This is the first of what will be several articles on "Bootstrap Marketing." Bootstrap Marketing,otherwise known as "Guerrilla Advertising",is basically just finding new and creative,or unconventional ways of promoting your business,or yourself. Here are three examples:
1.Light Up The Night - I did this after a friend suggested it and it worked surprisingly well.
Buy,borrow,or rent an overhead projector.Then go downtown on busy nights and project information such as your logo and information,URL,or site name on the side of buildings.This really gets peoples attention!
Make sure you bring business cards too!
If you can find an unsecured WiFi hotspot bring your laptop.That way curious people that stop to talk can see what your offering,and you can sign them up on the spot.
2.Sex Sells! - Some people may not approve of this one,but it is HIGHLY effective and I use it every summer.
We live in Bloomington,Indiana which is a large college town,with tons of students,both male and female.Anywhere you have college students,you have rampant hormones,and sex sells.
Hire an attractive,friendly and especially outgoing girl to stand on a busy sidewalk in a bikini,on campus or downtown(I use both locations.) Just to hand out your business card and fliers to anyone that looks.(And believe me...They will look!)
As a bonus offer a "Win a dinner date" promotion,saying that winners are drawn monthly,or weekly(depending on your advertising budget)from people that leave their information on the website.(Make sure you have a capture page that gives you access to their information.)
Trust me,you'll get alot of guys,and some girls leaving their information.Most of these students have extra cash and are looking for ways to make extra money too.Especially if they can be their own boss and set their own hours.Plus they are computer savvy and they have HUGE social networks.(See where I'm going with that...LOL)
3.Pay it forward - Next time you’re at a movie theater,or fast food place,pay for the person behind you and have the cashier give them your business card. You’re not guaranteed that the person will become a part of your network,but you can almost guarantee they will look at your business.Not to mention word of mouth will spread on this one too.
They will assume that you are successful in your business if it pays you well enough that you can afford to do this for them on a whim,and they will also assume that they can have the same success too,if they join you.It's your job to show them how.
Extra Bonus-You can write all of the expenses for the above tactics off of your taxes.
I hope you like the examples I've given you,and that you find them useful.Even if they just get you thinking differently this has been a worthwhile article for you and me.
The whole point of this is to make yourself stand out from all of the others,while at the same time having fun and making new friends and business contacts.
Don't be afraid to think outside of the box and try something different.It may just work and it will always give you ideas for future methods of "Bootstrap Marketing"
To really succeed it's necessary to be original.Show people why they should go with you,instead of all the others trying to make it out there.
And most of all,get their attention!
Until next time,pull up yourself up by your bootstraps and get out there an promote like a Guerrilla.
-Scott Rasener
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Contributor's Note
If you like this article,be sure to watch for the next part in my series on "Bootstrap Marketing"
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