Promotional Tools For Your Tool Box Part Empat

When people build houses, they use more than just hammers. When trying to build a business, business owners also must use lots of different tools to make customers aware of their products or services and help them see why they are needed.

In our past three blogs we’ve discussed 57 promotional tools available in your marketing tool box to survive in today’s competitive marketplace. Today in part empat (four) we offer six more tools for generating and encouraging the all-important word-of-mouth publicity.

1. Volunteer to Give Speeches to Local Civic and Professional Organizations
2. Speak to Your Local City Council, School Board or Legislature (Lobbying)
3. Invest in Non-Profit Sponsorships (Community Relations)
4. Offer Community Seminars and Training (at venues such as public libraries and community recreation centers)
5. Make Time to Attend and Get Involved in Local Civic, Professional and Non-Profit Organizations that interest you. Networking with others who do or sell similar things is a good way to get your name out and get referrals. And research has shown that people prefer to do business with companies that support charities.

Finally, we like publicity “stunts,” though you must be very careful with this tool because it can very easily backfire. Stunts come in many forms including amazing acts and using dramatic messages or visuals that present a paradox. A stunt can cost money if it includes buying ads, but with hundreds of cable TV channels today, it is not difficult to find someone who will broadcast your stunt for free. Just like using a chainsaw, use this tool cautiously and sparingly. Here are three examples.

We recently toured the Wal-Mart Museum in downtown Bentonville, just a half mile from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. (We highly recommend visiting both) It includes photos and video of a reluctant Sam Walton doing a hula dance on Wall Street after the company met a challenge he had issued. 

Southwest Airlines Chairman Herb Kelleher arm-wrestled the chairman of another aviation company in March 1992 for the rights to an advertising slogan. Kelleher smoked a cigarette while they arm-wrestled. He lost, but his competitor allowed Southwest to keep using the “Just Plane Smart” slogan and their stunt generated lots of publicity.

One of the most famous stunts in recent years was the April Fools 1996 full-page ad Taco Bell ran in major newspapers claiming they had purchased the Liberty Bell to help pay for its upkeep.

The public outcry led to widespread exposure and a White House spokesman jokingly announcing another fundraising change: a new name for the Lincoln Memorial—the Ford-Lincoln-Mercury Memorial. Taco Bell won tons of publicity from this stunt.

These promotional tools lists are not exhaustive, but they give you a good list from which to start. Be creative, and don’t give up on your business without a fight.

We’d love to hear from you if you have other effective tools you would add to our lists.