20 +Effective Ways to Market Your Business Off-line for Maximum Exposure 

Now we hear so much about how to market online that I think we forget about marketing off-line. Now don't think of these items as to simple. They are repeated time and time again for a reason... they work!! They are effective when they are done correctly, there is no one way to market that is going to bring in the bacon. You will need to do a combination of marketing for any kind of marketing to be effective. 

1.) Direct Mail - Of course we all should be doing this in terms of farming areas and such but with the rise in costs many realtors just aren't doing this as much. This can be an affective tool in terms of marketing you or your listings. This obviously is an obvious one but it is brought up time and time again because it works. 

2.) Postcards- Yes again we should all be doing this and it ties into the direct mail that you should be sending out every month. 

3.) Classified Ads- Now many realtors put their ads in the classified section of the paper but are you also putting an add marketing you not just your listings. This can be costly if not done correctly. You need to make sure you have an effective ad that is going to generate leads. Make sure there is a call to action, offer something to the reader for contacting you or going to your website. 

4.) Yellow Pages- Again this can be costly but you should be in the phonebook online and offline. This is another great resource that is often under utilized this is a great tool in creating good leads think about it when you are in the yellow pages you are looking for a number or company for a reason.... because you are in the market for something. If someone locates your name in the phonebook it is because they are in the market for a realtor, mortgage broker, virtual assistant etc. 

5.) Space Ads- The best way to get affordable space ad is to use remnant or standby advertising. This is when the space is not used up or sold they offer these types of space ads at a discount rate because they need to fill that space. If you are going to use space ads it is better to use the same layout and format as editorials. Finding something that will work for you is key here you need something that is going to stand out from the crowd a gimmick.  I read that a company had purchased this type of ad placed their ad upside down week after week. They continue to run this ad upside down every week... why? Maybe because it is drawing the attention that they need to the ad. But it must be working or else they would not be doing it. 

6.) Networking- Networking on and offline is key. You want to get out there in front of people, meeting people mingling. You can use great forums like Active Rain for online but how many off-line networking events have you been to? Networking is a great fee to low cost way of getting your name out there. 

7.) Radio/ TV- Again using remnant advertising here will save you the big bucks. Check with your local radio stations or TV stations ask about their remnant slots and see if you can get a good deal on this type of advertising. 

8.) Flyers- Flyers are great one page ads if you will that you can use in many different ways you can put them on bulletin boards, stick them on cars under the wiper, door to door there are so many ways you can use them. We normally do flyers for our listings but have you thought about doing them for you and your business. These are really inexpensive you can design them yourself, print them at your local office store for about 10 cents for black and white or 49 cents for color and if you don't want to go door to door or canvas a parking lot hire a high school student to do it you can hire them fairly cheap.  Again make sure you have a gimmick and offer that is going to want to make them pick up the phone and call you. 

9.) Telemarketing- Okay, okay I know what you are thinking. I can't just cold call the entire phonebook. Your right we all know about the laws that prevent us from doing that. But did you know the do not call list does not pertain to business to business calling. If you are a local realtor you can call the HR departments that have allot of employees that they relocate you can offer your services to them. Also with your current leads and contacts you should be calling them on a regular basis if you are using your sphere of influence to its best potential. 

10.) Trade Show Booths- Are you going to local events and putting up a booth?  There are so many different tradeshows you could attend that you can get a booth to promote your business. These can be costly depending upon what size table you want or space you need. But if you can't afford the booth many times they allow you to give them what they call fillers or stuffers that you can pay them to give to each and every person that walks through the door. Many times they offer bags with flyers and such in them. You pay them for a filler you design, print and drop off and they will throw your ad, flyer, business card or whatever you can think of into the bag that goes to each and every attendee that they have walk through the door. This you can get create with maybe use a key with your business card attached or something along those lines. 

11.) Card Decks-  These are stacks of index sized cards that are mailed out to a targeted audience. This is where you would offer "free reports", "free books", etc. You could also offer tips for home care etc. Maybe get local businesses to pay you to advertise to your clients or target audience. This would cut your cost of marketing and you still can get your message across. Maybe use your team and when I mean team I mean every realtor should have a title company they use, mortgage broker they use, interior designer etc. Offer discounts and such to your team this brings in more business for your core team that is a win win for everyone.  You could also include business reply cards into these decks, get creative this can be used in many different ways.

12.)  Mini-seminars- Become an expert in a niche. If there is a high rise in foreclosures offer mini-seminars to local people on this topic. Maybe offer hope buying seminars, selling seminars etc. This can be affective if done correctly. 

13.) Teleseminars- These are good when done with a targeted niche. Offer a free teleseminar on investing, buying, selling, FSBO tips etc. This is a cost effective way you can use a free services that offers conference calling and your time marketing and on the call. 

14.) Voice Blasts or Voice Broadcasting- This is a great tool that is underutilized this would be focused on leads, clients, past clients and contacts. Maybe offer market reports or trends etc. This could be done once a month, once a quarter etc. How this works is your record your message then using a service their system will call your contacts when they are most likely to be away from home and leave a message on their voice mail. This takes very little effort on our part but fees will vary from company to company shop around to get the best rate.

15.) Contests- This can be done two ways either by getting local companies to "donate" for our contest or offer a "special deal". You can run your contest on your website as well as in your card deck, flyer direct mail, voice blasts etc. These are all great methods of getting the work out. One of my clients has partnered with a travel agency and every six months does a raffle for a free trip to Mexico. The travel agency gets exposure and it is a great way to drive traffic to your website or business. 

16.) Celebrity Endorsement- Now if you are not trying to get Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and "A" list celebrities this can be more affordable than you may think. You need to choose a celebrity that your target audience is going to recognizes. Like real estate you may think of Donald Trump of course you probably can't afford Donald Trump but what about Ermarosa or some of the Apprentice stars that made it to the finals. 

17.) Thank you cards/ letters- This would be something that you would use on your current contacts/leads. Send them a "thank you" for being a customer. "Thank you" for the your past business, referral etc. Always include your business cards and a way for them to contact you. 

18.) Event Marketing/ Charity Events- You can often times buy "sponsorship" at these types of events. Whether it be for a table at a charity event (get other like local business friends think "your team" to go in on this and attend the event cutting our cost). 

19.)  Volunteer- When was the last time you gave back to your community?? Volunteering is a great way to give back while giving you exposure. You could donate your time to Habitat for Humanity become a regular at their weekly builds. They will talk about that funny realtor who comes every week to help out. There are so many charities that need volunteers virtual assistants you can donate your services to local charities or non-profit organizations. 

20.) Dimensional Mail- This is what many would call "lumpy mail' this is a great way to get your mail opened. How many times have you gotten those free pens in the mail and you open that white envelope because you can obviously see that there is something in there. Many times these come from promotional companies I have got at least a dozen of those really nice engraved pens with my name and address on them. Some people add candy, magnets, pens, letter openers etc. Get creative and have fun. 

21.) Business Cards- This of course is a great marketing tool you can leave them everywhere local businesses, grocery stores, banks, restaurants. There are so many different places you can leave them. They are fairly inexpensive and it has all of your contact information. Maybe you can order special ones just for these types of things. Get bright neon orange cards these will definitely attract attention. Get creative with these. 

Have fun and get creative don't forget to market off-line as well as online these can be great tools always make sure you are doing more than one form of marketing you will need to use more than one form of marketing for your efforts to be greatly effective. 

Skye Hawk 

At Your Service! 

Virtual Assistant Specialists

www.AtYourService-VA.com

Info@atyourservice-va.com