In 2011, Offline marketing is going to make a huge comeback… and that’s great because it’s so easy and fun!

With the overload of easily produced home business propaganda online, consumers are tiring of receiving dozens of ‘pitches’ in their inbox everyday just because the opted into one home business finder website. Consequently, they just aren’t opening the emails… email marketing is becoming less effective. So the cycle continues…

Over the last couple of years, brochure marketing and flyers in letter boxes have been overlooked as we preference online, ‘push button’ marketing.

So what do you think we should be doing now? That’s right, getting our message into people’s letter boxes and newspapers again!

SO WHERE TO START USING OFFLINE ADVERTISING IN YOUR HOME BUSINESS?

1. Firstly, spend some time brainstorming and becoming very clear on your target market and the message you want to convey. This message should seek to answer their burning question or alleviate their concern/worry. For example, in my case, I advertise coaching and mentoring for people who want to get into a successful home business. I know that this is a ‘dream’ for many people but that the perceived risks and fear of failure overwhelms them. So when I plan my marketing resources (flyers, ads etc) for my home business, I am seeking to mitigate these fears and show that I understand the journey and that I do have the answers because I am ‘living the dream’. The skill is in the copy writing such that you do not ‘sell’, but rather ‘educate’ and ‘listen’ to your target’s voice as though they are sitting in front of you. To achieve this, it is useful to draw up a table and answer these questions:

• What age is my target

• What does she/he what right now?

• What do they want in 5 years, 10 years time?

• What is stopping him/her from getting that?

• What is he/she tired of seeing in advertising?

• What is his/her ‘pain’/fear?

• What do I have to offer that is refreshing, authentic and that mitigates the fears… and invites trust… (E.g., I am a mother and retired high school teacher… I always use that because it suggests… ‘ she can be trusted to nurture both her own and other’s children’. It suggests a level of intelligence (I did say suggests!!!) and the ability to lead and guide others… my experience so far is that it invites trust. Now that I have given my secret away, take some time to think about your personal point of difference; everyone has one!

You see, everyone puts bullet points on their flyers suggesting what they can do for you (make loads of money, great support…. etc.), but prospects are more interested in getting to know a little about the person who is making these claims (YOU) before they call you or make the effort to check out your blog or website. So you need both… the ‘features and benefits’ of what you have to offer, and a sense of YOU!

2. Choose one or two offline avenues. I will offer a number of suggestions over my next few articles and you will find more on my blog, but here is my first.

Flyers

• Have a phone number, website and email available

• An incentive offer is great.. It positions you as an expert.

• Have them mailed out

• Drop them wherever you go

• Pay to have them put in the local small newspapers

• Have a student put them under windscreen wipers

• Always have them handy and put them on noticeboards wherever possible

• Leave them in foyers, cafes, airport bathrooms…

…the possibilities are FUN and ENDLESS!!