[freudling]

In today's rapidly changing, globalized world, what, in general, is the best way to promote a new business?

[peeb]

Oh come on. It depends entirely on what the business is - who is the potential client? The best way to promote a business is to understand your market and do something appropriate. There is no one-size-fits-all.

[Chuckit]

I agree with peeb. It depends on lots of factors like what you're selling, the market your business is in, who your customers are and what your general business model is. If anybody tries to tell you about the one way to promote your business, odds are they're promoting their business.

[IceEnclosure]

just make sure you post on your website your devotion to a particular deity. works well.

[design219]

Arrange a mass killing at your business and you can get a lot of free publicity.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by peeb 

Oh come on. It depends entirely on what the business is - who is the potential client? The best way to promote a business is to understand your market and do something appropriate. There is no one-size-fits-all.

This is, of course, completely wrong. There *is* a one-size-fits-all guaranteed method of promoting one's business. And I'm going to let freudling in on the secret right now.

freudling, it's easy. You design a logo and slogan. You then body paint Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel's naked upper torsos with said logo and slogan. Then get them to jump around in front of Doof's house for a couple of months.

This advertising method works better if you PM me to let me know when they're coming so I can go buy a trampoline. And popcorn.

[wallinbl]

Originally Posted by Doofy 

freudling, it's easy. You design a logo and slogan. You then body paint Jessica Alba and Jessica Biel's naked upper torsos with said logo and slogan. Then get them to jump around in front of Doof's house for a couple of months.

I see two problems with this. First, they're still wearing pants. Second, they're not in your house, they're outside.

[Dakarʒ]

Originally Posted by IceEnclosure 

just make sure you post on your website your devotion to a particular deity. works well.

This joke never gets old. Just like a deity.

[residentEvil]

nekkid chicks, duh. everyone knows that.

[Rumor]

Originally Posted by peeb 

Oh come on. It depends entirely on what the business is - who is the potential client? The best way to promote a business is to understand your market and do something appropriate. There is no one-size-fits-all.

There is a universal way.

Scantly clad women and free beer.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by Rumor 

There is a universal way.

Scantly clad women and free beer.

This does not work if your target customers are all teetotal homosexualist males. Or muslims. Or Amish.

However, getting Jessicas to populate Doof's trampoline should still work.

[freudling]

Is the newpaper (print) dead? I could go $1000 for 5 ads over the course of 1 week. Not sure what page it would be on (small business card size ad). Major newspaper apparently seen by 550,000 per issue.

[Mastrap]

From my own experience? You can't beat word of mouth. If you can find a way to get people talking about you, you're half way there. My own business took off after we got featured in several national newspapers. We still get business from these articles, and they got published several years ago.

[Doofy]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Is the newpaper (print) dead?

I reckon so. At least for kicking off a business. It's OK as a "keep your face showing" kind of tactic if you want to offset a bit of tax, but it's no good for start up.

Now, Mas mentions newspaper features. That's a very good idea if you have the angle which would get the paper giving you the space for free. My ex-maid's fiancé did this recently and AFAIK it worked very well.

[ThinkInsane]

Can't go wrong with spam, and lots of it!

[design219]

Originally Posted by Mastrap 

You can't beat word of mouth. If you can find a way to get people talking about you, you're half way there

This is true, however it's best if they are talking about you in a positive way.

As far as marketing, the best way to kill a bad business is with good marketing. If it is going to take a while to get your business up to snuff, you might not want too much business coming in right off the bat.

[Chuckit]

Originally Posted by freudling 

Is the newpaper (print) dead? I could go $1000 for 5 ads over the course of 1 week. Not sure what page it would be on (small business card size ad). Major newspaper apparently seen by 550,000 per issue.

It depends on your business and the quality of the ad. I work at a newspaper and get to actually see the results. Some people advertise for years and get nothing. Some people have the opposite experience and actually do see an immediate boost in business. We had one photographer we were doing an ad-trade with, but after a couple of weeks of running the ad we made for her, she didn't have time for our assignments anymore! If you do decide to do a print ad, don't skimp on it or you will just be wasting your money.

[λόγος]

The best way to promote a business is to buy television advertisements.

[iMOTOR]

Hire the best consultant you can find, listen to everything he or she tells you,

then,

hire the best advertising agency you can find, let them engineer a message that connects with your customer.

Seriously.


This is the secret to being insanely successful.



Costs too much money? It'll cost you a lot more not to do things the right way.

[RAILhead]

[freudling]

lol