Offline Marketing to local businesses?

I've heard you can "Reach Way More People on Twitter"...

Trying to reach people who have "no soliciting" signs is an uphill battle. Are you sure you really want to do that?

Try this instead...

Create a report talking about specific pain points within the industry.

Find people who are already servicing the industry (the host) - for hairdressers it might be those who sell shampoo, those who service their chairs, their trade association.

Offer the report as a free giveaway for their customers. Offer a customised intro page for the host.

Also include some form of offer or call to action for your business. e.g. "sign up to our email list for more hints and tips like this". or "Here's a special offer only for customers of [the host]".

As an example of compelling headings, take a look at Ewan's web developer ad.
https://www.warriorforum.com/offline...ml#post6713179
Just turn these headings into a report rather than an Ad.

Another example in the same thread for Junk Car Buyers
https://www.warriorforum.com/offline...ml#post6781135

You can, of course, give away the same report on your own website with your own introduction...

And create new reports regularly and distribute through the same channels. Not everyone is ready to buy when they receive your report...

And you might even get some of the "no soliciting" prospects calling you...

Scissor sharpening can be a great little moneymaker.

A couple of years ago, I posted an article here about a guy who was pulling down somewhere around $1,000 per day, driving from from business to business in his van, doing on-site sharpening. You may be able to find it using the search tool.

What you need to do is get out and meet your prospects.

You want to talk to those who are already buying sharpening services.

They will be interested in what you have to say and offer.

Thus, ignore the "no solicitor" signs. They aren't meant for you.

The easiest, fastest and best way to get business is to go out and meet them.

Best of Luck!

Ron

With a service such as that... forget the signs and step right in and introduce yourself.

This guide was written in 1912. I have a 1957 copy. It tells how to sharpen everything, from kitchen knives, shears, sickle and even machetes. It is illustrated showing which tool to use.

"A cutting tool is no better than it's edge." So their logo goes. A simple infographic, perhaps a large postcard, 16 pt. maybe even 9x 12 showing some of the tools you sharpen, with a coupon for a buy one get one free or some such offer.

Have a leave behind, with a call to action, and ignore the signs, go in and give them a FREE DEMO.

My father was a barber, and all 3 guys in the shop had their tools sharpened monthly, the guy had a route, and even in the mid 60's the sharpener guy supported his family of 5 on his little back room business.

GordonJ

PS. They too had a NO SOLICITORS sign in the window, I remember thinking, "you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a salesman in this place" as I was shining shoes. I guess real salesman just play dumb, one guy said; OH, I thought that meant no LAWYERS. Good laugh, and then he sold them soap. I remember that guy, his name was Joe Victor.

He also sold vitamins too.

On top of the good answers above mine, consider not being a solicitor. I am talking about this: Don't go asking them for something, go offer them something they want.

When you're not bugging me, you're other things, good things, depending on what you do. So, have a short and clear offer and find a way (as mentioned above) of sorting them into likely to be interested and only deal with the likely to be interested ones.

I like offline marketing a lot. It is a great old-school method. As for me, I use different promotional items and printed products for this purpose. My favourite stuff are those lapel pins from https://www.pinsource.com/hard_enamel I use them as free gifts and my customers really like those

Trade Shows can help you much better to get B2B Customers. But, as you said you don't have too much budget then you should get a roll up a banner stand and place it somewhere in a crowdy place where your business message gets noticed by others.