
We previously talked about the 4
Advertising
Advertising is the first place we tend to look for our promotion needs because of its potentially wide reach, but for that
Personal selling
Personal selling is essentially selling directly to another person. It may incorporate elements of both marketing and sales and is very useful for large ticket items, but not so much so for low margin items. In my experience with personal selling, it helps to know and play into your own strengths, all while having needed knowledge of your prospect and your product. That’s why, before embarking on a personal selling campaign, it’s helpful to conduct research into your ideal prospect or a similar persona.
Sales promotion
Sales promotion is using a sense of urgency and enticement to let customers know about your offers. For small businesses, it’s important to build credibility before a sales promotion; otherwise, you’ll have to deal with that “too good to be true” feeling the prospect may have.
Public relations
Public relations is not normally associated with promotion, but the careful and consistent sculpting of your public image builds credibility, which is crucial for most small startups. Small, local news outlets and bloggers — who are always looking for new content — are great places to start executing your public relations strategy.
Direct marketing
Direct Marketing is often a four-letter word with your prospective customers, but businesses continue to use it because it works. Essentially an outbound channel, it includes direct mail, email and even phone sales, though the latter is objectionable for some. In my personal experience, I believe most small, underfunded startups should at least consider a direct marketing strategy, if the research bears it out.
You don’t have to use every possible manner of promotion, but definitely experiment to see what works best for you and your business. As a solopreneur, you don’t have to go solo. We can help fill out the roles you’d like to delegate.