There are other ways
you can promote your business to the public. You can
take matters into your own hands and implement simple
and effective advertising concepts. Here are some
examples.
Types of Self Promotion
Activities
BIG CITY EVENTS:
Every year major
cities throughout the U.S. hold events that draw
millions of people. For example in Chicago there
is the Taste of Chicago, Jazz Fest, Art Fest, Venetian
Night, etc. In Milwaukee Wisconsin there is Irish
Fest, African American Fest, October Fest, Bastille Day,
etc. A simple way to promote your business is to
hand out free T-Shirts to individuals with your ad on
them. The only catch is that the individuals
receiving them must wear them at the event.
YOU KNOW PEOPLE:
If you were to sit
down and make a list of the people you know you may be
surprised to find out just how many people you know.
You don’t have to know them on a close personal basis.
They could be acquaintances or people you met at events
in which you share a common interest. You can promote
your business to all those you know. If they are not
interested in what you have to offer, you never know,
they may pass the information to others they know that
might be interested. You can simply pass on the
information by word of mouth, email or direct mail.
These are all very inexpensive forms of advertising.
MAKE THEM AN
OFFER THEY CAN’T REFUSE:
They are always
people looking for opportunities to
earn more money. You can make an offer to them to
receive a commission on every customer they bring to
your business. For example, lets say you provide a
service that cost the customer $50.00. You can offer
someone $5 (or 10%) for every customer they bring to
your business. That way they have a vested interest in
driving customers to your business. This could be a lot
cheaper than coming up with up-front cost to pay for
more expensive forms of advertising. You can also make
that offer renewable on an annual basis or whatever time
period suits you, so that you can stop it once the
business grows beyond the need for that option, thereby
increasing the bottom line.
FREE OFFERS:
Make free offers to
individuals or organizations that can promote your
product. For example, if you are producing games, give
copies of the game away to Kindergartens, clubs, etc.
The people there will play it and if they like it they
will go tell their family and friends and the word will
spread. Give away products in the middle of a major
city during lunch time when everyone is on the streets.
It will draw a crowd and peak interest.
SPONSOR EVENTS:
Have your
organization sponsor events. Sponsoring events means
that you have to do certain things. For example, for a Junior
High School sports team you may have to provide the team
uniform, pay for transportation, sports drinks,
equipment, etc. How much you do depends on the
arrangement you work out with the respective
organization. But what this allows you to do is
advertise your business through the organization to all
those in attendance, by placing your company logo or
website on the team’s uniform, maybe display an ad on
the side of the team bus, maybe have some billboard size
ads on display at the game, be able to give out other
freebees to attendees at the game, etc. You have to
arrange whatever ideas you have in mind with the
organization you’re sponsoring.
WRITE TO
EDITORS/TV SHOWS:
When you send out
Press Release it goes to a list of Editors, Producers
and Journalists that the respective service maintain in
their database. Instead of subscribing to a Press
Release service you can send target letters to specific
Editors, Producers, and Journalists that write and talk
about the industry your business is in. Editors,
Producers and Journalists are always looking for new
topics and stories to write and talk about. For
example, if you are in the pet industry you may want to
target Editors, Producers, and Journalists that want to
write and talk about pets.
SPONSOR
PROMOTIONAL PARTIES:
Take a page from
Avon book. Avon promote their products by hosting
promotional parties where potential clients are invited
to eat and drink and listen to Avon agents pitching
their products. This has been a very effective approach
for Avon and other organizations that use this method.
It can work for your product too. Consider sponsoring
promotional parties at different venues. Ask your
friends to host it at their places. You will have to
find a way to compensate them, of course. Other people
who show up to these events may also ask to host it for
you at their places. Take advantage of those
opportunities to spread the work and sell your product.
