Offline Marketing...

Building your business OFFLINE

     Offline business building is for many the most successful and rewarding.  Long before the Internet became so popular, people were building very successful businesses the ‘old fashioned way’, and it’s gradually becoming that way again as business owners overcome their love affair with the Internet.

     The Internet will always be a business tool, and a very powerful one, but it needs to be kept in perspective.  Business is primarily about earning money to enjoy life more, it’s about improving quality of life – now and for the future, but fundamentally it’s about people, and that’s most rewarding offline.

Personal contact is best

     Personal and direct contact either face-to-face or on the phone is the most powerful and quickest way to build your business.

     It's sometimes called relationship marketing, and that's precisely why it works, you'll be working with a new friend.

     The way to approach this market is to be sociable, find out their needs, find out if there is a way your business can help them, and the best way to learn how to do that is from Michael Oliver at http://www.naturalselling.com.  Once you know how you can help, you’ll be able to recommend your home business to them.

Your business card

     Business cards are the oldest form of personal advertising and probably the most powerful.  Use your cards correctly, don’t hand them out to people without getting their contact information first.

     Business cards are also great for posting on bulletin boards, especially in high traffic areas.  They can also be left anywhere that you think people will pick it up, but try to be selective.

     Whole articles have been written about the design of business cards, but to start with make sure that your name and contact information is on the front of the card, and that you’re easily contactable.  Don’t make it difficult for people to reach you.

     Always use the back of your business card by placing a power question that will remind the person who you are; some people will keep your card for months.

Signs on your vehicle

     Putting signs on your vehicle gives you free mobile advertising.  You can use magnetic signs on the doors, and/or one line signs in the back window that can be easily read by the driver behind you.  Are they effective, you bet they are, some companies will pay drivers to place advertising on their vehicle.

Communicating with other businesses

     When you’re communicating with other businesses, like paying bills for example, don’t forget to enclose something about your business; a short letter and a business card will do.  This advertising method is easily overlooked, but think of it this way, your letter will be opened by someone who might not be entirely happy with their job, and they could be looking for a way to build a business of their own.

Classified advertising

     Classified advertising in your local paper can be very effective; the same rules apply as in online classified advertising, so keep the emphasis on getting readers to contact you.

     It’s worth enquiring if your local paper is part of a larger group that will offer better rates for advertising in several areas.

Memory jogger – Your ‘who do you know’ list

     People you know are often referred to as your warm list.  So many companies suggest making a list of all the people you know, breaking it down into ‘how well you know them’ groups, and then marketing to them.  This one advisory has probably resulted in more people failing in network marketing than any other.

     There is no doubt that your ‘warm market’ is worth its weight in gold - if used correctly, after all these are people you know to some degree.

     The most common mistake is assuming that all of these people feel the same as you about owning their own home business.  It’s never going to happen.

     The way to approach your warm market is to be sociable, find our their needs, find out if there is a way your business can help them, and the best way to learn how to do that is from Michael Oliver at http://www.naturalselling.com.  Once you know how you can help, you’ll be able to recommend your home business to them.

Referral marketing

     A referral is someone who was referred by another person to contact you; it could be because you asked for the referral, or because someone you know is trying to help you.

     Referral marketing is a most under-rated method of marketing and yet one of the most powerful.  Many marketers rely totally on this method because it gives them a continuous stream of new warm contacts.

     It’s so simple to use; each time you’ve spoken to someone who is not interested in your business, and there will be plenty of those, ask them if they know of anyone who might be interested.  Try to get 2 or 3 three referrals (leads), and if possible get some background information and the referrer's consent to mention them by name.  It’s important and polite to thank a referrer when one of their referrals joins you in business.

Being creative

     The bottom line is that you need to speak to as many people as possible, and how to do that is entirely up to you, providing your methods are legal, (for example mail box flyers are illegal in the USA), acceptable, (how would you feel if you were on the receiving end of the contact method), it works, and most important of all, stay within your budget!