Advertising ???

[Lindy]

Hi there, I'm wondering if those of you who have a business do outside advertising like in newspapers, magazines, stuff like that and how well has that worked for you?

I'm planning on advertising in a monthly magazine that is a free magazine in the area and throughout the year is on 2 ferries then in the summer months its on a 3rd one too. I'm planning on a full colour business card ad most months with banner ads for the Grand Opening, Mother's Day, Father's Day and stuff like that.

If anyone else has done this I would sure like to hear from you and I welcome everyone's feedback on this advertising plan.

Thanks!

Lindy

 

[Tabitha]

I suck, I do not advertise, I just assume people will find me. I need to get better at this.

 

[andreabadgley]

I do a lot of different things for marketing. I started on MySpace, where I blog, run promotions, post updates on new soaps, etc. Through MySpace I've met folks who were willing to put ad banners up for me on their sites for free or were willing to swap with me (I put their link on my website, they put mine on their website).

I'm also on FaceBook, where I've reconnected with TONS of people from my past, most of whom I haven't seen or talked to in decades. They've all been really excited about what I'm doing, and they were especially supportive at Christmas.

I'm a member of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild (http://www.soapguild.org/), where you can put a little blurb about your business and post a photo on their website. As a member you also get periodic issues of their journal, "Handcrafted SoapMaker: The Journal of the Handcrafted Soapmakers Guild." The current issue actually has extremely helpful articles on social networking (MySpace, FaceBook, Twitter, etc.) and making the most of your online business. If you decide to become a member of the Guild, please consider putting my name, Andrea Badgley (of Sacred Suds) as a referral - if I get enough referrals I might qualify for a scholarship to their annual conference, which I would LOVE to go to, but have no way of going without financial assistance.

Finally, I am advertising in SageWoman magazine, which reaches my target market perfectly. The majority of my soaps are inspired by goddesses, and the SageWoman subtitle is "Celebrating the Goddess in Every Woman." My first ad hasn't appeared yet, but I am eagerly awaiting it to see what kind of business it drives my way.

Hope that helps!

 

[Lindy]

Hi Andrea - I wish I had know to refer you when I joined the guild, I would have been happy to use you as my referrer (is that a word?). I think being a member of the guild has a lot of benefits and in the public's mind if you're a guild member then you are a little more "legit" since they love to see Guild Member beside someone's name - I fall into that category as well. I know that the Chamber of Commerce here is quite impressed that I am a guild member

I haven't done a lot of web-based advertising and hadn't even thought of that yet - I need more time in a day...sheesh.

Tabitha you live in a historic town with tourist appeal right? Is there a magazine that you can advertise in? I wonder if a bunch of us got together maybe we could afford a full page in a US/Canadian women's magazine?

 

[andreabadgley]

I haven't done a lot of web-based advertising and hadn't even thought of that yet - I need more time in a day...sheesh.

Ah yes, I should have specified - I'm almost exclusively a web-based business, so most of my advertising is web-based. I think if you have a storefront, a local magazine/weekly would be an ideal place to advertise, or even the Sunday paper.

 

[Elle]

I do alot of web-based advertising as well.

L

 

[kaseencook]

I advertise on the Australian Craft Network, which directs a LOT of targeted visitors.... I'm sure they must have craft networks or something like that in your country..... I found it when looking for something for myself.

 

[Lindy]

Thank you Kaseencook - I'll go looking for that here.

Elle, thank you for your input....

 

[pink-north]

I do alot of web-based advertising as well.

L

Hey Elle, I'm trying to get my site out there. Can you please telll me what kind of web-based ads you're running? Do you have any advice, tips, or tricks that would help? I appreciate any help you can give.

Thanks
:wink:

 

[IanT]

get into womens clubs (social clubs), healthfood stores, online websites by trading links possibly.... PM me if ya want some ideas I got a million for marketing!

 

[Dremma]

I have a (very) small store and an online website store.

We are in a very small town and have a once a week newspaper. I put a business card sized ad in the business directory once a month just to remind people that I am there...and then I do a larger ad 6-8 times a year (announcing my seasonal soaps, holiday, Mother's Day and Valentine's type stuff).

I have a blog on my website and a twitter. I do a monthly email newsletter and a monthly drawing for a free bar of soap.

I also always send a magnet business card out with all new online orders so that they can stick it on the fridge as opposed to lose a paper card.

I also keep a tray of 1 ounce sample soaps in the store, sealed in plastic wrap with an address label on the bottom that has my physical location and website address on it that people can pick up and take with them.

That's about it.