You don’t have to spend a lot of money or time to attract new customers. Step out-of-the-box and consider if one or more of the following marketing ideas might be a fit with your business.
- CROSS-PROMOTE– Find another business that also targets or caters to your market. Promote in or on their products and open the door to a new delivery channel for your marketing message. For example, what if a vision center partnered with a book store? The vision center could print nicely designed book marks that can be given away free at the checkout. Include a famous quote or saying and at the bottom ask the question, “Having trouble reading this bookmark? Come see us!” Likewise, the book store could design a fibercloth for cleaning glasses that could be given to each customer that includes the text, “Put your new glasses to good use…” This is what you call a win-win!
- DRAW TRAFFIC– A great way to increase awareness of your business is by holding events in or even outside your location. For example, many Chambers of Commerce seek business locations to hold morning networking meetings, a non-profit group might welcome the opportunity to have a fundraisers. In the case of the latter, you may even offer to donate a percentage of your sales on a particular day and have the non-profit group help promote it to their supporters.
- PIGGYBACK PROMOTION– Have some promotions already developed so that you can quickly take advantage when a larger neighboring store has a big advertised sale. That way you are ready to go even at the last minute.
- CREATE PACKAGES– Customers often lack imagination. Do the work for them and watch your sales grow. Combine services or products together and give them a package name and special price. This is a great way to give new life and purpose to your products. For example, a local deli could package some “comfort” items like banana bread, cheese & crackers, and a quart of homemade soup and market it as the “Under the weather” package and encourage customers to pick it up for a friend who is sick or injured. The customer is not likely to think about purchasing those items separately for that purpose, but the “package” will prompt them to think for whom they could buy it.
- VOICE MAIL – Make your voice mail message work for you. Take the opportunity to ask your customers to Like you on Facebook or Follow you on Twitter. Tell them about a special “package” you are now offering, or about a big sale you have coming up. Reinforce your brand by telling them why you are different than the competition.
Author: Bethany Meadows is the owner of Vertical Solutions Media Inc. She has over 20 years of solid marketing experience in a wide array of industries including insurance, financial, pharmaceutical, retail, hospitality, and more.
