Marketing Offline
Marketing offline is a great way to compliment your online
campaigns. It helps target people who otherwise might not
spot your online presence. Plus it helps you target people
who have Internet access and email when you include your
URL or web site address in all of your ads. To help you
make the most of your offline marketing, here are a few
tips from the pros:
1. INSERTS - Ask for media kits from print publications
that target your industry readers. Find out their rates
for inserts. And have their advertising department help
you create a marketing insert for your products and
services that targets Internet users and includes your URL
and email address. Do include a phone number (toll-free,
if possible) for those who have technical difficulties or
prefer to call.
2. TEACH - Hold affordable (or free) offline classes at a
local community center or other educational facility.
Share your knowledge in your area of expertise with
attendees. And make sure to distribute handouts with
complete contact information, including your website and
email address.
Be pro-active and post-active by announcing your classes
in a press release to the local media; radio, television,
print publications. And follow up by inviting students to
enter feedback and referrals in your website form after
the class if over. Capture their contact information,
enter it into your database, and follow up regularly -
sending them your ezine and product / service
announcements, both via email and regular postal mail.
3. ORGANIZATIONS - Target your offline marketing to groups
of people who will actually be interested
in your product
or service; i.e. local associations and organizations.
Check your Yellow Pages for groups near you and find out
when their meetings are. Call ahead to make sure guests
are welcome. Then go and network at an easy pace, not
fast. Slowly work your way into the group and make sure it
would be a good fit for you; you'll want to give at first,
then you'll receive later on (maybe after your first year,
even).
Gradually distribute your business cards - with your
website and email address on them. Volunteer to teach
about your area of expertise if the chance arises, of
course distributing your marketing materials with our
website and email address on them, too.
Use caution, before rushing to join during or after the
first meeting. Take your time to make sure the group would
be a good fit for you and your business operations.
Sometimes group operations are lacking or suffer due to
board member turnover, the economy, new industry laws,
etc. So you might benefit from waiting to join for several
months down the road, or trying a different group all
together.
So reach out and advertise offline to compliment your
online strategy. And remember to include your website and
email address on all of your marketing tools.
About the Author
With too much factory experience and experience in Marketing and Advertising, Annette Lucas knew she wanted her own business. She found just what she was looking for with AmeriPlanUSA. To see if AmeriPlan's opportunity is right for you, check out http://www.freedomathometeam.com/40290308
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