» auteur: Paras Shah
We get so caught up with internet marketing and "web building" that most of us tend to forget the "olden days" of marketing; offline marketing. Years ago, the web did not exist, yet, people still made millions! Why is it that all of a sudden most of us think that offline marketing is not worth the investment? If anything, the lesser the people that promote offline, the more the opportunity for you to slide in. Even if you are just promoting an affiliate website, offline marketing can still be an incredibly profitable means to drive traffic. However, as with all marketing, do it slowly, track meticulously and learn as you go. Here are 5 of the cheapest ways you can start getting your hands into offline marketing: 1. Inexpensive Business Cards There used to be a day when business cards were expensive, but today, companies such as www.vistaprint.com are giving away business cards for free! You run into hundreds, if not thousands of people everyday just during your normal daily tasks; restaurants, neighborhood, grocery store, clubs, works, etc? Simply have a business card on you and ready to go as you meet someone and they ask what you do? Refer them to your new start-up business and build their curiosity. So what if this technique won't have you boasting thousands of visitors in a month, over time you can build very targeted visitors ? all while you also brand your company! 2. Press Releases Everyone who knows me, knows that I am very big on publishing articles and content and then distributing them online. I have scored BIG traffic by doing this and so have those who learned from me. Well let's take the concept one step further and spread press releases. Press releases and content are similar in nature, just written differently. Press releases can spread like wild-fire and if picked up by any form of media, you're set! This strategy may take some time, but be patient. With great, easy-to-use services like www.prweb.com, it's a shame to not use this strategy! 3. Bumper Stickers! Honestly, don't lie ? you know you've been intrigued by the messages you see written on cars. You may have even called a few of those companies. When you're sitting a red light, there's nothing better to do than to read the message on the car in front of you. A simple bumper sticker with an enticing offer and web address can slowly work charms. More on those here: www.speedysigns.com 4. Speak your way to stardom One of my latest strategies that has been getting me A LOT of business is to make myself available as a speaker at local events. I have been speaking at business events, schools, colleges and anywhere else where someone wants me to speak. By speaking publicly, I am quickly being recognized as an expert. This strategy works so well that listeners don't even wait to see my website, they buy on the spot! 5. Direct mail I saved this strategy for last because it's not for everyone. If you have some money and are willing to take a small risk, this is the strategy for you. Remember, highest risk equals high potential reward. Sending direct mail (offline) to prospects still works as long as it is done correctly. You need to research this topic more and make sure you gather a targeted list of prospects. The latest trend seems to be in sending postcards because they are short, to the point and the least expensive to prepare and send. No matter what, if you decide to try this strategy, I highly recommend researching in depth. There you go, now there is absolutely no reason for you to only market yourself and your business on the internet. I have only revealed 5 of the many ways to market offline, there are still many other techniques. The main suggestion I want to give is that marketing offline typically costs more money than online and that you should always thoroughly research before you try (and make sure you can stomach the potential risk).