Hi, does anyone use any offline promotion methods to promote your directory? How has that worked for you? If you don't currently, would you consider it in the future? Let's as a community brainstorm and find some good offline pomotion techniques for directories.
I would consider: Visiting Cards, Word of Mouth, News paper advertisements, Business Letters. hmmm... any others?
I haven't done it yet but i think targetting the general public offline might not lead to much as their mostly familiar with search engines. Even my old mum who takes 2 hands to use the remote control (technophobe ) knows of yahoo and google, yet im wasting my time teying to tell her what my directories are. But on the plus side i think targetting businesses offline to let them know that you exist online could bring some results, especially if your one of those people/groups who offer other services, say if you offer SEO servies, directory submissions etc etc, you could talk them into making use of your directory. If they dont have a website for their company and you provide that service as part of your business you could sell that too them and at the same time introduce them to your directories. You could end up giving them what they want and get some directory business all in one package, you could even partner with another individual/group offline to offer a combination of your services to other businesses.
I posted before about strike rate with current methods, and we plan to test the waters with some old school stuff and will be happy to share the results afterwards. i would expect a 90% strike rate but will be happy with 70% as an overall average.
T-shirts. It's the best (cheap) offline marketing method for a website. It's also about how well-known are you. I'm known in the gaming area, most in World of Warcraft and my wow forums have alexa rank lower then 1000 in my country.
I was featured in a specialty newspaper a couple months ago and that really helped traffic for me. So I am planning on following through and creating beautiful flyers/postcards targeting this very specific niche market offline and will slowly test that. Other offline ideas are magnets for the fridge. I also created cafepress items "sponsored" by my directory (web address on all items) to continue spreading my name...and hey, I got some sales out of it too I plan on pushing this more in future. Thanks.
Totally agree with the T-shirt and Newspaper Press Release methods. They do work and everyone loves to wear a free T.
Thanks, I would love to see how the old timer's methods pan out :rolleyes" T-shirts are definitely a great marketing method Great to hear that it worked out well I hope they mean directories
Hello.. You know i got a submission the other day in Biz-King that claims to offer national TV ads and also Radio Ads and looked very promising From just these past few months of hearing ASK.coms Radio commercials i see this as a very big part of advertising as well as the Video Ads that individual people or companies will be creating threw out the years to come... These are very powerful tools for branding and attracting potential clients in whatever field that one is targeting. Just have to see how much investment is needed to move forward thx malcolm
I've been doing leaflet drops for the past year with my directory, 90% get thrown in the trash can but as long as I get 2% of my target audience to pay for a listing I'm a happy chappy. As for url on your car, you can NEVER get enough advertising and if it means earning $$ by using your own space then go for it.
I did leaf let drops, a couple of years ago, ,,,got a few responses,,, Then I discovered SEM and the world was not the same I think one has to be prepared for an expensive , protracted campaign, But, only if people want the product, and want it in sufficient numbers, I can do this for other web businesses, but general directories, it might be hard to get a return
I think it would be an utter waste of money for most general directories, offline advdertising just ain't worth the investment as the return is so low.
Well lets take video... You can literally make your own for relatively nothing and submit it across different places and reach millions of business owners, webmasters, seos and what not if your smart enough to know how to get the worlds attention with it or brand it so it stays "glued in your mind". I think you remember how Go-Daddy used the Superbowl to become the TOP of the food chain in its respected field with that TV commercial .. The same is with Yahooooooo when they first came out and thier TV commercial saying the domains name PHX..... "Save the Trees" lol as for the CAR... yes ive been looking it does work as here in AZ they literally Decorate their Vehicles and become well known within the "metro area" but not far outside of where they work. thx malcolm