Advertising Ideas?

[T16GEM]

Hi all,

DH and I are in the process of setting up a business, obvioulsy we don't have that much to spend on advertising and so far we have been doing leaflet dropping door to door and I've put some up on our village notice boards.

Do any of you have any other ideas for cheap advertising? I am going to email my local paper and ask them if they will do a story on us so that should give us some exposure.

Thanks for any help

Gems

 

[wilma-bride]

Have you got a website? If so, you can 'register' it with google so it will come up when people search on associated words.

How about in local shops? Local radio (although I'm not sure how cheap that would be)? Depending on what kind of business it is, are there any trade fairs you could attend?

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

Gems,

Local Supermarkets will have a board so you can place an ad, your local 'green or yellow' ad mag will place a small ad for free for upto 3 weeks. This may sound stupid but put an advert in the window of the back of your car (also relatives!!) its amazing how many people see that!!. Get friends to put an advert in their windows at home. Visit local pubs and put adverts on their toliet doors (its best to ask first at the bar but even if its there for a few hours it will get loads of viewings!!)

Ask schools/private nurseries if you can put an advert up in their nurseries most have boards at the entrance.

Visit local car parks (supermarkets towns etc) and put leaflets under windscreen wipers

Sometimes local radio help an new business if you beg??

(My husband has his own business we dont need to advertise anymore as 'word of mouth' seems to have taken over!!...(I never see him anymore!!) so if you need anymore advertising/promotion advice just shout!!)

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

Forgot to mention if you provide the leaflets local papers may offer to put them in their papers for free or really cheap.

Gems, what type of business is it??

 

[wils]

Gems

What sort of business is it? Would it involve repeat business? If so perhaps a 'recommend us to a friend and get 10% next time' type offer might speed up the word of mouth (of course only when you have customers in the first place!)

 

[T16GEM]

Thanks for the advice guys , it's a children's party planning business. We are just starting out so I am doing them for friends and family at the moment - mainly what we will be doing is organising everything that you need for a kiddies party including the entertainment, decorations, food and a supply only of just the consumables that you use - everything really so I guess there would be a repeat business thing going on! I had thought about a recommend a friend promotion, I guess it's worth a try.

How do you register with Google? I am planning on getting a basic website just detailing what we do so that would be good if it came up on Google. Loads of people use it don't they!


Thanks again - some great ideas......keep em coming!!

 

[minnie29uk]

You can get 250 free business cards from www. vistaprint.co.uk . I got some with pictures of my villa on and was really impressed.I leave them everywhere I go.
I had t-shirts printed.
I have a car window sign on back window.

Good Luck,
Lynn

 

[Queenie]

Hi Gems,

Can't help you out much with promotion ideas but I've done several websites for bands/small businesses in the past and would be happy to help you out with a nice simple one of you still need one doing. Just send me a PM if you want!

 

[carolfoy]

For childrens party planning you should do leaflet drops in and around school car parks (you'll need to get permission first) and windscreens by macdonalds, swimming pools, activity centres, do you have a local 'petting zoo' or 'jungle jims' type place? you could aim at these. also notices on the boards in pre schools, nurseries etc.

 

[wils]

What a great idea!

I'll keep thinking!

 

[Minniespal]

Can't offer any advice except I hope things go well for you.

 

[wilma-bride]

Just had a thought Gems

What area of the UK are you in? Have you thought about advertising with a local RAF or Army base? Most places have a monthly magazine that is usually fairly cheap to advertise in.

 

[Englands Disney Gang]

Have you thought about contacting your local supermarket?? They will maybe let you do a promotion stand near the entrance for free.

Also contact local schools/nurseries lots have easter fayres so you could have a stall there. If you drop leaflets into schools they may dish them out to the children. Our local council has a magazine called Education Times which comes out every term.....I think most councils do this (its really cheap to advertise in there) and this is distributed to every school in the borough so every school child will get it!!

Childrens designer clothes shops, local sports/football clubs, toilets in child friendly pubs, parks, swimming pools, taxi bases, newsagents, hairdressers, coffee shops, locak corner shops, colleges & libaries....bang posters up in all these places!!

Word of mouth will be a big thing so just think this time next year you may not need advertising!!

Good luck!!