Necessity
Work?
I don't have to work.
I don't have to do nothing
but eat, drink, stay black, and die.
This little old furnished room's
so small I can't whip a cat
without getting fur in my mouth
and my landlady's so old
her features is all run together
and God knows she sure can overcharge-
Which is why I reckon I *does*
have to work after all.
--Langston Hughes
Montage of a Dream Deferred, 1951
As Langston wrote 60 years ago, there are very few "have to's" in life; however, in business there are a great number of "need to's."
You don't have to have a Facebook page (Gasp!). You need to find your customers.
You don't have to have a Twitter account (Get out!). You need to generate revenue.
You don't even have to have a website (Blasphemy!). There are a number of "old school" marketing tactics you can employ for your business. None of them are better or worse than any other, all of them require different levels of commitment and resources and all have been successful in one form or another. It is a question of which one(s) will work for you, not which one(s) you have to do. Some "Old School" Marketing Tactics
- transportation advertising (signs on buses and at bus stops)
- posters, flyers and postcards
- radio, television and print advertising
- movie advertising
- newsletter and program advertising
- referral and word-of-mouth
- incentive programs
- sponsorships
- networking
- billboards
- promotional items
- tradeshow exhibitions
These are a few methods for getting your message out; however, the best marketing campaign is the one that works for you in meeting your business objective. Before you begin expending valuable marketing resources, consider the following:
What is the goal of my marketing campaign?
Do I want to generate revenue, increase brand awareness or intimidate my competitors?
What marketing tactics are my competitors using?
What are the direct (capital) and indirect (time) costs?
Who is going to manage the campaign?
How long will the campaign last or run?
How will I know if the campaign is working?
What do success and failure look like?
Is the campaign going to reach my target audience?
However you decide to market yourself, remember, the only silver bullets are time and consistency.
