Inexpensive (cheap) Marketing Ideas

[kelleigh1]

Since this place seems to be a fountain of information and ideas, I'm hoping that some of you can help me.

I am a part-time Pampered Chef consultant and beginning March 1, we will be launching a new wedding registry. I wish they'd had this when I was getting married two years ago as I'm sure I would have jumped at the chance to register.

Anyway...since I only sell PC on a part-time basis and this new registry practically runs itself, I thought this would be a great new tool for my business. (Anything that helps me earn some extra cash so we can start planning our next Disney vacation is a good thing.) But my problem is how to get the word out.

I know that I could set-up at bridal expos and shows, but have you ever checked the costs on those booths? We're talking hundreds of dollars. I just don't have that kind of money available right now. I know it would be an investment, but I'd need to actually have it available before I could invest it.

I've also thought about bridal publications, but most of the magazines are fairly expensive to advertise in, so I need something that isn't going to break the bank before I have any money in the bank.

Any suggestions? When I was planning my own wedding, it seemed I had unlimited resources available to me, but now I just don't know where to start. I do have a website which is great...but our rules stipulate that we can't link our website on any other site so that's limiting me a bit also.

Thanks for any help you can offer.

 

[Minnie824]

One thing I would check on is movie theaters. When people get there early to watch a movie, most people have nothing else to do but wait and eat, so they pay attention to whats on the screen. I think its a great way to advertise and probably not as expensive.

 

[RadioNate]

what about creating a postcard or similar insert and teaming up with some local wedding planners. I'm sure they have a planning kit or something they hand out that your piece could be included in.

I know our local radio and tv stations have local wedding resorces on their websites I know you can't link but what about a call for pampered chef wedding registery information. If it is something with local content maybe a story about the new service and your contact information.

If you are looking to spend a little money radio advertising can be cheap. There may be a weekend am show that might get you to the right audience.

I'll keep thinking about it.

 

[kelleigh1]

Thanks for the info. I didn't even think of tying in with wedding planners. Great idea.

And movie theaters is another avenue I never thought of.

Thanks!! I'll have to look into these.

It seems that everyone I know got married either before I did or right around the same time, so I don't even have any friends or family that I can work with right now. Two years ago, this would have been a gold mine for me.

 

[RadioNate]

I'd also send something announcing the registry to all your past hostesses and big customers. I assume it doesn't have to be weddings, so women may want to set up a list for the dh to buy things for them or something.

Do you have an email data base of customers? I know each month my Creative Memories consultant sends out an email of new products and services and also lets us know what is being discontinued.

 

[RumpleMom]

I would think corporate Pampered Chef would help out with the marketing.

But how about your church, see who is getting married in the future. Maybe do a promotion that would benefit the church youth group, if people signed up.

 

[kelleigh1]

They do have a separate "wish list" that they've had for a while, but there are benefits to the wedding registry that don't exist for the "wish list". But I am sending out something to customers and past hosts too. This is something I try to do on a regular basis anyway - especially with new products or discontinued products.

As for corporate, I'm not sure what they'll be doing, but from what they've stated in the material they sent, people will be able to visit the main website for info about the registry and will then be referred to a consultant in their area. But I want to go beyond this. Given the number of consultants in my immediate sales group, and those that I know live within a few short miles of me, I'm thinking that we'll see a limited number of referals come our way from the Pampered Chef website directly. I'd rather get my name and contact info out there for people to contact me directly.

I've also done a number of shows across the country and outside the country through my website, so if I can expand beyond my immediate area - even better. With the wedding registry, customers don't need to see me. We can do everything online and/or over the phone. So I'd rather not rely on the corporate referal system that they are putting in place.

I don't belong to a church myself. Would it be inappropriate for me to try to make contact that way?

 

[disney4us2002]

One thing I would check on is movie theaters. When people get there early to watch a movie, most people have nothing else to do but wait and eat, so they pay attention to whats on the screen. I think its a great way to advertise and probably not as expensive.

This may come as a shock but we just went thru this to run an ad for foster parenting. For the ad to run 13 seconds, at least 6 times in rotation before every movie on 6 screens (are you still with me, lol) for the year was $9000! That is with a non-profit discount and tax-exempt status. I sure hope for that kind of money we see some responses.

 

[barkley]

most of the bridal shops in our area have a bulliten board you can put flyers up on. i would also suggest that any advertising you do period has some kind of line written on it like "did you know pampered chef offers wedding registry services?'-ask me about it.

maybe do some type of offering wherein a person could do a bridal shower tie in with pampered chef-offer someone who does a wedding registry the opportunity to then have a pampered chef bridal shower (where you would bring the gifts they've received allready wrapped?). or maybe a promotion that if someone has a regular party and a guest signs up for the registry the host gets some small thank-you gift.

maybe something that lists what a new bride needs to set up a kitchen-and point out how many of the items are available through pampered chef (and the ease of ordering by phone, assurance that the bride will receive no duplicate items...). you might be able to do a surprise pampered chef shower wherein the guests preorder and also bring a favorite recipie to share (you could benefit on both sides with this-the preorders as well as what people might order at the shower when the find out what the products are realy like).

 

[offwegotoneverland]

Keep an eye out for the engagement announcements in local papers (it's not that hard to find an address for people with the information provided) and send a mailing to them.

A pretty card/postcard made up with their name may have more impact than a mass mailing.

Also try looking for wedding planning boards that would allow you to post a link to your site or "sponsor" at a reasonable price.

Good luck!

 

[kelleigh1]

Thanks for all the ideas. I debated about posting this all week because I didn't want it to seem like I was soliciting on here. But I was having a really hard time coming up with ideas on how to get the word out there other than through very costly means.

We're expecting a significant snow storm this weekend, so I think I'm going to dedicate Sunday to creating flyers and other materials that I can use for promotion, working on lists of places to contact, and re-checking this thread for more ideas.

Thanks so much!! If all goes well, I might have to send you all a Thank You gift.