Promotions eat a big chunk of the investment in any business. This may not be felt so much by big corporations but to most beginners, or even to the owners of small or big sized businesses, this is a very big concern. However, do you know that this problem could easily be met with some ingenuity?
Yes, you can make your products or services be known by word of mouth. In fact, this method of promoting your business is not only very effective but the least expensive as well—in fact, it’s almost free! Here are some suggestions on how this could be done:
• Take advantage of the social media. Besides spending hours sharing experiences online or uploading photos of events you attend, why not let your friends know about your business as well? You can upload pictures showing your products and how your other friends use them.
• Maximize your visits with friends. While exchanging pleasantries, dropping a word or two about your business is an effective way of advertising subliminally. This is done by TV programs when ads are flashed across the screen in split-seconds.
• When attending occasions where gift-giving is practiced, why not give your products as presents? Of course, this is only possible if yours are not too bulky or too expensive to give away. If you are into service business, a gift certificate to avail your services. This is not only effective way of promoting your business but a unique gift idea as well.
• Participate in local trade exhibits such as in church or community events, local festivities or other social gatherings in your areas. In addition to putting up a small exhibit booth, you could also donate prizes of your products to the winners of festivity games.
• Organize small Tupperware-style parties in your neighbourhood. Tupperware products captured a huge market this way, why shouldn’t you?
• Come up with incentive schemes to those who could bring along friends outside your community to these mini-parties, either in kind (samples of your products) or a commission for any purchase made by their “recruits”.
Word of caution in doing word of mouth promotions:
• Do not put down competitors, especially if they happen to belong to the same community. In fact, it would be a good gesture to invite them to join in your activities. This may even encourage them to return your friendly attitude by putting in a word or two about you and your products to their clients despite your business competition.
• Avoid engaging in price wars. Only the buyers come out winners in these situations and may permanently ruin your products in the market.
Be creative and have fun with this way of promoting your business. Word of mouth advertisement will spread fast if it is fun and helpful!