Looking for inexpensive, effective and even tried-and-true ideas to market your small business. Check out these six ideas that may surprise you with the results! The best part? These offline advertising and marketing ideas won’t break the bank in the process.
#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.
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.
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.
CUSTOMIZE IT – If your state or country only requires you to have one official license plate, you can create a plastic license plate with your company name on it. If that isn’t possible, then buy customized license plate holders with your company name and URL around.
FLASH ‘EM! – How about creating a Flash-drive presentation/brochure to give away when you attend networking events. This can be a is very effective marketing tool and most people will keep the flash drive to use and look at later.
GIVE IT AWAY – Donate prizes/services to a local radio station for their on-air contests and promotions.
For those that love useless trivia (like me)… Whose face launched the milk mustache campaign 10 + years ago?
Answer to Market Trivia: Naomi Campbell.