Offline Marketers...If you had to create sales for an offline business in 30 days or less...

Tell-a-friend. Offer a free gift for anybody that bings in a guest..

Not sure what you're looking to get apart from a random bunch of hypotheticals....

Without saying what type of business or who their target customers are - there's no way to know what would be useful or not.

Each niche is different.

It depends on the type of business. But if we're talking about some kind of retail operation, then I don't know how much value your stated suggestions would be.

The best way to get people in the door someplace is to have a deal that will get people acquainted with your place of business. And the best way to do that is by offering some kind of great offer. Ideally it's a win/win for you and the customer (you make money, they get a great deal). But if you have a good product, then you shouldn't be afraid to give something away to get more business down the line...or immediately.

Easy. Create multiple irresistable offers and implement a lead generation system.

~Dexx

@moneyblogger1: Good idea!
@andyhenry: hypotheticals are fine. The point is to brainstorm as many ideas as possible.
@DaveRodman: yes, a retail operation. A "loss leader in other words.
@Dex: Coupons through your auto responder? Excellent. Thanks.

@vagabond: Great ideas!
@blisk: Good point. But I think it is safe to assume we'd be dealing with retail clients.

1.) Add a message to their credit card receipt to get coupons at "www..."
2.) Add an email capture to their website.
3.) Have sales people collect email addresses at the cash register (for repeat business)
4.) Set up a Facebook page with coupons.
5.) Set up a Wordpress blog to get indexed fast.
6.) Get listed in Google local business.
7.) Tell a friend. Offer free gift if bring a guest.
8.) Create multiple irresistible offers and broadcast through auto responder.
9.) Offer a "loss leader."
10.) Upsells
11.) Cross sells
12.) Segment list and create irresistible offers for segment.

Excellent. Keep them coming, people!

Definitely make sure you've got your electronic base in order as you've said - with Facebook, Google Places, etc...

Then, Alliances, Alliances, Alliances - find strategic partners who they can cross coupon or cross promote. In the case of a retailer or other B2C service, have them connect with 10 or so others and become the ringleader on putting together a discount card (with each retailer/service provider's deal included in one sentence on the back). IF needed to be zero cost, each retailer could kick in $50 for production expenses, but I'd suggest eating the minimal cost of production or including a printer in on the promotion in exchange for their printing services on the project.

Each retailer could either give away the cards, sell them for $5 or $10 or give them away with a qualifying purchase amount. They would each then have a simple flyer at their registers that have the name and deal of each participating retailer right there.

Typically this takes 1 week to get everyone on board and the cards produced. Then, the following 3 weeks, they have the benefit of tapping into their partners existing client base - while giving their partners greater exposure as well through the other partners.

Another variation - that typically takes a couple weeks longer before the benefits kick in - is to contact local schools, charities, church youth groups, senior class advisors, etc... and let them know you've got these retailer discount cards that you would allow them to sell for fundraising purposes for $10 each - and they get to keep the entire $10.

It works amazingly well and in addition to generating immediate business, it also sets the new business owner up as a center of influence in their business community. They make friends with others who can help them amazingly fast because they are immediately adding value to the all the others.

I've used this with everything from dry cleaners, restaurants, shoe stores to air conditioning/refrigeration contractors, auto repair shops and orthodontists.

Plenty of other ways beyond this. But, to me, if you tell me you've got little time to generate an audience of buyers, I alway look first for the ways to borrow the existing audience from someone else.

All the best,
Thom

I would do what I have done, and would do again...

I would put up a five page website. Introducing My Services.

Get Out A Phone Book, and find someone who was interested in my service.

I would get a $6.00 per month homestead merchant account with an online credit card form, that I could type phone sales into.

And in agreeement with everyone above, you positively MUST create an irresistible offer!

I would do those things, but not necessarily in that order... I may just pick up the phone first, get a sale or two, and then build the 5 page website.

What about Twitter? Has anyone drove local customers to a local business using Twitter?

Thom, I'll go with that summation.

I've never used Twitter. But I've heard chatter about people who do, just never could quite sort it out myself.

Ok, how about "Groupon?" Is that something that could be utilized? Has anyone tried it?


1.) Add a message to their credit card receipt to get coupons at "www..."
2.) Add an email capture to their website.
3.) Have sales people collect email addresses at the cash register (for repeat business)
4.) Set up a Facebook page with coupons.
5.) Set up a Wordpress blog to get indexed fast.
6.) Get listed in Google local business.
7.) Tell a friend. Offer free gift if bring a guest.
8.) Create multiple irresistible offers and broadcast through auto responder.
9.) Offer a "loss leader."
10.) Upsells
11.) Cross sells
12.) Segment list and create irresistible offers for segment.
13.) JV with other local businesses (with list) to cross promote.
14) Article marketing
15.) Video marketing
14.) Co-Op Discount Card With Other Retailers/Service Providers

I am kinda in the same boat - but, with a local home builder. I think #1 is out, #3 would have to be modified, and, "offers" would be interesting. You just don't call a homebuilder or a contractor on a whim, but, there are a lot of gems there.

Any thoughts?

Also remember to implement tracking in each of your marketing methods. This way you can review and tweak later.

You know a lot of seniors need work done, Especially older female seniors, but they've always done it themselves and now don't want to admit they either don't want/or can't, do it themselves anymore. So your guy is driving around and he sees something that could be done easily with the tools/material at hand. Walk up, knock on the door, and say "I was in the neighborhood and that was an easy fix. I'll do it for free." Leave a card. Who do you think they are going to call next? Or for that matter, I bet they come up with a list of things then and there. Then give them a good price and go to work.

My two cents.

OK, re: Groupon: I just spent the better part of 2 hours all over their website.

Check it out at the name above + .com

This could work like gangbusters, people. I could see how you could, with the right offer, blow the doors off a business using this as the main marketing vehicle for the "30 day challenge."

Check it out...

1.) Add a message to their credit card receipt to get coupons at "www..."
2.) Add an email capture to their website.
3.) Have sales people collect email addresses at the cash register (for repeat business)
4.) Set up a Facebook page with coupons.
5.) Set up a Wordpress blog to get indexed fast.
6.) Get listed in Google local business.
7.) Tell a friend. Offer free gift if bring a guest.
8.) Create multiple irresistible offers and broadcast through auto responder.
9.) Offer a "loss leader."
10.) Upsells
11.) Cross sells
12.) Segment list and create irresistible offers for segment.
13.) JV with other local businesses (with list) to cross promote.
14) Article marketing
15.) Video marketing
14.) Co-Op Discount Card With Other Retailers/Service Providers
15.) Groupon. (And maybe this should go to the #1 position)

15 great ideas, People!

You can take this information and there is not a business alive, that wouldn't be interested in talking to you if you said,

"I can increase your sales, bring in more customers, get repeat customers, and get customers spending more in 30 days or less."

You also have a blueprint, (above) and check list for doing just that.

Any other ideas?

Scroll up and read it. First post, first sentence.

"Let's pretend this is a brand new business and he needs to get business in the door in 30 days or less. And to make things interesting, use only non-paid methods. How would you do it?"

No one said anything about "no money." Using "non-paid methods" isn't the same as having no money. Which makes, almost all, of your assumptions, null and void. But like I said, this is a waste of time.

Here's a few;

Create a Youtube channel
host a free webinar using a trilal service like DIM Dim or Gotowebinar, promoting your business owner as an expert. make an offer after presentation
Advertise on craigslist
Create a info product to use as a loss leader on EBAY and Amazon Kindle

Engage with website visitors using a live support system, such as the 100% free LiveZilla software: LiveZilla - Freeware Live Help / Live Chat / Live Support - Official Website

I was on a competitor's website and a little box invited me to a live chat, and before I knew it, I was talking to the owner via instant message. I felt like it would likely be very powerful with actual potential customers.

This is of course only helpful to certain types of businesses. A restaurant or bar owner for example is not going to be sat online dealing with live support, but it'd work well for web designers, Internet marketers, etc.