Creative Marketing for Small Business

There are plenty of tried and true marketing methods for small businesses on the internet. However with everyone trying the same thing, your business website might not stand out from the competition. In order to really attract potential clients or customers, you must engage in some creative marketing techniques.

Creative marketing techniques, sometimes referred to as guerilla marketing, are those that require you to think outside the box. That catch phrase is very popular in business and marketing world, but what does it really mean? Well, the box is where you fit if you do everything exactly how the Advertising 101 textbook tells you to do it.

Here are some great examples of creative marketing techniques for small businesses. They are guaranteed to get your website or business noticed and talked about.

One - Real World Advertising

Just because your website is completely an online entity does not mean that you can't market it off-line, in the "real world." In fact, local advertising is a great way to get exposure to your website.

Not only can you utilize rather standard media ads, you can also go to local chamber of commerce meetings, give talks on small business at schools, senior centers, and other clubs, and get involved with community organizations.

Two - Sponsoring Clubs, Contests, and Teams

Getting involved with the community is a great way to do some creative marketing for your small business. Little League baseball and softball teams, Pee-Wee football, and other sports usually have corporate sponsors that buy them uniforms or equipment. This is a great way for hundreds of cheering Moms and Dads to see your company name every week.

Providing prizes for firehouse raffles, church charity fundraisers, or school bazaars is another great way to not only market your small business, but market it in such a way that you build instant respect and trustworthiness.

Three - Unusual Promotional Items

Forget pens and letterhead style sticky notes, promotional items will work best if they are memorable and creative. Best of all, it is a great idea to use a promotional product that has to do with your small business.

A golf shop should send out free golf balls with the business name stamped on them. A ladies jewelry shop could offer branded velveteen bags to hold jewelry. Even if your small business happens to be a stationary store, there are more creative marketing ideas than printed pens. What about a pack of staples with your company logo painted across the top of them all? Or a set of pushpins on which is printed the name of your small business?

Four - Word of Mouth Advertising

Word of mouth is arguably the best advertising there is. Not only can you get good word of mouth advertising from past clients and customers who were pleased with your product or service, you can invent this type of marketing as well. A creative way of getting word of mouth advertising includes recruiting family and friends. Make up t-shirts, hats, and bags that display your business name and logo and wear, or carry, them. Convince people you know to display your products and let people know where they came from.

Five - Do Something Weird

Weird attracts attention, especially on the internet. Any small business that can include some weird or comical video or urban legend will experience viral marketing they wouldn't believe. People love to send funny videos, jokes, and stories to their friends online. It is an excellent creative marketing technique to create those weird things and watch them spread.

Coming up with creative marketing techniques for your small business can be tricky, especially if you are used to doing things the more traditional way. While textbook marketing methods can be very effective in attracting new customers and clients to your small business, you will create more of a buzz with more creative marketing techniques.