MARKETING YOUR INFLATABLE BUSINESS |
|
| You can research marketing ideas for your inflatable business in the following list of advertisement suggestions. Your marketing strategy will depend on your budget. Depending on your business one marketing idea may or may not offer results to your specific business. | |
| 1. YELLOW PAGES | |
|
Depending on your marketing area. Your Yellow Page ad could cost
you an arm-and-a-leg. There is much debate at whether big display
ads actually pay for themselves. You will need to contact your
local yellow page sales agent to see about costs and publishing
deadlines. A good thing about phone books is when someone is the
market for a business (any business) they will usually first use a phone
book or search the internet. This makes your name immediately
available all the time. Be aware that there is a "name brand" yellow pages in an area and an off-brand. Know what you're advertising in. Do you really think that everyone keeps every phone book?? |
|
| 2. Grocery Store Advertisement Boards | |
| Advertisement Boards are frequently placed within the entrance doors of grocery stores. They are a great source of practically no-cost advertisement. It has the potential for working well since the ads are usually placed locally in relation to the inflatable business. | |
| 3. Newspapers | |
| Newspapers advertisements have the potential to get your name out there, however their is a low percentage of potential clients that view the ad that would be seeking an inflatable company to rent from at that specific moment. Similar to Grocery store advertisement boards, but since newspaper ads cost money is could be money not well spent. | |
| 4. Parent Magazines | |
| A parent magazine is a nice source of advertisement. Especially since most parents will frequently save magazines or recall seeing an ad within a parent magazine and refer back to it. However, can often be over-run with inflatable advertisements, and you could lost-in-the-mix. Definitely need an ad or offer that stands out from the other ads. | |
| 5. Neighborhood Signs (AKA Yard Signs) | |
| Setting up neighborhood signs similar to yard sale signs can let people know you're in business. Check your local ordiances before placing signs. | |
| 6. Door Hangers | |
| Walking door to door and putting up door hangers to let people know your business is also a good way to get your name out there. However, the recipient will probably not keep the advertisement unless they are in the market for an inflatable or the ad has a coupon that might anticipate using. | |
| 7. Movie Theaters | |
| Having an ad play before an initial movie is also another way to have individuals get familiar with your name. In addition to have pictures of your equipment. But yet again, unless someone is in the market for inflatable this only produces name-branding. | |
| 8. Radio Advertisements | |
| Purchasing air-time is another way to make your customers aware of your businesses and services. | |
| 9. Cash Register Receipts | |
| Purchasing advertisement on the back of cash register receipts gets your name out there. But this advertisement method is very selective since most most customers always shop at the same stores. | |
| 10. Direct Mail | |
| An expensive advertising media but saturates an area for name-branding. Offering special on the advertisement would probably entice the customer to keep the ad. However, you would have to consider as with any special rate if you want to put an expiration date on the offer. | |
| 11. Billboards | |
| A very expensive advertising media but gets your name out there. Make sure it is an area you want to market to and/or the drivers seeing your ad are the demographics. Also make sure that the money spent is going to reap the benefits of either return business and/or name-branding you seek. | |
| 12. Sales, Specials, Grand Opening | |
| Offering a grand open special will often get a customer to "try your business". It's better to keep your rates the same as with other businesses in your area (to avoid price deteriorating) and then offer a specail grand opening price. Making sure | |
| 13. Website | |
| A website works for your 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. A good website talks for you and picture speaks a thousands words. Enough Said! | |
| 14. High Visibility Setup | |
| Finding a location where a homeowner or business will allow you to setup your equipment for the only purpose of high visibility. | |
| 15. Business Cards | |
| Business Cards! Simple reminder for a customer to let them know who to rent from. | |
| 16. Magnetic Business Cards | |
| Magnetic Business Cards! A simple reminder for a customer to let them know who've they rented from. | |
| 17. Brochures | |
| Similar to a flyer, but it has the potential to let your customers know more about your business then compared to a business card. It can have pictures and text informing potential customers of who you are and what you have to offer. | |
| 18. Vehicle Magnets | |
| Another idea to let your customers that your out there and available. | |
| 19. Sponsor a Little League Sports Team | |
| Another idea to let your customers know that your company is available. | |
| 20. Craigs List | |
| Craig's List is on the internet. It's like a big internet classified newspaper. And the best part, it's FREE! Make sure you advertise in the correct board or it will be deleted. | |
| 21. Contacting Daycares | |
| You need to know that daycares has the potential to get your name out there. However, most (if not all) manufacturers state that children 3 and under and not suppose to be in an inflatable. Therefore, if you market your business to a daycare you need to pass this information onto the renter. You could market to daycares in several ways: direct phone calls, door-to-door, or making a special mailer directed toward them. | |
| 22. Referral Program | |
| Work out a system with a daycare, school, church or even your best customers that for every-so-many rentals that they get a discounted rental, or offer of your choice. | |
|
What is Name-Branding? In
short, it's your business name that gets known for a product or service.
It helps to to have a "catchy" and easily remembered business name, but you also need to "make a name" for yourself. You need to have your business name get exposed repeatedly. You need to have good referrals, by having your customers spread a "good-word" about your business and why it stands out from the rest. You need to make your customers want to refer your business. When someone thinks of inflatables in your area.... they'll think of YOUR BUSINESS NAME. However, having an aggressive advertising strategy may not be a necessary part of this type of business. In this type of business an initial customer may only shop on price alone. And until they get horrible service and/or an inflatable that hasn't been taken care of... they won't know a good inflatable company from a bad one. Therefore, it's better to get known for good service and quality equipment for name-branding. |
|
Party Rental Company for Inflatables and should not be relied upon as legal advice. (c) 2006-2008 Sitemap