There is much to be said of the benefits of offline promotion and
advertising. You'll hear me talk a lot about “tunnel vision” and the impact it has on
your business strategy.
The neglect of offline advertising methods falls
squarely under my definition of 'tunnel vision'. It's easy to see why people succumb to this. You've got an online
business, so you advertise online. It's only logical.
The problem with that logic is that it rests on a faulty assumption: the
assumption that you don't advertise locally unless you're operating a business with
local appeal. In reality,
it doesn't matter if you're selling to a universal audience. That's actually the
point.
Even the guy down the street from you is part of that universal
audience as far as the Internet is concerned! So, why
struggle to reach him online if you could just as easily induce him to go
online by advertising to him where he lives?
The Case for Offline Marketing:
Your proximity to offline customers is going to give you an instant
boost in terms of both intrigue and trust.
Why?
First, the
Internet and the world at large continue to grow a little more
anonymous, and a little more isolating, every day.
Ironically, the Internet can actually relieve that sense of isolation when used properly.
Ironically, the Internet can actually relieve that sense of isolation when used properly.
For example: think of a local business in your area. Maybe a restaurant?
Now visit their website if they have one. How does this make you feel? It's nice to check out the full menu at leisure, in the comfort of your
own home, isn't it? You might even find
pictures of the waiters or your favorite table to bring back pleasant memories
from your last dining experience there.
If your favorite restaurant really knows their stuff, they've probably
got some printable coupons, recipes, an online reservation tool or customer
feedback options in place. So, know this: these same psychological principles work in reverse,
too.
Even if
you're selling an e-book, there's a market for it in your own backyard. You
should advertise offline and make a point of emphasizing that you're locally
based.
In fact, you might want to create a separate entry page for your local
customers. Let them get to know you. Offer them some deals that the rest of
your visitors aren't privy to, and really play up the 'next door neighbor'
theme.
Expense:
There's a common misconception that offline advertising is prohibitively
expensive, after all, part the great leveling influence of the Internet is that
it makes it super-cheap for the average person to start their own business.
Overhead costs are generally under $1,000. In fact, you can get away
with less than $100 in up-front investment as long as you aren't trying to
start “the next Ebay”.
Well,
somehow, people have confused offline overhead costs with offline advertising
costs. There are barriers to entry when it comes to starting
an offline business; but, advertising any business offline is far more
affordable than most people realize…
The truth:
If you can
afford to place a classified ad to sell your barbecue grill, you can afford to
place an ad for your business. I'm not saying it's as cheap to advertise offline as it is online. If
you're strapped for capital, you probably won't be able to afford online advertising, either.
You need a
minimum of at least $50 to invest somewhere, and you need to turn around and re-invest
your profits into additional advertising.
Offline methods and their average costs:
Let's take a look at some offline advertising opportunities, and then
we'll lay out some cost analysis:
·
Flyers
·
Bumper stickers
·
T-shirts
·
Business Cards
·
Brochures
·
Newspaper classifieds
·
Local newscast segments
·
Local websites
·
Joint ventures with local businesses
·
Public television and radio sponsorship
·
Charity sponsorships
·
Billboards
We've got a mix of price ranges here, and a lot of the cost is dependent
on print-quality, volume, pre-existing standards and demand vs. supply. I'll take you now through each method, one-by-one, and discuss when,
where and how to use a particular method in a cost-effective way.
1. Flyers:
Your costs here depend on things like: paperweight,
black & white versus color printing, page size, and number of copies. A
short run of small, black and white flyers Shouldn't run you more than about
.03 -.05 cents per page at most commercial printers.
If you've already got your own printer, you can print out as many flyers
as you need for the cost of paper and printer ink. As far as distribution, you'll need to look for outlets in high traffic
areas.
This could be a bulletin board at a local coffee shop, a community kiosk,
library, etc. Just make sure you have permission to flyer first.
2. Bumper Stickers:
Another super cheap method for promoting your website address. Print up
about 50 full-color stickers for you, your family and friends for only $64.95 online. Just get yourself a good quantity and slap these onto your vehicle. If
you're so inclined, make some extra trips when you can.
You'll get noticed in
parking lots, in rush hour traffic, and on the highway when you're taking road
trips. It's important to have a memorable URL so that people on the road can
memorize it or write it down quickly. You might want to get a redirect domain
expressly for this purpose, and use that on your sticker rather than your usual
(longer) URL.
Lastly, make sure you've got some sort of slogan or curiosity-boosting
quote on the sticker as well. Something to grab the attention of drivers in
your target market. For example, let's say you're selling an e-book or online course about
“day trading”. A good lead generating sticker for that could be something like:
Are you set
for life? I am!
Finally, don't rule out the possibility of spreading your offline
efforts into other cities. If you have access to your customer's real billing
address information, consider sending them a free sticker via snail mail. You could even add an incentive to this by telling them about your affiliate
program. This would work pretty easily as long as your affiliate back end
software creates subdomain style tracking links: e.g.,
affiliateID.yourmerchantsite.com
Just imagine if all of your affiliates (or customers-turned-affiliates)
had their own unique bumper stickers sporting an easy to remember affiliate
url? You'd have a virtual army of offline advertisers driving around with
your website address all across the country.
3. T-Shirts:
T-Shirts are good for URL display and as conversation starters. This is
especially true if you find yourself standing in line a lot at places like the
bank, the grocery store, the post office, etc. You're almost guaranteed to get curious inquiries, especially if you
employ this time-tested call to action:
“Ask me about 'fill in the blank here'.”
Examples:
Ask me how I
made $50,000 last year working at home!
Migraine
headaches? Ask me about the secret cure!
You Get the idea?
This sets you up with a chance to pre-sell in person, and pass out your
business card so that your prospect won't forget your URL on the way home.
As far as cost is concerned: if you want to work on the cheap, you need
to stick to plain, light-weight cotton t-shirts. They should be white in color,
and you should use a one-color printing process.
Basically, the higher quality your cotton and the more colors you have
in your design, the more expensive it will be. Some people prefer black
t-shirts. If that's true for you also, you can probably get a good deal as long as
you stick to white ink.
Anything else on black will be more expensive because you have to lay down an extra color (white) in order to get your other colors to show up.
Another thing
to keep in mind:
Printers
typically don't (and won't) do small orders. You're looking at a minimum of
about 10 t-shirts with most offline print shops.
One of the cheapest online quotes that have been found is $9.57 per shirt when you order 250 or more shirts. Even at a 36% discount, you're looking at over two-grand.
You might be able to cut costs if you can work out a deal with one of
your local printers. You can also buy some cheap shirts at craft stores, then
iron a design yourself. Most home offices printers today can print onto special
t-shirt transfer paper for just these types of projects.
One last alternative is to set up your own shop. create your own 'branded' product line and purchase one-at-a-time type products such as tee-shirts mentioned
previously.
More and more stations are adding technology and internet special
features as part of their newscast.
In fact, I've seen a few stations where viewers are encouraged to send in links to websites of interest. If your link is chosen, an anchor will do a short segment reviewing the site.
In fact, I've seen a few stations where viewers are encouraged to send in links to websites of interest. If your link is chosen, an anchor will do a short segment reviewing the site.
You'll need to have an angle that makes your site newsworthy or of local
interest, though. If you can't get in through one of these backdoor tricks, move on to the
press release method. You might land yourself an interview or special feature
segment on your business.
4. Local Websites:
High traffic, locally focused websites are another excellent choice for
advertising. Costs will vary. You'll need to visit your target sites to gather
up a cost estimate. Typical high-traffic, locally focused sites include ones like:
· Any of your
local radio or tv station sites (*note, often banner advertising. Many sites
now employ Google Adsense for the bulk of their sponsorships).
· Chamber of
Commerce sites (you can usually get a link in their directory, if not
advertising).
· Any other
independently owned business site or local resources portal.
5. Offline Joint Ventures:
Here is a super-charged (and often free) tactic you may not have
considered. Why not set up a joint venture with another business owner in your
own hometown? For example: if you're selling beauty-related products, negotiate a deal
with one of the locally owned hair salons.
Have them hand out your information and recommend your products in
exchange for a percentage of any sales they refer. Sweeten up the deal by offering
customers of that salon a discount on your products.
This can really work to your benefit. Many people don't think about
forming a joint venture between their online business and a brick-n-mortar
business. But you can get lots of mileage out of that face-to-face referral. And
that referral is coming from someone the customer already trusts, and already
does business with.
Sponsorships (public tv, radio and charities):
Got some spare cash to donate? Consider giving it to charity or any
other worthy local cause. You usually have to invest $500 or more to reach a certain “donor level”
and its accompanying benefits. But if you
can afford to sign on as a business sponsor to, say, a public radio program,
you can get your name and URL read on air. Let's say you
sponsor something like a “10K Run for the Cure”. Many cities have
charity races like this. Your donation
can get you listed on t-shirts, banners and other souvenirs.
6. Billboards:
Billboard advertising: it's high-impact, it gets you noticed, and it
often carries with it a hint of “the big leagues” in your customer's mind.
They're stuck in traffic. They see your billboard day after day. They
naturally make the assumption that you must be pretty serious and important if
you're willing to run such a prominent ad.
And even though many people will claim that billboards are an eyesore,
and that they ignore them, studies show this is simply not true.
You really can't
avoid noticing at least a dozen of the billboards on the road each time you
drive. It's just how the mind works. Your eyes are scanning the environment,
and they have to land on something other than the road ahead at least
part of the time or you'll wind up in a trance.
Let's be
honest here, too. Haven't you found at least one billboard advertisement that completely
annoys you – and yet, every time you drive past it you can't help but look
at it again?
It's like trying not to look at a traffic accident. Obviously, this is going to be one of the more expensive offline methods. You'll want to stick to very simple boards – the ones that have slot-lettering, rather than full-color banners. You'll also find some price disparity since there's no one, central owner for all billboards. Some are actually owned and leased out by individuals.
There's an excellent resource in the related urls to help you choose the
right type of outdoor advertising. You can get a free quote and consultation
online.
Have a wonderful day.
Have a wonderful day.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: If Your Comment Is Irrelevant Or Inappropriate, It Will Be Removed. The Views Expressed In The Comments Do Not Necessarily Represent That Of The Owner Of The Blog. For more information see terms of use and privacy policy link. Reach 0092348033451818 for more details. Thank you for visiting.