Promoting your business is a full-time job. There’s traditional and digital marketing to consider, public relations and any number of other things that help your business grow. But there’s also some unconventional ways to help you promote your business around the clock.
If you’re looking for ways to to promote your business all year long rather than your marketing revolve around newsletters that come out once a month or short spots on radio and television, then you can rest assured that there are plenty of alternatives. In order to survive, you need to constantly grab new customers, and here are a few ideas you may not have given much thought to.
Get Involved in Professional Networks
Nothing gains you attention more quickly than getting your name out to as many people as possible. But sometimes, it’s more about who you get your name to than how many, and professional networking events are a great way to get your name to the who’s who in your profession.
A professional network is different than a social network. Professional networking should only involve people who are in your profession or one that complements yours. That’s it. You don’t get together to talk about sports, current events or your love lives — unless, of course, those subjects are part of your business.
Professional networking events are easy to find. If you are a member of your local Chamber of Commerce, chances are you’ve already heard about some. Other times, professionals will advertise meetings in relevant magazines and newspapers or on the web. And if you can’t find one, you can always start one yourself.
Sponsor an Event
What do you see on the walls of every sporting event or large show? Advertisements: many by local businesses who had the foresight to buy space that thousands of eyes would see anytime there was an event. Don’t let your business miss out on an opportunity like this. If it is in your budget and you have a Minor League baseball team or a soccer team then you should try to get advertising space.
This isn’t the only way to sponsor an event, though. There are tons of local events in every city and town every year that need money and they look for sponsorships to fill that need. There are county and state fairs, parades, 5K races, street parties, local restaurant events…the possibilities are endless.
What this means for you and your business is that, if you have the budget, there is no reason not to find a place — or multiple places — to have your name up year-round. It is a great way to keep your brand in everyone’s mind and will surely make it worth every dollar.
Promotional Gifts
Promotional gifts offer you a chance to give your customers something for free that will constantly remind them of your brand. And you don’t need a great reason to do it. Offer something to every 50th visitor, or something anytime a customer downloads a free eBook from your website or when a customer makes a purchase of a certain amount or more.
The best part of this is, if you customize those gifts with you logo or company name, then they will see it every time they use it. You can visit a website that customizes lanyards, or you can get staplers, bottle openers, key chains, bracelets, coffee mugs or magnetic chip clips all customized to your specifications.
Whatever item you choose to promote your business, you want to make sure that it is something your customers will use on a regular basis.
Social Media
It should go without saying that if you own a business, you should be promoting yourself on social media. If you are not, stop everything and get on it. Social media is one of the fastest ways to build your brand. The instantaneous nature of the internet can help you grow faster than traditional advertising ever could.
Sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn were built to stay in constant contact with people you know, and it’s no different for businesses. A well-timed advertisement or relevant post can be shared thousands of times in one day, or even more if you get lucky, reaching current and potential customers alike.
Make sure that you put effort into your social media promotions every day, and you are sure to see great returns.
When you are promoting your business, make sure to keep these great ideas in mind.
About the author
Rebecca Montrenes is the director at Lanyards USA. She specializes in helping our clients to get the right type of promotional lanyard for their intended purpose, from ribbon for corporate gift hampers to lanyards for event security she knows the right solution for anything.
