MARKETING IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
MARKETING IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD
Need some ideas for marketing your offline business? You really don't have to look too far when it comes to finding methods of advertising for your business.
One of the biggest expenses for any business owner is advertising. While it is easy to place advertisements, if they don't pay for themselves, you can quickly find yourself in financial trouble.
When it comes to advertising your small business it makes sense to start out small. Find out what methods work for you, and then scale things up from there.
Your own backyard or neighborhood can be a treasure chest; you just have to know where to look. Get into the habit of using your local community to assist you with advertising as much as possible. Just remember that this is a two way street. If another business helps promote you then you should return the favor.
One of the best places to start is by joining a local business group. This might be your local Chamber of Commerce or a Meet Up group. Immediately this puts you into contact with like-minded business owners. You can learn from their experiences and make new acquaintances'.
It can be hard for a small business to have a large enough budget to cover advertising. So you need to start thinking a little out of the box. Try writing some good flyers and distributing them around town. Write up a press release and publish it, then let your local newspaper know about it.
Offering to give interviews or even teaching a local class can be another great way to get advertising exposure for your business. If you run a hardware store, offer to give a class on how to use certain tools at your local high school for example.
Another great place is to start connecting with related businesses. Don't think of them as your competition; think about how you can both help each other. Maybe you have related products that complement each other. Or you might want to offer to promote them to your customers if they hand our
your business cards or flyers. Or you could offer customers from a certain store, restaurant or hotel a discount at your location.
Don't forget to be your own walking billboard. You know your business the best, you know what you sell or provide and how your products work. You really are your own best advertising.
When out and about around town remember to smile and talk to people. When you are waiting in line at the coffee shop, grocery store or bank start chatting to other customers. There is no need to be pushy just get to know people and be approachable. This can easily lead to people asking about your business.
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