Author: Kaitlyn Miller Added: May 21, 2008
Me. Me. Me. No, I’m not warming up my voice before I break into song. I’m pointing out what advertising is all about. The customer wants to know, “What’s in it for me?” The company advertising says, “Give your money to me. Buy my product or service.” Advertising doesn’t have to be entirely self centered, though. Instead of focusing entirely on your company, why not think about ways your company can work with neighboring or complimentary business to get more out of you combined advertising dollars.
One of the great benefits of partnership based marketing is that you create cross-pollination of customer bases along with an increase in overall customer traffic to both businesses. This has been the central tenant behind shopping malls and strip shopping centers. People shopping at on store will often spend money at a neighboring store out of convenience.
Utilizing this sort of partnership can range from joint advertising to interconnected promotions. For instance, if you run a shop in a shopping strip, try to collaborate split the cost of flyer printing with other business in the same strip and send out advertising flyers featuring discounts or offers at all the stores in the strip. Another idea is printing booklets featuring a variety of coupons from each business and distributing them through direct mailing to local customers.
If you want to partner with a business that isn’t next door to your own or even in the general vicinity, you can still do joint advertising. Post cards offering discounts at either location is one idea. You can also use receipts of purchase at one location to get a free item at the other and vice versa. In my town, for example, our movie theater has an ongoing promotion with a fast food spot a couple of blocks down the street. You can buy a combo meal at one the restaurant and use the dated receipt to get a discount on your movie tickets. Reciprocally, you can present your movie stub at the restaurant and get a free drink with your purchase. Its worked out to both business’s benefit and its proven so profitable that it has been a promotion that has lasted for years.
However you want to arrange it, forming a marketing partnership can only strengthen all businesses involved. On top of that, its cost effective advertising, since the more parties involved the more your costs are defrayed. It’s a win, win situation all around. Marketing doesn’t have to be all about the “Me.” Instead, be inclusive and start thinking about “Us.”
For more information, you can visit this page on flyer printing and advertising flyers
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