Radio
This type of advertising can be very effective. The national radio stations reach out to millions of people all over the country, but can be quite expensive. You can start by checking the local radio stations. They can offer good value for money advertising. Remember though, the price you pay will depend upon the time of day and how often your advertisement is aired.
Television
Probably one of the most expensive forms of advertising due to its massive audience, especially on prime time T.V. Usually only the big businesses with massive advertising budgets use television, but there is an alternative. Advertising on local cable television channels can bring in a lot of business. It is relatively well priced and because it’s on TV can give the impression that your company is bigger and more successful than it actually is.
Branded ‘Stuff’
Placing your website address on items such as pens, pencils, badges, mouse mats, cups and t-shirts etc can be a very effective advertising tool. These products are usually given away for free, but the returns can be well worth the initial outlay. It’s worth targeting specific markets that will use your product. It’s a waste of resources when you give a hundred branded t-shirts to a naturalist colony. Try giving a pack of pens to a local business that might use your product or services, or some mouse mats to a local college. You never know who will see your brand.
Word of Mouth
This can work both positively and negatively. The only way to get positive word of mouth advertising is to provide an exceptional product or service. Don’t lie and cheat your way through as this will come back to haunt you. Be professional, courteous and honest, and the rest will look after itself. If a person likes what you do they will tell six others. If a person is disappointed with what you do, they will tell twenty others.
So there you have it. Just a few ideas related to offline promotion. If your whole marketing campaign is purely online, you could be missing out on a massive portion of your customer base. Get your name out there in the real world and start to reap the benefits. The effort is well worth it.
Martin Bradley is the Creative Director at Bullbreed Design Studio. He has worked within the design industry for over 7 years and has worked for some very prestigious clients such as; British Aerospace, T-Mobile, Orange, Vodafone, and Aston Martin. http://www.bullbreed.com