Ok, so it’s the end of the week, and you are running out of ideas of new ways to promote your business. Surely there has to be something you haven’t tried? This list is designed to trigger some action, find just one activity that may work and give it a try, and with a bit of luck you’ll see more sales or leads come in.
The list has a definite online slant (I don’t have much experience in offline). Many channels are low cost or free just requiring time to get them going.
Please Help: Do have channels and ideas to add to the list? Please contribute your ideas in the comments at the bottom of this post
Search Marketing
- Paid Search or PPC – Google Adwords, Yahoo Search Marketing, plus lots more smaller players
- Search Engine Optimization – The best advertising channel for many businesses
- Local Search – Free local listing on Google Maps
Blogging
- Blogging – Showcase your products or expertise through your blog. Works great for service based business in which information can be given away
- RSS – Feed out your blog content direct to RSS subscribers
- Link Bait Content – Generate buzz and links through content
- Guest Posting – Guest post on authority blogs
- Paid Blog Posts – Reviewme
Social Networking Sites
- Stumbleupon – Paid and free models
- Twitter – Follow and connect with prospective customers and keep in touch with existing
- Facebook Ads – Demographic and geotarget ads can work for DM
- MySpace Ads
- Facebook Profiles/Pages – Apps / fans pages / personal profiles
- Mass Social News Sites – A story on digg or reddit may bring your site down!
- Niche Social News Sites – Eg Sphinn for SEO
- In Social Apps Ads – Socialmedia.com, fbx
- Forum Signature – Advertise in your forum signature
- Blanket Mass Email – This is spam, so don’t do it.
- Email database – buy/rent – Send your message to an opt in bought database
- Email Shot Sponsorship – Sponsor a targeted website’s email shot
- Email Newsletter – A regular reason to stay in touch with your customers
- Application Emails – You can add marketing messages to other automated type emails you are sending out
- Targeted Sales Email – The better researched and targeted your email (recipient and email copy) the better
- Personal Email Footer – Add marketing messages at the bottom of your emails
Content Promotion
- Podcasts and itunes
- Online Videos – Start a channel and publish on YouTube
- Articles – Submit articles to ezinearticles & other article sites
- Teleseminars
- Free eBooks – build a targeted database by giving something away
- Question and Answer Websites – Yahoo Answers, Blurtit, Answerbag, WikiAnswers
Online Other
- Web Directories – Dmoz and Yahoo
- Widgets & Toolbars
- Virtual worlds, Secondlife – Would love to hear if this has worked for anyone
- Text Ads
- ISP level advertising – NebuAds
- Behavioral Targeting
- Spyware / Adware
- In Game Ads
- Gamevitorials – Make a Flash game for your brand
Mobile
- Mobile Search
- Mobile Ad networks
- Bluetooth Push
- Mobile Apps – iPhone and Android Apps
- SMS
Viral
- Viral – Google ‘will it blend’ for an example
- Viral Seeding – Paid version seeding the above
- Viral Loop – Gold dust, if the application spreads itself like Hotmail
Online Display
- Banner Ads – Remember to try the ad exchanges for low CPM’s
- Video Ads – Embedded ads in videos
- Popups / Popunders
- In Line Ads – Kontera, Vibrant Media
- Contextual Text/Banner Networks – Google Adsense
- Blog Ad Networks – BuySellAds, Federated Media
- Niche Banner Ads – Eg w00tmedia.net for cult websites
Online Marketplaces
- eBay – Sell anything on eBay
- Amazon Marketplace
- Supplier Portals – Wholesale/Import/Export Portals
- Service marketplaces – Get projects from elance & guru
- Classified Ads – Free ads on Craiglist, Gumtree & Google Base
- Niche Online Storefronts – eg Dreamstime for Images
Online Networking
- Linkedin – Build a network and Inmail rocks
- Niche Online Communities – For example econsultancy
- IM – Instant Messengers – Build your contact lists MSN, Gtalk, Skype
Distribution Channels
- Wholesalers
- Exporters
- Retailers
Online PR
- Local and Industry Directories
- Profile Page Promotion – From Wikipedia to Flickr
- Blog Reviews – Get your products reviewed by top bloggers to generate buzz
Offline PR
- Entering Business Competitions
- Corporate Events
- Interviews and quotes in Publications
- Writing for Publications – With a bio of course!
- Publicity Stunts
- Celeb Endorsements
Partnership Marketing
- Online Affiliate Programs
- Joint Ventures
Networking
- Corporate Entertainment
- Personal Networking – Build a great black book & keep in touch
- Tradeshow / Seminars – Go to events, places & seminars your clients are going to be & rub shoulders
Tradeshows
- Speaking engagements
- Stands
- Tradeshow Sponsorship
- Run Your Own Seminar
Promotional Material
- Flyers
- Branded Items
- Catalogues and Brochures
- Business Cards
- Stickers
- Promotional Gifts
Signage
- Vehicle Lettering & Car Stickers
- On Site Billboards – Construction industry standard
- Store Front Signs
- Walking Sandwich Boards – Also pointer sign holders
Cinema
- In Film Product Placement
- Pre Roll Ads
Television
- TV Ads
- Program Sponsorship
- Product Placement
Radio
- Radio Ads
Radio
- Program Sponsorship
- Product Placement
Outdoor Display
- Road side billboards
- Underground or Subways
- Buses and Vehicles – Regional target via routes
- Restrooms Billboards
Sponsorship
- Team Sponsorship
- Awards Sponsorship
- Bursary Sponsorship
Direct Marketing
- Directory Enquiries SMS Sponsorship
- SMS List Marketing
- Telesales Cold Calling
- Mailshots
- Personal handout
- Door to Door Cold Calling
- Magazine Ads
- Newspaper Ads
- Publication Product Placement
Directories
- Yellow Pages – Plus other large directories
- Trade Directories
Doing Business Well
- Word of Mouth – If your product is awesome it will spread
- Referrals – Ok, so it’s the same as the above
Related Questions
- No Related Questions
{ 1 trackback }
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Good start blogging.
Thanks Bati, I hope that getting off the mark is the hardest part