FREE Advertising: It's out there!
FREE Advertising: It's out there!
1. Media release:
Although you usually do not get all the media releases published/broadcasted, the ones that do are noticed by you prospects and customers, and it’s free. All you have to do is take a few minutes to write the media release and send it. Use media releases for:
A. Promotions of personnel
B. Anniversaries
C. Milestones
D. Accomplishments - major and minor
E. Adding a new product line
F. Remodeling
G. Increasing the size of your rolling fleet
H. New hires
I. Anything that is different or has changed about your business, your people and you.
Here is a simple easy form to follow.
Press release key points:
Double space for ease of reading and editing.
Put the "meat" of what you are trying to get across in the first sentence. Their space is limited.
Don't use specific dates unless you are announcing an event in advance.
Make it easy to contact you, even though they rarely do.
No Sales Pitch - just information.
2. Turn a negative into a positive:
In the winter of 1984 our electronics store was robbed. Upon arriving at the showroom at 2AM and viewing the destruction, televisions and displays turned over and broken and windows broken, I immediately remembered my father always saying “The successful business people turn negatives into positives.” I telephoned the local newspaper and radio station. They are always hungry for a sensational story. They dispatched reporters and photographers. There we were the next day on the front page of the newspaper and the lead off story all day long on the local news. I turned the negative burglary into a positive by gaining free advertising, because I followed up the next day with a storewide burglary sale. A most successful sale. I found it easy to turn a negative into a positive, because people love to see, read about and hear about other’s problems (negatives). I guess that is why there are so many rubbernecks at the scene of an automobile accident. Turn all the negatives you can into positive media coverage.
3. Sponsoring a charitable event:
Now you may be asking yourself, “How can sponsoring a charitable event be free?” You do not have to donate money. Donate your time, or better yet, if you are a brick and mortar business donate your space. I know of many sales we made because we donated the space for local kid’s organizations to hold car washes, bake sales and Christmas tree sales. Of course after each event I sent media releases to all the local media.
4. Be a little different, get noticed:
I did not create the Cat Shoot sale, but when the opportunity came a knocking at my door I answered it and received thousands of dollars in free advertising. Our area had become over populated with stray cats. Almost everyday there were media reports in the newspaper, on the radio and television about the problem and suggested remedies.
Business was a bit slow so I took advantage of the situation to gain free advertising. I spent less than two hundred dollars and received over ten thousand dollars in free advertising.
WARNING: THIS SALE IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE INTESTINAL FORTITUDE AND DISCIPLINE TO FOLLOW THROUGH TO THE SALES CONCLUSION.
This sale is designed to gain sales and public awareness of your store through the incorrect perception the public will have until the conclusion of the sale. Do not attempt to run the sale if you cannot take the heat until the praise and profits arrive.
Picture the community's reaction when they see this ad:
CAT SHOOT
WIN -- $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
PLACE-- PARKING LOT OF JANET'S APPLIANCE, HOGAN BLVD, LOCK HAVEN,PA.
TIME-- SATURDAY 1:35 PM
CONTESTANT REGISTRATION 12:30 PM
ALL GUNS AND AMMUNITION SUPPLIED
The phone rang off the hook. I received calls from every animal activist, the humane society, thelocal and state police, church groups, city officials, hunters, and of course the curious. They all asked, "What is going on? What are you doing? Are you going to shoot cats?"
Our only reply was: "Come to our store Saturday and see for yourself."
Remember, you must have the Intestinal Fortitude and discipline to stick to the rules:
Rule # 1... Once you start you cannot stop.
Rule #2... Do not tell anyone outside your organization what you are actually doing.
Rule #3 ... Invite someone from the local Humane Society or animal shelter to the event.
They will be there.
Rule # 4…When the Media contacts you only say, “Come to our store Saturday and see for yourself,”
or “No comment.”
THE PROMOTION:
a. Have an art student or artist draw big (people size) cutouts of cartoon cats. (Felix the cat, Garfield, Sylvester.)
b. Rent paint guns that shoot paint balls at the sporting good store, or better yet get them to let you use them for free advertising.
c. Set up a shooting gallery like at a fair or carnival.
d. Charge $1 a shot. The one who shoots the cats the most times wins.
e. Before the shooting begins, introduce the representative from the human society or animal shelter and announce that ˝ of all proceedes from the shoot will be donated to them.
The next day my picture was on the front page of the newspaper presenting a check to the animal shelter, and I was on the radio and television news all day long. Plus, during the event we channeled thousands of people into our store with sales signage of Cat Shoot Sale Discounts. All creating a great profit day. To take advantage of all the free advertising we continued the Cat Shoot Sale for 12 days, turning the sale into an event.
5. Ask your suppliers:
I have always been amazed that people in the selling business do not ask their suppliers for co-op advertising dollars, advertising collateral, and even man power help to create and conduct promotions. “Ask and you shall receive.” It’s true, and the worst that can happen is they say “NO.” Which they will not if you are a profitable customer of theirs.
The # 1 rule in asking for sales support from a supplier is: Always show them a plan of action of what the promotion will do for them. How giving you money and time will increase their bottom line.
Free advertising is out there for the taking, if you are willing to go after it.
FREE Advertising Its out there - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Janet's Website.
Like this article? Share it with your friends
5 ways to get FREE Advertising
1. Media release:
Although you usually do not get all the media releases published/broadcasted, the ones that do are noticed by you prospects and customers, and it’s free. All you have to do is take a few minutes to write the media release and send it. Use media releases for:
A. Promotions of personnel
B. Anniversaries
C. Milestones
D. Accomplishments - major and minor
E. Adding a new product line
F. Remodeling
G. Increasing the size of your rolling fleet
H. New hires
I. Anything that is different or has changed about your business, your people and you.
Here is a simple easy form to follow.
Press release key points:
Double space for ease of reading and editing.
Put the "meat" of what you are trying to get across in the first sentence. Their space is limited.
Don't use specific dates unless you are announcing an event in advance.
Make it easy to contact you, even though they rarely do.
No Sales Pitch - just information.
2. Turn a negative into a positive:
In the winter of 1984 our electronics store was robbed. Upon arriving at the showroom at 2AM and viewing the destruction, televisions and displays turned over and broken and windows broken, I immediately remembered my father always saying “The successful business people turn negatives into positives.” I telephoned the local newspaper and radio station. They are always hungry for a sensational story. They dispatched reporters and photographers. There we were the next day on the front page of the newspaper and the lead off story all day long on the local news. I turned the negative burglary into a positive by gaining free advertising, because I followed up the next day with a storewide burglary sale. A most successful sale. I found it easy to turn a negative into a positive, because people love to see, read about and hear about other’s problems (negatives). I guess that is why there are so many rubbernecks at the scene of an automobile accident. Turn all the negatives you can into positive media coverage.
3. Sponsoring a charitable event:
Now you may be asking yourself, “How can sponsoring a charitable event be free?” You do not have to donate money. Donate your time, or better yet, if you are a brick and mortar business donate your space. I know of many sales we made because we donated the space for local kid’s organizations to hold car washes, bake sales and Christmas tree sales. Of course after each event I sent media releases to all the local media.
4. Be a little different, get noticed:
I did not create the Cat Shoot sale, but when the opportunity came a knocking at my door I answered it and received thousands of dollars in free advertising. Our area had become over populated with stray cats. Almost everyday there were media reports in the newspaper, on the radio and television about the problem and suggested remedies.
Business was a bit slow so I took advantage of the situation to gain free advertising. I spent less than two hundred dollars and received over ten thousand dollars in free advertising.
WARNING: THIS SALE IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE THE INTESTINAL FORTITUDE AND DISCIPLINE TO FOLLOW THROUGH TO THE SALES CONCLUSION.
This sale is designed to gain sales and public awareness of your store through the incorrect perception the public will have until the conclusion of the sale. Do not attempt to run the sale if you cannot take the heat until the praise and profits arrive.
Picture the community's reaction when they see this ad:
CAT SHOOT
WIN -- $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
PLACE-- PARKING LOT OF JANET'S APPLIANCE, HOGAN BLVD, LOCK HAVEN,PA.
TIME-- SATURDAY 1:35 PM
CONTESTANT REGISTRATION 12:30 PM
ALL GUNS AND AMMUNITION SUPPLIED
The phone rang off the hook. I received calls from every animal activist, the humane society, thelocal and state police, church groups, city officials, hunters, and of course the curious. They all asked, "What is going on? What are you doing? Are you going to shoot cats?"
Our only reply was: "Come to our store Saturday and see for yourself."
Remember, you must have the Intestinal Fortitude and discipline to stick to the rules:
Rule # 1... Once you start you cannot stop.
Rule #2... Do not tell anyone outside your organization what you are actually doing.
Rule #3 ... Invite someone from the local Humane Society or animal shelter to the event.
They will be there.
Rule # 4…When the Media contacts you only say, “Come to our store Saturday and see for yourself,”
or “No comment.”
THE PROMOTION:
a. Have an art student or artist draw big (people size) cutouts of cartoon cats. (Felix the cat, Garfield, Sylvester.)
b. Rent paint guns that shoot paint balls at the sporting good store, or better yet get them to let you use them for free advertising.
c. Set up a shooting gallery like at a fair or carnival.
d. Charge $1 a shot. The one who shoots the cats the most times wins.
e. Before the shooting begins, introduce the representative from the human society or animal shelter and announce that ˝ of all proceedes from the shoot will be donated to them.
The next day my picture was on the front page of the newspaper presenting a check to the animal shelter, and I was on the radio and television news all day long. Plus, during the event we channeled thousands of people into our store with sales signage of Cat Shoot Sale Discounts. All creating a great profit day. To take advantage of all the free advertising we continued the Cat Shoot Sale for 12 days, turning the sale into an event.
5. Ask your suppliers:
I have always been amazed that people in the selling business do not ask their suppliers for co-op advertising dollars, advertising collateral, and even man power help to create and conduct promotions. “Ask and you shall receive.” It’s true, and the worst that can happen is they say “NO.” Which they will not if you are a profitable customer of theirs.
The # 1 rule in asking for sales support from a supplier is: Always show them a plan of action of what the promotion will do for them. How giving you money and time will increase their bottom line.
Free advertising is out there for the taking, if you are willing to go after it.
FREE Advertising Its out there - To learn more about this author, visit Bob Janet's Website.
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Kim CastleWith nearly two decades in the advertising and design business, with clients like Domino's Pizza, General Motors, Direct TV, Pedigree, Wolfgang Puck, Higher Octave Music, Hollywood Celebrity Products, Disney, and Paramount, as well as thousands of entrepreneurs around the world define, structure, communicate, and position their business for greater profits, BrandU(R) co-creators Kim Castle and W. Vito Montone discovered that entrepreneurs could experience the same power that big brands command for a fraction of the cost with the world's only process-based results-drive Integral approach to business creation. BrandU(R) is helping entrepreneurs grow with the power of extreme clarity from idea...to brand...to market(TM) and helping one million entrepreneurs become successful and whole so that they can make a difference in the world. Are you one of them? If you want to experience clarity all the way to the bank(TM), get started now at http://www.brandu.com. - Visit Kim Castle's Website |
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David AchesonDavid Acheson is the founder of DCJA Consultancy. DCJA Consultancy is a management consultancy business specialising in B2B sales consultancy. They offer bespoke and packaged sales consultancy including Sales Optimisation Review, Interim Sales Management, Sales & Marketing Review, 1:1 Sales & Management Staff Analysis, Management Training, Solution Sales Training, Creation of New Pay Plan, KPI's, run Customer Feedback Campaigns, assist with Recruitment, Coaching, Appraisals and set up Strategic Marketing Campaigns. David spent his early career in accountancy and then moved into sales in 1982, working in Office Equipment, IT, Advertising, Training, Outsourcing and Consultancy. He has held many Senior Positions in SMBs and Global Organisations including Head of Sales Operations & Head of Business Development. His knowledge, skills and great experience of the Sales Industry has led to David making keynote speeches and running educational sessions to key businesses through organisations including The Chamber of Commerce and Business Link. - Visit David Acheson's Website |
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Casey GollanCasey Gollan, Business Coaching & Mentoring Programs. Add $1 Million to $10 Million in the next 1 to 3 years. Since 1996 Casey has to added hundreds of millions of dollars to businesses. Watch a free video see client results Business Coaching website. - Visit Casey Gollan's Website |
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Stephanie RobeyStephanie Robey is President and CoFounder of Pivot Positive, LLC - an Internet marketing business focused on helping people start work at home ventures. Previously, she was employed at The Search Agency with over 20 years experience in graphic design and 10 years experience in online marketing. She was responsible for launching the Conversion Path Optimization (CPO) unit where she and her team have conducted hundreds of optimization tests for online companies across multiple verticals. She is a successful entrepreneur having started and sold 2 companies and remains on the board of directors of the third, PhotoSpin.com Stephanie began her career in the direct marketing realm creating and producing direct mail for many of the major cable television companies and directly attributes her understanding of Internet marketing to those early offline experiences. Stephanie is a graduate of San Diego State University with a BFA in Graphic Arts and also holds an Executive MBA from the Graziadio School of Business and Management at Pepperdine University. Read Steph's Blog Meet Steph and Dave Sign up for our Free 7-Day BootCamp: Self Employed & Rich - Visit Stephanie Robey's Website |
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