you want people to remember your name. I have had it happen over and over again where people have met me and forgotten the name of my company. So they called someone else. Don’t let that happen to you.
In one of my groups we have a person who sells promotional items – I will never forget her name or her company ~ Promo Girl because she wears her name on her sweater which is part of her 50’s attire – poodle skirt and all! When I need promotional items she is the first person to come to mind. The ultimate offline marketing idea that definitely works for her small business.
#2 ~ Take a class – something you enjoy and where you meet new people. When I took ballroom dancing a few years ago the instructor and every one in the class became a customer of mine. Many still are. My daughter and I also took golf lessons for a season. Many of those students (and the teacher) are also customers of mine. Try belly dancing, motorcycle riding, reading groups, golf lessons, community college courses, etc. Find something that interests you and where you can also meet potential clients.
#3 ~ Cross promote – Recently a New baby store sent a letter announcing their grand opening. We contacted them and now we are trading ad space in each others ezine and handing out one another’s flyers, brochures and promotions. In future posts I will talk at length about ways to cross promote, including teaming up with the competition to do so.
Unless you are dancing with the stars you need to do these offline marketing strategies to keep your small business at the forefront of people’s minds.
