Whether you like it or not, you have to make alliances to truly market your business for free. Take for example the limousine business. Limousine companies can easily make alliances with retail stores that sell and rent tuxedos, wedding chapels, sports stadiums, and more. The key to fusion marketing is finding out who your customers are and what else can be tied into their experience with your company. With the limousine example, your customer base might be shared with a non direct competitive industry such as the tuxedo rental shop down the street. Free Memberships To show you how fusion marketing can work for your business let me give an example of how it can work for anyone. A local Italian restaurant was striving for new customers. One of the business owners went down the street to a local salon to get her hair cut and gave the stylists free dinner for two coupons. Within days the restaurant was jam packed. Why? Because the stylists would chat up their clients as they cut their hair. When the issue of good places to eat in town came up, the stylists always mentioned the Italian restaurant down the street, their great service, and excellent menu items. Word of mouth is your best bet for marketing and giving away only a few freebies of your product can lead to major success. However, as it was in the case of the stylists and restaurant you must be picky on your disbursements. For example, if you own a gym, then disburse free one year memberships to employees of GNC or Vitamin World. When customers come into those places of business and ask how they got in such great shape or where they work out the employees will mention the place where they received their free memberships. The decision makers and those admired within your industry are the best sources for giving out word of mouth referrals. Go to them and give them free things! Why do you think that celebrities are constantly provided with freebies from companies? Because of their exposure to potential customers! On television or in your local health store, you must find them. It does not take much research but if done right it is one of the ingredients that will turn your business around. |
