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Offline Marketing Strategies

by thunderbird
12 replies
When it comes to internet marketing for brick and mortar businesses, here's what's worked for me:

1. Meeting in person: Chat with business owner (chit chat), maybe on more than one occasion. Find out what their business is about.
2. Segue into marketing questions -- eg: What has worked for you? I don't push my services or even assume they're needed (I don't do hard sales. Hate getting them. Hate doing them.)
3. Ask them if they've tried this or that.
4. That might lead into business or not. If not, a friend is likely gained (great unto itself, and the networking will likely lead to business via introduction, in my experience).
5. Having a life, getting involved in things totally unrelated to IM. It does bring me business without me directly pushing it. At times I pass because friendship and business sometimes don't mix.
6. Trying different approaches. I have my secret techniques which I'm not sharing.
7. Be natural. I never dress or talk like a stereotypical salesman.
#marketing #offline #strategies
  • Profile picture of the author Jimian
    Do you concentrate on a 'niche' or 'anything goes'?
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    OFFLINE Marketing Strategies For The OFFLINE Warrior
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    • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
      Originally Posted by Jimian View Post

      Do you concentrate on a 'niche' or 'anything goes'?
      Not really. I concentrate on small businesses with identifiable owners.
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    • Profile picture of the author jennypitts
      Originally Posted by Jimian View Post

      Do you concentrate on a 'niche' or 'anything goes'?

      I think he said that it is for "brick and mortar businesses"! So, that would be the niche!
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  • Profile picture of the author OLOORE
    Whoever you meet during your first call is at best a suspect.
    After checking them out, yuo'll know if you do have a propect- a quetioned desiring suspect.
    Knowing what your prospect does and how they do, what they do. This should help
    identify some likely problematic areas.
    Establishing their strength and weaknesses should further help both you and your prospect.
    If you can get the propect TALKING about the frustrations he has encountered whilst
    working, you are likely to know what their requirements are. There and then, you can be sure that you are near making a sale. Learning to close the sale is more than important, in the final analysis, after you have taken care of some 'objections'.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave Lianelli
    Networking is essential for almost every entrepreneur and business owner.

    So instead of attending and getting involved in local activities, host your own. Be the one to start your own seminar, mastermind group or networking meetings. That way you can get many new clients and a lot of free publicity.
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    • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
      Originally Posted by Dave Lianelli View Post

      Networking is essential for almost every entrepreneur and business owner.

      So instead of attending and getting involved in local activities, host your own. Be the one to start your own seminar, mastermind group or networking meetings. That way you can get many new clients and a lot of free publicity.
      For sure! I know a woman who started a group just by posting to Craigslist and know a guy who did something similar. The internet provides a multitude of venues for organizing local events. Local community centers can also be quite responsive to starting clubs; this is something I did before. Keep in mind that it involves some administration to do it, especially it is to be ongoing.
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  • Profile picture of the author MichaelHiles
    I usually find that dressing in my best bling, big dollar sign rings, pimp hat, and swagger stick.... stroll into their place of bidnezz and use copious amounts of slang terms like 'whatup dawg' and 'yo sup mah man'... that helps get past the gatekeeper who is usually in awe of my pimptasticness.

    Then, I flash wads of cash... which are really newspapers cut to a stack with one real bill on the top and bottom.

    Helps to have a skeezy girl witchu as well. She can bat her eyes and blow kisses.

    Oh... make sure you have 25 inch spinner chrome on your rimz and skate dat ride.

    Nothing says success like a solid pimp look.


    Okay, I really don't do any of that.

    I network with existing business owners.... speak.... get published.... get referred by their banker or accountant... having a bunch of case studies helps.
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    • Profile picture of the author OLOORE
      [QUOTE=
      I network with existing business owners.... speak.... get published.... get referred by their banker or accountant... having a bunch of case studies helps.[/QUOTE]

      Yes, meeting biz owners is a much faster way than meeting employees.
      However, there are many businesses where owners are not on ground. Then, you must make do with the Executives.We are often told meet the MAN- Executives with the Money,Authority and Need.
      Getting referrals is also nice.
      Just add Users who have also enjoyed your product.
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  • Profile picture of the author ~kev~
    One of the things that I really want to try is trade shows.

    I would like to get a bunch of nice looking business cards, some free stuff - like pens, hats, note pads,,,,. Then visit the largest trade show in this area, which is about a 2 hour drive from my house.

    Then it would be a matter of walking around, making contact with people, handing out cards and some free gifts.
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    • Profile picture of the author jdenc
      Originally Posted by ~kev~ View Post

      One of the things that I really want to try is trade shows.

      I would like to get a bunch of nice looking business cards, some free stuff - like pens, hats, note pads,,,,. Then visit the largest trade show in this area, which is about a 2 hour drive from my house.

      Then it would be a matter of walking around, making contact with people, handing out cards and some free gifts.
      As a veteran of many, many trade shows I'd have to say I'd be surprised if this really did much for you. Vendors who paid money to be there have trouble getting anything like a decent lead, I know only to well. Generally people at trade shows are there to kick tires, get free stuff, get away from the office and eat/drink on the companies tab for a few days. They really aren't serious buyers in the main. Now of course that isn't everyone but those there to buy are generally seriously focused on a particular genre of product for their industry.
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  • Profile picture of the author Oleg Cherkasky
    Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

    When it comes to internet marketing for brick and mortar businesses, here's what's worked for me:

    1. Meeting in person: Chat with business owner (chit chat), maybe on more than one occasion. Find out what they're business is about.
    2. Segue into marketing questions -- eg: What has worked for you? I don't push my services or even assume they're needed (I don't do hard sales. Hate getting them. Hate doing them.)
    3. Ask them if they've tried this or that.
    4. That might lead into business or not. If not, a friend is likely gained (great unto itself, and the networking will likely lead to business via introduction, in my experience).
    5. Having a life, getting involved in things totally unrelated to IM. It does bring me business without me directly pushing it. At times I pass because friendship and business sometimes don't mix.
    6. Trying different approaches. I have my secret techniques which I'm not sharing.
    7. Be natural. I never dress or talk like a stereotypical salesman.


    Thats some good stuff, I thought of marketing for brick and mortar businesses and this gives me ideas on how to go around doing it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dr Dan
    Good stuff! Glad to see some people still talking offline here.
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