Getting the word out about your new heat press business can be achieved in a number of ways, from paid advertising to simple word of mouth.
Once your business is up and running, you need to let people know about it. Paid advertisements probably spring to mind immediately, but they are just one way to successfully market your business.
Be sure to stress what benefits your customers will have by using your services. Put yourself in their shoes, use your imagination, and try to convey why you should be their first choice when it comes to heat printing.
Below are some tips to help you attract customers.
Consider local advertising options, such as local newspapers, church newsletters, and school newspapers and yearbooks. Though the use of paper editions of the Yellow Pages is declining, online Yellow Pages (yp.com) is still a popular venue for advertising.
Regular mail coupon books and advertising circulars (i.e. Valpak, Spree, etc.) offer another way to advertise your business.
Finally, consider getting listed with your local Chamber of Commerce and Small Business Association.
Simple word of mouth is an invaluable marketing tool. Friends and family will want to help you succeed. Get them involved by asking them to spread the word or to wear garments promoting your business. Also, wear these items yourself and have business cards handy to give to anyone who asks for more information. As your client list starts to grow, so will referrals from satisfied clients.
Web-based marketing can help build your business in a number of ways. Having your own website doesn’t necessarily mean that you will be selling items online. Many people use the internet to research the products they plan to buy. Having your website listed near the top of search results will help to advertise your business for free. Look into Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to learn more about how this can be done.
You may also want to consider writing a blog about your business. This will help you gain recognition and drive traffic to your website (or social media page).
Social media websites, such as Twitter and Facebook, allow you to reach a broad audience inexpensively. Twitter is a free instant messaging website. It allows you to quickly broadcast information to a large group of people (your followers). After establishing a following on Twitter you can quickly alert your followers to new blog posts, merchandise, and promotions. Facebook allows you to create a “fan page” for your business and enlist your friends and customers to help spread the word about your business.
There are plenty of other, more traditional, ways to market your business. For instance, you can have business cards printed that will be attractive and useful to the client (i.e. a keychain or magnetic 12-month calendar).