Business Promotion Idea List

Informing, persuading and influencing the customers’ purchase decisions

Business promotion is the activity of informing, persuading and influencing the customers’ purchase decisions. No business should rely on any one form of promotional activity for their success. By having a clear understanding of the characteristics of your typical customer, (gathered from your market research), you will be able to determine promotional strategies that fit both your niche and your budget.

Here is a helpful list of some basic promotional activities:

Advertise in the classified advertising section of your community newspaper.
Advertise in the Yellow Pages.
Advertise on a grocery buggy.
Approach your prospective customers over the phone.
Approach your prospective customers in person.
Approach your prospective customers through the mail.
Be a guest speaker at seminars and present on your area of expertise.
Be a guest speaker on radio talk shows.
Build and maintain a customer mailing and contact list on database software.
Build your image with well-designed letterhead and business cards.
Design a brochure that best explains the benefits of your services.
Design a mail order campaign.
Design a point of purchase display for your product.
Design a telemarketing campaign.
Design an image building logo for your company.
Design and distribute a quarterly newsletter or an industry update announcement.
Design and distribute company calendars, mugs, pens, note pads, or other advertising specialties displaying your company name and logo.
Design and distribute a free "how to do it" hand-out related to your industry (e.g. Tips for conserving energy in your home).
Design buttons, decals and bumper stickers or balloons with your company name, logo or slogan.
Design T-shirts displaying your company name and logo.
Explore cross promotion with a non-competing company selling to your target market.

Hire an advertising agency or public relations firm.
Hold a promotional contest.
Hold a seminar on your service, product or industry.
Include promotional material with your invoices.
Look for prospective customers at trade shows related to your industry.
Look for prospective customers in associations related to your industry.
Look for prospective customers at seminars related to your industry.
Look for prospective customers in magazines and newspapers related to your industry.
Package your brochure, price lists and letter in a folder for your customers.
Place a sidewalk sign outside your store or office.
Place flyers on bulletin boards and car windshields.
Place promotional notes on your envelopes, mailing labels.
Place signs or paint logos on your company vehicle(s).
Prepare a corporate video.
Prepare a list of product features and benefits to help you plan your advertising and promotional campaigns.
Prepare proposals offering solutions to your customers' needs
Provide free samples of your product or service.
Provide public tours of your operation.
Sponsor a charity event.
Sponsor an amateur sports team.
Sponsor a cultural event through a community arts organization.