• Bad Marketing Ideas
• Bad Marketing Examples

Ignoring Offline Marketing

Many business owners and marketers become so focused on internet marketing that they completely ignore tried and true and very cost effective offline marketing ideas.

In our day of electronic everything, it is very simple to overlook the power of a business card, or of a personal appearance at an event. While offline marketing ideas vary widely, and not all ideas are appropriate for every business, nearly any type of business can benefit from some form of offline marketing, if only just from handing out business cards.

Good offline marketing tactics that you might consider are:

• Of course have a business card. Carry them with you everywhere, and look for good opportunities to hand them out.
• Look for events you can attend to make your presence known. This is especially important for people who sell products and services which involve a certain level of trust, or which will sell better when someone can see an example in person.
• Get into the Yellow Pages - All you need for this is a business phone number! Paying for an extra ad will help for some businesses, not for others.
• Look for local calendar, magazine, or other publication sponsorships to promote your business.
• Sponsor local charitable events or sports teams, etc.
• Place business cards or brochures in places where they can be distributed for you.
• Network with other local business owners.
• Join a trade association or Chamber of Commerce ONLY if you feel that you can get better business exposure and benefit from participation. This is not a help to many businesses.
• Label your car with advertising - You can print your own magnetic car label if you want, or print your own bumper sticker.
• Hand out bumper stickers, refridgerator magnets, give printed T's as gifts, etc.
• Think creatively. The point is to make sure that your community knows what you do, so they'll think of you when they need what you have.

More Offline Marketing Ideas

If your friends and family still do not know that you have a business, and take that business seriously, then you need to take it more seriously yourself. Your business should be part of who you are, and it should come up in conversation naturally. People around you should be aware of what you do, and how you might be able to help them, or people they know. Your friends and family probably won't buy from you. But they will often refer people to you if they know you are serious.

Offline marketing has great power because many forms are much more personal and leave a greater impression than a banner ad or text link that they only saw in passing. When someone meets you, sees examples of your products or services, and gets to ask you a question or two, they will remember you better. When they go away with something in their hands that you gave them (if only a business card), they are more likely to call you when they need you, or refer you to someone else.