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April 1, 2012 at 5:45 am #977577Up::0
Unique and Basic Ideas for Marketing Your Business Offline & Locally
A lot of you may have used a lot of online methods to promote you business through adwords, facebook ads, forums etc. Here is a list to further promote your new business.
1. Talk About Your Business
One of the best and most inexpensive ways to market your business locally is by word of mouth.
2. Networking
I’ve always found that the best way – hands down – for a consultant to build his/her business is by networking.
3. Advertisements in Free Local Magazines/Newspapers
4. Billboards and Other Types of Signs
If you can afford to do so, taking out an advertisement on a billboard is an excellent way to get yourself noticed in your local area and gain clients for your freelance business.
5. Marketing Yourself with a Business Card
Another important thing that you should do to promote your business offline is to make sure that people don’t just know what you do but also how to reach you if they’re ever interested in your freelance services.
6. Be Unique with Your Business Cards
Business cards usually have an entire back that is blank. Utilize this space to print a coupon for your services.
7. Branded Freebie Items
Handing out branded free items is a great way to etch your business name into people’s memory. Purchase useful items that people will keep and look at multiple times per day. Refrigerator magnets, mousepads, calendars, and key chains etc
8. Yellow Page Ads
9. Hang Up Flyers and Posters Around Town
10. Local Activities and Groups Websites
Many cities and towns will have websites that often need to make money to stay afloat they will try to get advertisers to pay to post ads on the site.
11. I’ll Scratch Your Back if You Scratch Mine
Try approaching local shops and offering your services in return for free promotion of your services. For example, if you are a muralist, offer your local pediatrician a free mural in exchange for your business cards being placed out on the front desk.
12. Try Your Best to Get Interviewed by a Radio Station or Newspaper
13. Movie Theater Ads
14. Take Advantage of Bored Bus and Train Passengers
Most bus stops have a spot to list an advertisement. People waiting in the bus stop are usually bored out of their minds. Give them an advertisement to focus on while you have their attention.
15. Print Out Funny and / or Unique Bookmarks
Promote your business in a fun way by printing out funny and / or unique bookmarks (with your biz info on it as well) and place them in book stores, libraries, and coffee shops.
16. Schedule Speaking Engagements
17. Write a Column in Your Local Newspapers and Magazines
18. Do Something Controversial for the Free PR.
19. Utilize Friendship Marketing
Find local businesses and co-market each other’s business. The idea is to include each others’ promotional material in outbound orders, such as flyers, coupons, business cards, or freebies.
Another idea for friendship marketing would be to offer customer referrals in exchange for displaying your business cards.
20. Research Local Businesses
It is important to focus your energy on where there is likely to be a need for your services. One way to find out which local business that you should focus your energy on, you will need to research.
Excellent tools for researching local businesses are :
– Yellow Pages
– Chamber of Commerce
– Better Business Bureau
– Department of Small Business Development
– Trade Associations
– Search Engines
– Purchased Lists
21. Use Your Car as a Moving Advertisement
You can either go the expensive route and have your company information imprinted on your car or you can go the inexpensive route and get a professionally printed magnet to stick on your car.
22. Ask Local Friends and Family Members for Help
Just because you are not in a business relationship with friends and family, don’t let the opportunity to utilize your friends’ resources slip away. Friends can provide you with referrals, introduce you to prospects, endorse your services, display your business’ literature in their homes or offices, and distribute or publish your business information.
23. Radio advertising
Believe it or not, the radio can be more effective than television advertising and often more cost effective too.I suggest that you find professional help to develop a radio campaign for you.
24. You Should be a Walking Advertisement
You should wear your clothes and accessories as an advertisement.
25. Create Your Own Locally Published Directory Online and / or Offline
Create your own local business directory to get to network with other local business owners and to get your name out there in a unique way.
26. Distribute Your Free Printed Newsletter to Local Businesses
Many small businesses love getting free magazines and newsletters for their customers to read. Distributing your own printed newsletters is an effective way to promote your business.
27. Newsletter Cross-Promotion Works
Find other industry leaders who publish newsletters. Cross promote in each other’s newsletters. Don’t cross promote in a direct competitor’s newsletter, but rather find someone who is in a similar field.
28. Get Involved in Social Events
Just be friendly and there will be an appropriate time to mention what you do. Some examples of social events are church, synagogue, and school events.
29. Your Mail and Packages
On all of your outgoing packages and mail, you should include your Company Name, tagline, and website (if you have one).
30. Participate in Trade Shows
31. Sponsor a Local Sports Team
32. A CD-ROM Business Cards
Why not be different and create a CD-ROM business card. Pass out your CD-Business Card at trade shows, seminars, fairs, or anywhere. You can even send them in a direct mail piece.
33. A Business Card as a Guide
A great idea is to create business cards that unfold into a mini-guide. Your business card can be a guide that helps your potential customers with field related topics. For example, a graphic designer’s card could open up into a mini-guide for printing, fonts, colors, etc.
34. Business Card Magnets
Business Card Magnets are a great way to keep your business card handy and useful. I always need more magnets, and I keep all of the magnets that I get. Maybe other people do.
35. Offer Your Services for Free to a Local Non-Profit Charity
Why not do something good and at the same time get some great coverage. Provide a free service to a local charity in exchange for some sort of promotional coverage of your business. In return, you can ask to have “˜Thanks to ABCDEFG Company for Donating the Design of this brochure”.
36. Sponsor a Charity Event
Sponsor a local charity event and get recognition for your company (along with the resulting good feeling of helping a charity). Call the local newspaper and media and tell them about your good deed.
37. Offer Free Consultations to Potential Clients
People love to get things for free. Utilize this knowledge to your advantage. Sometimes just offering a free consultation will land you the job, however, sometimes it won’t.
38. Offer Free Demonstrations of Your Services
Visit local businesses (that are related to your services) and offer to provide free demonstrations and lessons to their customers. Promise that you won’t schmooze the customers and they will probably take you up on your offer.
39. Create a New Local Holiday
Who says that you can’t create your own holiday? I never seen or heard about a law against this. Get creative and make a holiday up that promotes your business’ services. Some examples of a new holiday are “Free Ice Cream Day” or “Give Art to a Friend Day”.
40. Every Customer Gets 2 Cards
If you have a good relationship with your customer, he or she will be glad to help to give out the second.
41. Bribe Your Customers
Why not offer your customers an incentive to refer new customers to you. Why not offer a percentage off your customer’s next (or current) order if they refer a friend to you.
42. Sponsor a Local Contest or Event
43. Customer of the Month
44. Get Listed with Trade Associations.
Sign up with relevant trade associations and get listed in their offline directories. I would list these trade associations but since I don’t know what field you are in, you will need to find these on your own. Good luck.
45. Free Note Pads with Coupons
People eat up free note pads because they are so useful to have around. An innovative way to market your services is to pass out free notepads to people that have ads intermingled every ten pages or so.
46. Direct Mail Campaign
Create a mailing list yourself by looking in the phonebook, using an online directory, The Chamber of Commerce, The Better Business Bureau, or by contacting trade associations. Or you can purchase a mailing list from many online sites.
47. Flyers in the Bathroom Stall
I know, I know, this one is a little desperate. But, if you are desperate for more business, then swallow your pride and stick flyers on the inside of bathroom stalls.
48. Stand on a Corner with Balloons and a Sign
Now you are really getting desperate. This might actually work, but your pride will be left on the street corner.
I hope this thread has inspired a few people with basic and unique ideas in building a successful business as I have been reading a lot of threads lately about people starting business and needing to get the word out there. I thought this would be the perfect opportunity for my 100th post.
Daniel
April 1, 2012 at 5:59 am #1098653April 1, 2012 at 5:59 am #1098735April 1, 2012 at 7:55 am #1098654Up::0Robert Gerrish, post: 111641 wrote:Thanks Daniel and congratulations on reaching 100 posts.Robert
Thank you Rob, FS is a fantastic community to be associated with!
April 1, 2012 at 7:55 am #1098737Up::0Robert Gerrish, post: 111641 wrote:Thanks Daniel and congratulations on reaching 100 posts.Robert
Thank you Rob, FS is a fantastic community to be associated with!
April 22, 2012 at 8:50 am #1098655Up::0Thank you! I’ve recently opened a new complementary healthcare practice and have been wracking my brains how to market to my potential clients. Your list has given me some more ideas to research – thanks so much for sharing your ideas!
ps I kinda like the balloons lolApril 22, 2012 at 8:50 am #1098739Up::0Thank you! I’ve recently opened a new complementary healthcare practice and have been wracking my brains how to market to my potential clients. Your list has given me some more ideas to research – thanks so much for sharing your ideas!
ps I kinda like the balloons lol -
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