Market your ONline business OFFline
By JD TutterowJD Tutterow
© 08/31/2005
While we’re all trying to market online, there is still something to be said for marketing your ONline business OFFline. Several methods exist – direct mail, billboard ads, newspaper/magazine ads, etc.
One of the easiest ways is with business cards. You’ve seen them – on bulletin boards in restaurants, on counter tops and tables in local businesses (maybe at your hair salon). Heck, my insurance agent tries to give me one every time I see him -
Did you ever take one, or write down the information from one? Maybe you planned to call the business later to get a quote on some work you wanted done?
If you have, well guess what? You just got “marketed” by the business owner – and you didn’t even know it (well maybe you did know it, but you didn’t mind). Doesn’t it go to reason that if YOU picked up someone’s card that interested you (talk about a TARGETTED prospect!), then wouldn’t someone interested in YOUR business pick up one of YOUR cards?
Some quick suggestions for “drop card” marketing –
1. Make the card interesting (so it will get picked up) and very specific on what you want the person to do – call a phone number, go to a webpage, whatever. If you’re directing a person to a webpage, use a URL that you don’t use anywhere else – then you’ll know which visitors are directly from people that looked at your card. Better yet, use a tracking URL. There are multiple sources for ad trackers, but here’s one I use and it works great. There are many unique tools included with this tracker that you will not find anywhere else. How cool is that?
2. Make notes of where, when, and how many cards you place. Check at regular intervals to replenish (you hope) the supply. Always have some with you to handle those “spur of the moment” opportunities.
3. Start with limited placements. What I mean is this – Don’t put your cards at 100 different locations to start with. When your site gets visits (and it will), you won’t know which drop location the visitor picked up a card from. Maybe choose ten (or less) to begin with. It will be easier in the beginning to track a handful of locations, rather than a herdful. That’s where the tracking URL can help. Here’s the tracker I prefer. When you determine a particular location is not producing results, don't leave cards there anymore - saves your money and your time.
Last, but not least -
4. Be sure to get permission from the business owner prior to leaving your card(s). You may check back and find them all in the trash. Ouch! Besides, the owner may just be interested in a business website – you never know.
5. 50 Places To Leave Your Business Card
(some you may not have thought about – I hadn’t)
Doctor's Office (people get tired of reading magazines printed in 1985)
Dental Office
Mechanic’s Waiting Room
Laundromats
College Campuses
Back of Bathroom Stall Doors (who’d a thought?!)
Libraries
Hair Salons
Tax Preparation Offices
Insurance Office
Dry Cleaners
Dairy Queen / Baskin Robbins
Bagel Shops
Donut Shops (my favorite)
Deli
ATM's
Veterinarians
Nail Salons
Day Care Centers
Retirement Homes (kids and grand kids need websites too)
Model New Home Centers
Real Estate Agent Offices
Corner Stores
In Front of Magazines at Check Out Lines (or stick a card IN the magazine)
With Toll Booth Collectors
Grocery Store Clerks
Video Stores
Dressing Rooms
Bank Tellers
Shoe Stores
Kids Resale Shops
Gymboree Centers
Temporary Staff Offices
Flower Shops
Restaurants
Pet Stores
Dance Studios
Grocery Stores Where You Leave Your Ads
Mortgage Offices
Computer Stores (how appropriate)
School Administration Offices
Fabric Stores
The Bakery
Print Shops (might get a deal on printing your cards)
Cashiers at Dealerships
Tanning Salons
Vitamin Stores
Sales People At Any Store
Movie Theater Lobbies
With Your Tip at Restaurants (be sure it’s a good tip!)
Got it? Good!
Now get your business cards, choose a few locations (get permission!) and distribute your cards.
Market your ONline business OFFline - Author: JD Tutterow is an Internet Marketer, and an Independent Representative of Global Domains International. Click here to visit his personal website, built with tools provided by GDI. GDI offers personal domains with all the tools necessary to construct a professional website. Personalized business cards are also available.
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