looking for old school marketing opportunities is equally as important as awareness of “what’s hot.”
By Roy Harryman
Marketing – whether for small business or big – is continually driven by an obsession as to what “the kids” are doing. What’s hot? Where’s everyone at? Let’s make sure we’re there too!
Of course currency is important. We must be adaptable. But beyond trends, one area that few examine is what most people aren’t doing in marketing. This can also be a valuable lens through which to view your marketing efforts.
I’m not referring to anachronistic and annoying practices such as telemarketing, SPAM emails or door-to-door soliciting. But there are some off-the-radar tactics that might be of value to you.
Does your phone auto-attendant torture customers?
If you have a business phone system that puts people on hold, then optimize it. Call any medical office and you’ll hear, “Listen carefully to our options, because they changed seven years ago.” After that, you are subjected to tortuous Muzak at AM radio quality. Instead of afflicting your customers, make the most of any hold time by providing helpful information that’s delivered by an actual employee – not a robot. Your message could be informational, humorous, appreciative – or all three. This costs you nothing and might lead to gain. Maybe you can be the first small business to stop torturing customers during their hold experience! Not only that, you could generate additional business by explaining other service options. This isn’t rocket science. Fix the lame hold content.
Ye ole’ printing press is still relevant
Printing is so 15th century. Or is it? Direct mail and display ads in periodicals used to carry the day. Now vast swaths of that industry have been vaporized by digital technology. Yet printed materials still have purpose. One of these is prospecting. You cannot legitimately send bulk emails to business prospects who have not asked for them. This is called spamming, and I’ve already detailed this self-destructive practice in previous posts. But you can send direct mail.
Numerous vendors sell specified lists of prospects in diverse industries. Or you can build your own prospect list. Create a postcard with a QR code, phone numbers and landing page giving the recipient multiple ways to respond. Then follow up with a phone call. If your conversation reveals they missed your postcard, send another one and follow up again. The advantage of this approach is that it’s 100% targeted: You know who is getting the mail. This is not the case with social media advertising, which keeps that data proprietary. In addition, delivery is nearly 100% successful.
Another print option can be effective for local marketing. Door hangers are inexpensive and come in multiple sizes. If you hang them yourself, then distribution costs nothing. Or you can hire someone to distribute them at a minimal cost. This tactic, too, results in 100% delivery. Whether you’re introducing a new restaurant or inviting families to Vacation Bible School, door hangers are a direct-to-prospect tactic that can get results. Tip: Respect no-soliciting signs or a disgruntled neighbor may unleash his junkyard dog.
I wrote the book on it …
“I wrote the book on the subject” means you’re an expert. So write the book. You’ll certainly want a digital edition, but there’s nothing quite like handing a prospect a copy of a book you authored. It doesn’t have to be long. The goal is to demonstrate subject-matter authority and professional competence. Books are another example of going “back to the future” to reach customers with old-school marketing. You may not have the expertise to write and publish it yourself, but you certainly have the content in your head. Partnering with a marketer can help make the idea a reality.
Roy Harryman is the author of “Small Business, Big Impact: A No-Nonsense Marketing Strategy For Companies That Do More With Less.” This column is an excerpt from the book.