Professionally marketing your business can really boost your sales! There are many ways you can market your party plan business for little cost or even FREE! I have listed some of the marketing strategies that have brought me the most leads and helped me grow my business.
Be a Walking Advertisement
Get your business name on EVERYTHING you own and get it out there for the world to see. Many consultants don't realize that by wearing a company t-shirt or a logo hat people automatically associate you with your business. I have had dozens of people approach me while I was wearing a shirt, hat or my name tag and inquire about my business. Believe it or not I have gotten hundreds of dollars in orders and met many new customers this way. Think about all the opportunities you could be missing by not selling yourself! I use VistaPrint for most of my printing needs. You can usually get a few free items like a logo hat, pen, and even business cards. I posted some great offers from VistaPrint below.
Be a Driving Billboard
You're already paying for the gas anyway, so why not get where you need to go and advertise your business at the same time? We have all seen them and maybe some of you have even written down numbers, addresses or info from them. Yep, I'm talking car decals! It is a great way to post your business, contact information and website for everyone to see. I simply put my business name, a one line slogan, my phone number and website. I didn't even use a logo. Do you know the first week I put it on my car I got 8 phone calls from people who had seen my decals. That is 8 new leads in a week from just driving around and doing errands.
Advertise Your Party Plan Business on the Web
There are so many great party plan websites and blogs out there today that will advertise your business with an ad on their site for a small fee (including this one) . Lots of these sites also provide an option to advertise in their classifieds or directory pages for free. Here are some other popular pages where your ad is sure to be seen.
Bizymoms.com is building a community of Moms, Grandmas and Dads who want to work from home or are already working from home.
DirectSalesWomen.com - Connecting you to wahm, home party plan, direct sales and work at home resources and information.
Mommies Online.net - Directory Listings, new mom info, free birth announcements, women's articles, free recipes, job opportunities and many more WAHM resources and support!
The budding popularity of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest have opened up a whole new world for marketing your business online. It is the perfect way to connect friends, family and customers with your business. Some companies allow you to post a separate business page that you can advertise but it is best to check with your companies' guidelines before you proceed. I have several customers that communicate with me solely through my Facebook business page.
Another fantastic way to get your business out on the web is to post comments on blogs or websites that are relevant to your product. Making a relevant comment about the use of your product and leaving a link to your website or contact information can be an effective way to find new customers. For example, I just read an article about decorating cakes. If I happen to sell kitchen products I might leave a comment about the article saying:
"Great article! Lots of good tips on decorating that I have never seen before. I also love to use the fancy decorating tips from company X. It makes piping the edges so easy! Check them out at website@me.com."
Take Care of Your Friends and Let Them Take Care of You
Your close friends and family are usually more than willing to help you succeed in your business. Chances are you have already gotten them hooked on your products so see if they would swap some free products for time to help you post fliers, distribute catalogs and hand out business cards. Often times your friends and family go different places than you do so getting them on board can pump up your business. Think of your friends that take classes, participate in sporting events, work outside of their home, travel, go to the gym or anywhere really.
Use Your Products as Gifts to Spark Conversation
Giving your products as gifts is a really good way to spark some interest in your products. This is especially true at bridal showers, baby showers, and any party where there will be a captive audience at gift opening time. Choose carefully and try to pick something original or a new product that people will want to look at and touch. As the gift recipient looks over her present make a point to give some quick facts or tips on how to use it. It is like sneaking in a mini commercial for a room full of people.
Working Vendor Events
Working events, vendor fairs or flea markets can generate a lot of leads in a short period of time. Usually at these types of events you will set up a display table and even do some demonstrations to engage people and draw them to your products. Most party plan consultants offer giveaways as a means to get information from their leads. Hold a raffle or give away samples to people who fill out information cards. Simply handing out business cards or catalogs in much less effective than getting information so you can follow-up with them. Check your local papers for upcoming events in your area.
