However, there are non-advertising approaches to promotion. They generally require less money to implement and are often more effective. The only catch is that they require time and creativity to develop.
Coupons
You don’t have to distribute coupons in print advertising or in big direct mail campaigns. You can hand them out on the street corner, at trade shows, or just about anyplace else. You can send a few to your best customers, or you can include “next purchase” coupons in customer orders.
Coupons can be “quick and dirty” to design and print because their selling point is price, not image. To assure your chances of getting an additional sale or establishing an ongoing relationship with your customers, make your coupon offer exceedingly generous.
If you have a website, you can add a "sign-up for coupons" to capture email addresses and send your coupon to via email.
Contests
People love contests. They even love to see other people win! Just witness the phenomenal success of game shows on television. If you choose to develop a promotional contest, in-fuse it with fun, make it silly, and don’t forget to really talk it up. If your contest is wacky and crazy enough, you should be able to get good media coverage—and remember, this is essentially free advertising!
Gifts
People love to receive something for free, even if they have to pay a premium price for a more expensive item to get the freebie. While this technique has been used most successfully in the beauty and cosmetics industry, it can be used in almost any business endeavor. It isn’t unheard of to see deals such as a free computer desktop with the purchase of a higher-priced notebook computer or, even a free subcompact car with the purchase of a full-price luxury sedan!
Frequent buyers
Frequent-buyer programs can be very powerful tools for building loyal customers for both retail and service businesses. The more common approach is to give customers a card that is marked after each purchase and results in a free or reduced-price product or service offering after a specified number of regular-priced purchases. For example, ten haircuts may net one free haircut. Another approach is to give regular customers a discount on purchases upon presentation of their “Frequent Buyer” discount card.
Exclusive offerings
Offering exclusive purchases or previews of new merchandise to existing customers is a great way to inspire a feeling of excitement and loyalty. To enhance participation, you may wish to offer a discount. If the exclusive offering is in itself extremely attractive, the discount can be small.
Events
Hosting a special event in your business establishment, such as a celebrity appearance or a charity fundraiser, is a terrific way to introduce people to your business or maintain contact with existing customers. It also will create an aura of excitement and goodwill. You may even obtain media coverage!
Cross-promotions
You don’t have to be a movie producer or own an international fast-food chain to cross-promote your product with another business. You might consider offering free tickets to the local theater with each purchase of a particular item or price level. Another great business-to-business cross-promotion might be to offer free tickets to a ball game to any business willing to invest fifteen minutes of time just to listen to your sales pitch.
Trades
Ever notice the ads for car washes on taxi roofs? Car washes don’t pay cash for these advertisements! They get the exposure in exchange for cleaning the taxis periodically. If you are absolutely sold on developing an advertising campaign, remember that smaller media outfits will sometimes accept products in lieu of payment.
Giveaways
You’re probably wondering how you can make money if you give away product! Well, it’s a lot easier and less expensive than advertising. In fact, giveaways have their place in just about any type of business.
Selling business-to-business, you can generate goodwill with the people you choose—your best customers or a select roster of potential customers occasionally giving them a small gift when you call on them. The giveaway should not be so expensive that a feeling of bribery is conveyed, but nice enough that it doesn’t end up trashed the minute you leave.
For consumer service businesses, you may want to offer your product for free trial periods, or offer free estimates if you are in a service-oriented business.
Retail businesses may hand out balloons or other novelty items to build traffic or retain customer interest.
* Source Streetwise Small Business Start-Up
Getting More Bang for your Marketing Buck - To learn more about this author, visit Bella Lane's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
 |
Related Articles |
|
 Making Money in an Economic Downturn
|
| |
If you're a savvy business person, you understand that an economic downturn is precisely the time you can have a greater impact and get a bigger bang for your marketing buck.
|
|
BANG BANG YOU’RE DEAD!
|
| |
 Oooh my that hurts. The shock of suddenly being told that your business isn’t making any money.
|
|
The Sandwich King: The Early Years of Subway’s Fred DeLuca
|
| |
 Fred DeLuca was nothing more than a kid from “The Projects”, looking for a way to pay his college tuition when he opened up a sandwich store in Bridgeport, Connecticut. At the time, he could not even afford the $25 ...
|
|
How to organize the room
|
| |
 One more post about conferences. (Except it's really about any meeting).
|
|
Website design isnt a case of cheapest is best
|
| |
When it comes to getting a new website or updating your old one, it's not always as easy as getting the cheapest quote. With a little thought as to what you want to achieve from the site before you ask someone to gi...
|
 |
Related Businesses - Evan Elite Authors |
|
The Evan Elite Authors program is currently in beta phase. For details please contact us.
|
|
|
Bella Lane
(Visit Bella's Website)
As CEO of Bella Lane Designs (BLD), Bella
Lane oversees the vision and direction for
the company, driving its long-term goals.
Her creative vision and production
proficiency, enables the agency to address
clients’ needs from both the design and
deliverable perspective.
Prior to launching BLD, Ms. Lane was an
art director in London working for top
agencies on campaigns for TGIF, London
Fire Brigade, IBM, BHS Department Stores
and many more. Ms. Lane studied design at
Kingston University of Surrey, England
before moving to Atlanta in 1996.
|
|
|
|
![[Get Copyright Permissions]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
