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20 Promotions to Jumpstart Your Small Business by David Frey

P.T. Barnum is known as the “prince of promotions.” Famous not only for his incredible creativity and imagination but how he applied them, he attracted people to his circus with such attractions as the sideshow and the midway. Barnum’s promotions infamous in his day. Tom Thumb, the bearded ladies, the two-headed animals, the tattooed lady, the giant, and many more lured you along the way in to the Big Top.

Barnum was famous for saying, “Without promotion something terrible happens – nothing!” That’s as true today as it was in his day. Perhaps your small business promotion won’t be as dramatic as P.T.’s was but it can be every bit as effective. The trick is to be creative and take action.

20 Sample Promotions on a Shoe String Budget

I’ve sprinkled a list of 20 promotions that you can do with your small business. Some are better than others and some are easier to pull off than others, but it’s a list of creative ways you can promote your business on a shoestring budget. You can probably pick up from #20 and keep going with the list.

As a matter of fact, why don’t you do that. Think up 20 more promotional ideas and then let your staff rank them based on some criteria to narrow the list down to the best three promotions. Then have a discussion with your staff and choose one to try out. Doing just one of these promotions will give you experience and will most likely draw a lot of visitors or at the very least, get you some free publicity.

Here they are…

1. Host a hot tub - Partner with a hot tub company (or another small business that would fit the bill). Host a hot tub at a local exercise facility. Hold a raffle to give away the hot tub on the fourth of July or some other holiday. Follow up leads with a special "members consolation prize" offer.

2. Sports venue contest - Partner with a local sports venue and host a contest that will give you free passes to watch a professional sports game your box seating area. People will love the promotion and it is sure to get a lot of press.

3. J.V. with another small business - Joint venture with another small business and display each other’s products in their respective show room floors. For example, good combination would be a custom tailored suit displayed in a dry cleaners store.

4. Niche sales - Sponsor special sales for specific communities (niches) of people who give to the community such as firemen, teachers and policemen. This could be a “Teacher’s Appreciation Day.” An “over 55” senior adults sale can be a popular event as well.

5. Trailer signs - Depending on your available space, buy an old trailer and post a huge sign on the side of the trailer and let it sit out in front of your store. It’s free and it’s huge.

6. Positive pickers - Positive picketers who picket your business with signs that say how good your business is. If you employ this tactic, call the newspaper and they’ll probably cover it. Call the local T.V. station too.

7. Custom phone cards - Create a custom telecard that you can give away. When used, the telecard will first play your advertisement message and then allow you to make your call. Your prospect will hear your marketing message over and over again.

8. Create a bumper sticker - Give your customers special incentives to put a bumper sticker on their cars. Your bumper sticker could read, “I Got My POOL at Spa City USA!”

9. T-Shirts - Get a bunch of t-shirts made up and go down to the local 5k or 10k race and give them away to the runners and participants. By the way, while you’re at the race you should hire a couple of youngsters to tote a banner around with your company’s name on it (I was just in Prescott, AZ doing a 3K run and a local chiropractor was getting a lot of attention using this idea.)

10. Participate in Local Parades - If you live in a small city participating in a local parade is a fantastic way to get visibility. Rent a flat-bed truck and put a spa on the back. Fill it up and hire a couple of young bikini beauties to sit in the hot tub and wave at the people. It will get a lot of attention. Don’t forget to get a big banner to put on the side of the truck.

11. Host or Sponsor an Award - The best awards to give are the best teacher award and the best student award. Just contact the schools and ask them for submissions. Give away prizes to the teacher and a scholarship to the student. This affiliates you with a good cause and you have the opportunity to get a lot of free publicity.

12. Sponsor a Block Party in a Target Neighborhood - Announce the party and provide food, drinks, and a hot tub or two for people to use. Give everyone a company t-shirt to wear while attending the party.

13. Free 4th of July Giveaway - Give away your product or service for the 4th of July holiday in your home town. Start displaying the free giveaway with your company name on it at the beginning of May. You can even sell tickets for a raffle and give them to a local charity. Display your product at the business of a local Chamber of Commerce member (if you're a member of your local chamber of commerce) who has a business on a high-traffic corner in town.

14. Good Cause Day - Proclaim a day in honor of a good cause. For instance, suppose your are a spa and pool business owner you could establish an Insomnia Day because spas can help you get to sleep drug-free or you can take advantage of an existing day like Arthritis day. You can submit your day to Chase’s Calendar of Events to dedicate you day to a cause. Call the local press and other associations and let them know about the proclamation.

15. Host a “Free Seminar” - Team up with other local merchants or government agencies to host a free seminars on your area of expertise. If your talent or expertise helps others you could partner with the local fire or police department to host an educational or awareness seminar, which will increase your chances of getting a lot of publicity.

16. Create a Seal of Approval - For instance, using the pool and spa example again, you could offer a free pool safety inspection to pool owners and give stamps of approval to pool owners. Call the local media and tell them how you came up with the idea, how the honoree is chose, why the person is getting the honor, and when the ceremony is taking place. (check with your lawyer to make sure you stay clear of any liability)

17. (MY FAVORITE - Five Stars *****) Collect Business Cards - Go around to local businesses and offer to sponsor a business card drawing to give away their service (meal, dry cleaners, massage) once a month to one of their customers. You get to keep the business cards and once you have them in electronic format you’ll share them with the respective business. Before you know it you’ll have hundreds and thousands of business cards you can use for direct mailings in your local market. Better yet, have the business endorse you in the letter. Think of it, thousands of endorsed mailings to prospects in your local community!

18. Sponsor a Child’s Safety Awareness Day - Partner with the police department and the local elementary school to hold a Child’s Safety Awareness Day. Moms and Dads bring their children in to get their finger prints taken and a few snacks to eat and candy for the kids. Again, this associates you with a good cause and people like to buy from people that support good causes.

19. Sponsor a Half Court Shot - Ask the local high school in your target area if you can sponsor a half court shot contest during the high school basketball game’s half-time show. Award the winner gift certificates to the local movies and to restaurants. Ask the movie theatre and restaurants to help you offset the cost.

20. Play Dirty - I’m sorry I had to end this great list with this promotion but some day you might want to use it. During your competition’s big promotion, hire a plane and do a fly-by with a large banner ad or rent a billboard across the street from your competition with a huge ad for your store.

You are probably more creative than me and can think up a lot more great promotions. Give it a try. Make a list of 20 more creative promotions and work them down to a short list. Then move out and make something happen.

David Frey is President of Marketing Best Practices Inc., a small business marketing consulting firm and the editor of the "Marketing Best Practices Newsletter". Subscribe now at http://www.MarketingBestPractices.com.

David can be reached via email at David@MarketingBestPractices.com.

Copyright 2001 David Frey, Marketing Best Practices Inc.