yellow-pages-nz (Photo credit: Doug Beckers)Intensive marketing and advertising is the need of the hour for non-established online businesses. Today, merely advertising and marketing a business online isn't quite enough. Out of the box thinking is, most certainly, the best method to fight it out in the mega competitive world.
Aggressive online promotion is a good way to market your business venture. But online promotion, in some way or the other, is what nearly everyone does. To get noticed and make a mark, you've to think different, do different and be different. To be that one step ahead of your competitors, you'll need to adopt an entirely new method: advertise and market your business offline.
There are scores of methods you can put to use; there really is no end to creativity, is there?! Use some of the ones mentioned here or come up with concepts of your own to announce your online presence to the offline world.
- BANNERS AND SIGN BOARDS: Put up banners in places where your target audience are regulars. Perhaps a super market you visit regularly, or a gym you frequent; a club, a sauna or a parlour. It can't get better if these happen to be places you visit often too. A good friend here and there and you might not even have to shell out much valued green bills!
- CLASSIFIEDS AND YELLOW PAGES: Book yourself space in yellow pages and classifieds. Come up with some good copy for your ad since there will be plenty others on the same page. The idea is to grab your audiences' attention and, at the same time, impress them with whatever little you get to say.
- PRESS RELEASES: Again, come up with a good press release that adequately covers your business, products and success story. Mention your website URL and keep it as simple as possible. Take care not to come up with run-of-the-mill stuff as nobody's gonna bother reading it.
- SPONSOR EVENTS AND EXHIBITIONS: You've a steady business and the one thing you need is public awareness with regards to it. One good way to do this would be by sponsoring a couple of events or exhibitions that are expected to attract masses. As the title or associate sponsor, you're more than likely to grab people's attention.
- ANSWERING MACHINE AND CALL WAITING: Include your website address in the message on your answering machine. And set the same on your line holding and call waiting instead of a boring tune, jingle or message. When clients call, ask if they've access to the net and send them over to your website to have a hands-on experience. As added incentives, you can offer free consultation and/or discounts on orders placed through your website.
- OFFER DISCOUNTS, FREE STUFF AND OTHER GOODIES: Free coupons and discounts are a great way to engage your target audience. People may know zilch about your business but the prospect of tucking in some free goodies is sure to attract them to your website.
- STATIONERY: Use your website logo and URL every time you send e-mails or letters. Have corporate stationery printed. Apart from looking professional, this will also give your recipient the chance to check out your website and get to know more about your business. Goes without saying that you're to have your website logo and URL on your business card too.
- PROMOTIONAL ITEMS: Purchase items such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, scribbling pads, attractive calendars, diaries or even cute stuff such as pens and pencils. Put on your logo and website URL and send them to people you know: relatives, friends, friends of friends, and even your clients. You could also send a box of goodies for festivals and other special events. Another good idea would be to print bookmarks with catchy or witty one liners, accompanied by your business logo and URL. Have these distributed in book stores, libraries, coffee shops and other such places. People who frequent these places are sure to take note of this unique method.
- CONDUCT FREE CLASSES/ SEMINARS: Spend time and organize a seminar or a series of classes on topics related to your business and its overall functioning. Make sure you select areas that will be of potential use to your target audience. People who enjoy and benefit from these classes are more than likely to tell others about your business and website. You can couple these classes or seminars with free demos of your products and services.
- PARTICIPATE IN LOCAL EVENTS: Participate and speak at local events in your city or town. People often recognize public speakers as experts in their fields. You'll hardly have to convince anyone with regards to your business or website once they revere you as an expert.
addit: I would like to thank Berry Beresford for her contribution to this entry.
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