How To Market
When Computers and the Internet Aren't Your Thing
by
Kevin Nunley
http://DrNunley.com
So
you are still stricken with fear at the thought of sending
an email, posting a website or downloading...well, anything.
It doesn't mean you can't successfully market your business.
Not
everybody is glued to the net, popular as that myth
may be. There are still plenty of us willing to dirty
our hands picking up a non-virtual flyer or flipping
through a non-virtual newspaper. We leave our houses
and drive cars or walk, reading non-virtual signs and
advertisements.
Maybe
it was the pile of science fiction books you read as
a kid that made you shun a future filled with diabolical
gadgets and gizmos. Maybe your computer lab teacher
didn't love you enough. Maybe you are simply the kind
of person who wants to keep life as uncomplicated as
possible.
Whatever
the reason for your tech-phobia, there is still plenty
of time for you old dogs to learn some new tricks. Meanwhile,
you'll have to do some marketing the old-fashioned way.
There
are a gazillion ways to market absolutely free of technology.
You see them everywhere you go, in your non-virtual
world.
*Flyers,
super cheap, super effective--Flyers are one of the
oldest forms of marketing. Samuel Adams alerted the
Patriots to the Boston Tea Party with flyers, and we
all know how effective that was.
Your
flyers probably won't make history, but they will get
you noticed. One thing I love about flyers is that they
give me something to look at when I am waiting in a
cafe or lobby.
I
also love that flyers are tangible, an attribute that
most low-techies appreciate. I can tear off those little
phone number slips at the bottom and take them with
me.
Flyers
also provide a venue for human interaction, another
thing we low-techies are partial to. Hand people flyers
on the street and they can ask you questions directly.
That gives you an opportunity to sell them on your product
or service, right then and there.
When
designing the layout of your flyer, put a bold, black
headline at the top that shouts your most important
benefit. Use light colored paper. Dark colors tend to
make your text difficult to read. Use 14 point type
or larger to ensure people don't have to squint to read
your flyer.
*Effective
Billboards--Cruising down the road, People are usually
doing anything but paying careful attention to their
driving. That is why billboards are such an effective
way of reaching potential customers.
Billboards
are a great way to target certain routes to work, residential
communities, and vacationers on travel routes. Next
time you drive to Las Vegas or Reno, notice the number
of billboards along the route. On a long, straight stretch
of highway, drivers have nothing else to look at but
your billboard.
Keep
your billboard message simple. There is no way people
will understand detailed copy at 70 miles per hour.
A headline, graphic and two bullets are generally all
you want to include.
Include
a photo or graphic, something colorful, to help draw
attention to your billboard.
Make
sure your phone number is easy to read and remember.
List it with letters instead of numbers. Most people
can't drive on the freeway and take down your number
at the same time. They might try, but you don't want
to be responsible for what happens.
If
you need to scrimp on advertising, get cheaper rates
by buying packages, multiple months, or negotiating
your own billboard location with a property owner.
*Advertise
on your car--As cities sprawl and commutes become longer
and slower, advertising on your car becomes an effective
and extremely cheap way to get your name out.
Because
we tend to drive along with the same group of cars for
significant distances, people can see your sign for
15 to 20 minutes. It's like a traveling infomercial.
You
can use magnetic signs, window stickers, or have your
message painted on the side of your car, van, or truck.
An
old media trick is to number your vehicles. If you have
two vans, number them 3 and 7. People will think you
have a fleet. Sometimes, the bigger people think your
operation is, the more they will trust you.
*Wear
your advertising--They are called "wearables," all those
shirts and hats with your ads, logos and slogans printed
on them.
Using
wearables kills two birds with one stone: first, you
create a bond with the potential customer when you give
them something free. Second, those people will do your
advertising for you by wearing your free gift.
When
you design a wearable, do something eye catching, something
that people will want to wear. I won't wear a T-shirt
with just a name and phone number in block letters.
I will wear a T-shirt that has a cool graphic on it.
A
word to the wise--don't just offer XXL T-shirts and
hats that only men would want. Women control spending
in America, so you want to cater to them. Offer as many
medium sized T-shirts as XXXL T-shirts.
Kevin
Nunley provides marketing advice and copy writing. See
his popular promotion deals and 10,000 free marketing
tips at http://DrNunley.com Reach Kevin at mailto:kevin@d...
or 801-328-9006. |