| Whether your target audience is in your | | | | your mere presence at functions could serve as a |
| neighborhood or across the world, you can use | | | | reminder and cause members to want to do |
| your local resources to get the word out about | | | | business with you. |
| your business. Your local community is easily | | | | 10. Use Networking to Build Alliances - The secret |
| accessible and provides dozens of opportunities | | | | to effective networking is to not just be on the |
| for building a buzz about your product or service. | | | | lookout for what business contacts can do for |
| The following are twenty ideas to get you | | | | you, but to consider what you can do for them. |
| started. | | | | When you meet someone new, ask questions |
| 1. Offer Your Product or Service as a Free Give | | | | and engage them in conversation. Offer advice or |
| Away - For example, if you own a restaurant, | | | | ideas, build a relationship and trust between you. |
| you could have your local Holiday Inn give away | | | | Once you've established a rapport, offer to meet |
| dinner gift certificates for $10 to hotel guests | | | | for coffee or lunch and see if you can brainstorm |
| during check-in. If you own a car wash, you could | | | | ways to work together. |
| have the local car dealerships give away a | | | | 11. Set Up Shop at the Farmer's Market - If you |
| certificate for a free wash with all car purchases. | | | | have a food-related product or anything of |
| Think about businesses that are complimentary to | | | | interest to the general public, the local farmer's |
| yours and offer a promotion that is easy for | | | | market is a great place to not only generate |
| them to implement and that will benefit their | | | | sales, but to increase exposure to your business. |
| customers. | | | | Visit for a directory of these events. |
| 2. Donate to Local Charities & Schools - | | | | 12. Swap Coupons with a Complimentary Business |
| Offer your products, services, or gift certificates | | | | - Offer to give away their coupons with each |
| for charity auctions and events. This will get you | | | | purchase while they give away your coupons with |
| exposure to everyone who attends the event | | | | each purchase. Each provides the other with |
| and build loyalty with members of the organization | | | | coupons and runs the promotion simultaneously. |
| you are supporting- not to mention a tax | | | | Make sure you print a special run of coupons or |
| write-off! | | | | give them some unique identifier (printed on a |
| 3. Leave Brochures, Fliers, and Business Cards | | | | special color of paper, for example) so you can |
| Everywhere - Many local businesses will allow you | | | | easily track the success of the promotion. |
| to display your cards and brochures. Potential | | | | 13. Give Away Free Tips - Tips sheets or |
| venues include: | | | | booklets can be a fantastic marketing tool. Put |
| * Car washes | | | | together a list of tips, similar to the tips you're |
| * Bookstores | | | | reading now. Your tips could be as few as ten or |
| * Coffee shops | | | | as many as 100. For example, a financial advisor |
| * Apartment buildings (near mailboxes or in | | | | could put together a tips sheet called "Twenty |
| laundry rooms) | | | | Ways to Save on Tax Planning." A beauty salon |
| * Churches | | | | could offer "Ten Tips for Ageless Skin." A child |
| * Student centers | | | | care center could give away "Twenty-five Tips |
| * Community centers | | | | for Child Safety." |
| * Retirement centers | | | | Print your tips sheets or booklets and give them |
| * Fitness centers | | | | away as a bonus with purchase or use them with |
| * Subways and bus depots | | | | your advertising. If you offer something of real |
| * Fraternities and Sororities | | | | value, people will be more likely to hang onto your |
| * Libraries | | | | list and refer to it over and over again, thus you |
| 4. Hold a Contest - People love to get stuff for | | | | are providing a consistent reminder of your |
| free and contests are a great way to lure in new | | | | business. Make sure your contact information and |
| customers. Make the prizes something people | | | | logo are printed on the documents. |
| want, or even just a gift certificate or shopping | | | | 14. Smile for the Cameras - Television news |
| spree for your business. Be sure to alert the | | | | programs like to host guests who have visual |
| media to your contest. Here are some contest | | | | appeal. If there is something you can |
| ideas: | | | | demonstrate, or an interesting presentation you |
| * Have kids color pictures or submit stories | | | | can give, pitch your idea to local news program |
| related to your business. | | | | producers (locate their contact information from |
| * Have customers submit funny business slogans. | | | | their websites). Watch your local programs to see |
| * Hold a poetry contest with a theme related to | | | | what kinds of stories they feature and how you |
| your business. | | | | can tailor yours to meet their needs. |
| * Have people submit their best solutions to | | | | 15. Offer Something Wacky - One northern |
| problems related to your business. For example, if | | | | California restaurant started a "Bald Tuesday" |
| you own a garden center, people could submit | | | | promotion. You guessed it; anybody who was in a |
| their best gardening tips. Take this a step further | | | | stage of balding could eat there for free on |
| and publish the entries in a booklet when the | | | | Tuesdays. Not only did this bring people in for a |
| contest is over. | | | | free meal, those patrons brought along paying |
| * Host a recipe contest if you have a | | | | customers with full heads of hair. And the biggest |
| food-related business. | | | | benefit of all? The media loved the story and |
| 5. Use Gift Certificates Creatively - Gift | | | | covered it in the local news. Soon the story |
| certificates are great for business because they | | | | reached national news and the restaurant became |
| cost you next to nothing, bring in cash, and often | | | | the talk of the nation. Think of something unique |
| they are not redeemed. Get your customers to | | | | and unusual that will bring people in-then be sure |
| buy gift certificates by offering them a special | | | | to alert the media. |
| bonus. For example: Buy a gift certificate for $20 | | | | 16. Online Classified Ads - One fabulous venue for |
| or more and receive $5 off your next purchase | | | | getting the word out about your business is |
| with us. When the customer purchases a gift | | | | craigslist.org. There is no charge for listing your |
| certificate, you then give them one worth $5 | | | | add in a variety of categories and Craigslist now |
| dated for use the following month only. This | | | | has a presence in most major cities. Ads are |
| means that your customer must return to you | | | | archived for two weeks, so be sure to resubmit |
| the following month and if they do, will probably | | | | regularly. Try different ads to see what works |
| spend more than the free $5 you've given them. | | | | best. You can even offer a discount or special |
| 6. In-Home Parties - Mary Kay, Tupperware, and | | | | offer for people who print the ad and bring it to |
| Pampered Chef are just a few of the companies | | | | you. |
| who generate big sales from small parties. This | | | | 17. Record Audio CDs - It can be relatively |
| strategy won't work for all businesses, but if you | | | | inexpensive to record a CD using your computer |
| have products that would benefit from an | | | | with a recordable disk drive. You can put together |
| in-home party, contact your friends, family, and | | | | and audio presentation that your prospects can |
| business associates and get the party started. | | | | listen to in their cars. Assemble a display and give |
| 7. Join Local Trade Organizations - Many | | | | them away. You can also place them in the same |
| organizations hold regular meetings and free | | | | types of venues where you distribute fliers. |
| seminars, providing you with another opportunity | | | | 18. Turn Your Customers into Billboards - Give |
| to make valuable contacts. Toastmasters ( has | | | | away your shirts, hats, and other gear or sell it at |
| chapters all over the U.S. and there are probably | | | | cost. The big companies print their logos on |
| dozens of other organizations in your community | | | | everything and get people to buy, so you can |
| to choose from. Even if you don't think your | | | | too. Make sure it's something of interest that |
| business can benefit from networking, you might | | | | people will want to wear. You could put a fun |
| be surprised by the connections you can make at | | | | image or phrase on the front of a shirt, with your |
| these events. | | | | company logo and website address on the back. |
| 8. Canvas Nearby Neighborhoods - Instead of just | | | | Be creative! |
| leaving a flier, you could leave an inexpensive item | | | | 19. Make it Stick - Magnets are an inexpensive |
| or tips booklet. One local Realtor stuck an | | | | way to leave a lasting impression. Print your |
| American flag on the lawns of everyone in our | | | | business card and logo on a magnet. Many people |
| neighborhood and then left her brochure on the | | | | stick these on their refrigerators and will |
| doorsteps. Not only did the neighborhood look | | | | remember it's there when it's time to call a |
| wonderful with all of those flags waving in the | | | | plumber, do their taxes, or order supplies. These |
| wind, but everyone loves a patriotic theme. This | | | | are especially effective for service businesses. |
| is a great strategy for all kinds of holidays: | | | | 20. Use Your License Plate - It only costs a bit |
| Independence Day, Veteran's Day, Memorial Day, | | | | extra to order vanity plates from the DMV. If |
| etc. You could take this idea a step further and | | | | your business name fits on a plate, put it on |
| do something similar for all of the major holidays. | | | | there. Be sure to frame it with a vanity license |
| 9. Join Everything - Even the PTA (Parent | | | | plate frame. |
| Teacher's Association) can be a great place to | | | | Your local community is a great place to build |
| network. Join book clubs, writer's groups, or any | | | | support and recognition for your business so don't |
| groups of interest to you, even if they don't | | | | miss out on this valuable opportunity. By |
| directly relate to your business. Get known by | | | | implementing even one of these suggested |
| everyone. They will associate you with your | | | | marketing strategies, you could open new doors |
| business as soon as they get to know you and | | | | for business opportunities. |