No one is prouder of a new baby than her parents. Likewise, opening a new business makes no one prouder than its owner. Parents give out pink cigars to celebrate the birth. New business owners give out t-shirts to celebrate the new business. Choosing a catchy name is the same for both scenarios, as is choosing a color scheme and theme for the new arrival. All this catches the attention of people who might not otherwise have noticed the new birth. Pink banners across the front door of the house alert people to the birth, as do banners across the business’s door alert people to the new business.
Basically, advertising is nothing more than bragging.
We have the best product. New. Better. Improved. Now with more fiber. Now 20% more product. Get a toy inside. Get a trip to the Bahamas when you buy the product and register. Get on TV by using the product and telling us about it. If no one had a product worthy of bragging, advertising wouldn’t exist. So the small business owner has many choices between advertising methods. Of course, he already has his catchy phrase or keyword, and he has his attention-grabbing logo. With those in hand, it’s time to make some decisions.
There is some discussion as to the efficacy of old school advertising. Yes, the Internet is the biggest thing since sliced bread.
Yes, mobile marketing is the newest thing.
On the other hand, people still read newspapers and magazines. People who ride the bus still check out the ads on the walls and sometimes on the outside of the bus. Billboards still exist and catch the eye of travelers. Fliers still advertise pizza and car tire sales. Who is right? Both sides are right. Here’s why.
Believe it or not, some people do not own a cell phone.
Some don’t have computers or tablets. They simply cannot afford them. How do these people keep up on the newest fads and fashions? Old school media. They see the ads on TV and hear them on the radio. They clip coupons from the Sunday newspaper. If these people need to use a computer, they go to the local library. They see ads in magazines in the doctors’ offices and they know what the latest fashion is in dress and other things.
The small business owner may split his advertising budget between old school media and online advertising. He may pay an SEO and SEM marketer to advertise his business and drive consumers to his website. He could always place ads in the local newspapers, small town magazines and fliers. All of these will work toward getting the word out that he has the best product or service around. He has his catchy slogan and his eye-popping logo, which means than someone somewhere will see it and visit to his store or website. He will then pass out promotional items, such as pens, ball caps, t-shirts, tote bags, or coolers to further pass the word to people who see these things and ask about them.
Advertising needn’t be scary, and sometimes it can even be fun.
Some methods can be highly beneficial to the small business owner. Some businesses use a kid dressed in a costume dancing on the sidewalk outside the store. That grabs attention. Others spread the word using the moving bar beneath the weather report on TV. That’s great for local businesses. The business owner may even decide to wrap his car in advertising for his business. Imagine his teen kids‘ delight when they are asked to “work” for Dad.
There are millions of sites online advertising their specialties and methods. By all means, check into them and then sit back and watch the business roll in. Hire a local ad agency to handle the old school media. Use both old and new to advertise your business. Both methods will reach more people than you ever dreamed.If your niche market responds to only one type of advertising, then there might be something you do or offer that will catch the eye of the other markets. Whichever method of advertising you use, get out there and brag. And don’t forget the cigars.