71 Ways to Promote Your Business

Below are 71 different ways you could promote your business using direct marketing, the internet and a range of other promotional activities. The list is not exhaustive but is designed to spark ideas. If you have other ideas to add – please send them to me.

Print Items
1.    Sales brochure
2.    Postcards,
3.    Newsletter
4.    Business cards – use the reverse too
5.    A5 handout cards illustrating main services
6.    Promote on own letterheads & compliment slips
7.    Advertising card packs

E-marketing
1.    Web site creation
2.    Offer feeds from web site
3.    Search Engine optimisation
4.    Article promotion
5.    Social networking
6.    Banner ads
7.    Email marketing
8.    Pay per click advertising
9.    On-line directories
10.    Membership of on-line sales organisations
11.    Teleseminars
12.    Podcasts – selling your destination or service
13.    Videos on line
14.    Viral marketing campaigns
15.    Site, link or page sponsorship

Direct Marketing
1.    Direct mail letter
2.    Postcards,
3.    Leaflet/flyer for door drops, hand-outs
4.    SMS messages
5.    Telesales
6.    Fax messages
7.    Mail diaries
8.    Mail Christmas/ birthday cards/ New Year cards/ anniversary cards

PR (the only free item on the list)
1.    Write articles for trade/ public publications
2.    Issue press releases re your business news, new appointments, new products etc.

Advertising
1.    Press/magazine advert
2.    Advertising on car park, theatre tickets etc.
3.    Match boxes
4.    Freebies – pens, drink stirrers, tee shirts, umbrellas etc.
5.    Radio advertising
6.    TV advertising (Expensive? Think PR)
7.    Banners on hoardings, inside own buildings
8.    Flags
9.    Hot air balloons/ mobiles
10.    Taxi advertising,
11.    Airport/ train station advertising
12.    Yellow pages
13.    Yell.com
14.    Adverts on company vehicles
15.    Advertising on materials used by others – i.e. the back of envelopes used for mailing out local theatre tickets
16.    Beer-mats, bar towels
17.    In shops/ message boards

Networking
1.    Sponsorship – local events, horse races, charity nights, pub teams, local adventurers, sports teams, school teams etc.
2.    Partnership marketing with other businesses serving the same markets
3.    Membership of business/ public organisations
4.    Membership of marketing consortia
5.    Promotions with local charities – raffle prizes etc.
6.    After dinner speaking

Other
1.    External signage
2.    Aeroplanes – banners and skywriting!
3.    Wine and cheese or cocktail evenings
4.    Organise own seminars
5.    Organise competitions
6.    Exhibit at local shows
7.    Own tee shirts/ ties/ uniforms
8.    Sell badged leisurewear
9.    Use external ‘A’ boards, sandwich boards
10.    Window signs
11.    External banners
12.    Carrier bags advertising
13.    Give aways – copy menus, replica items, pencils, pens, writing pads,
14.    Fortune cookies
15.    Produce CD’s
16.    Write a book, special report
Thats it.