Creative Advertising

When it comes to targeting holiday shoppers during the fall holiday shopping season, you need to plan out your advertising and marketing strategy months in advance. I usually start my planing in early July.

If you are going for print advertising, you need to realize that you need to do that weeks, if not months in advance.

Here are some creative Holiday Advertising ideas for you to think about before the upcoming holiday season.

1. Do some print advertising in a community holiday shopping guide. A lot of communities print up Holiday Shopping Guides listing area businesses.

2. Call up local church and civic groups and inquire about you placing an ad in their printed up Holiday Song Books that they hand out during the holiday season. These ads are usually less than $20

3. A lot of churches, schools and civic groups hold holiday bazars during the Holiday Season! Contact them! Usually you can get a booth or table for around $20 - $25 which you can get a receipt and write off on your taxes as a biz deduction.

4. Print up flyers (holiday themed) and place them through out your community.

5. Participate in Local Holiday Community Events and Fundraisers. The more you get out into your community, the more you network and find new hosts and/or new customers.

6. A lot of groups do fundraising during the fall and holiday months. This is the time to be contacting them about the fabulous Fundraising Opportunity that your company has.

7. Print out mini Holiday Recipe Books (4-6 pages) with some of your favorite holiday family recipes. Make sure you business contact info is somewhere on it. Hand them out for free to friends, family, co-workers, local businesses, at your parties and every where you go! You can do this for about .12 cents each or less.

8. Holiday Gala' and Other Holiday Events where they need contest prize sponsors. Donate a prize and get tons of business exposure!

9. Hold a Holiday Open House in your own home for the neighborhood children to come and holiday shop for their parents. I do this one 2-3 times every fall season and its a BIG Success! I set up a table with some crafting supplies so they can make their own holiday greeting cards. On the invites I request that parents send each child with a minimum of $15 to the party.

Parents enjoy the 1-2 hours away from the children and the children feel proud that they were able to shop without any adults!

Advertise this as your local community centers, schools, daycare centers, area latch key programs and give a stack of fliers to your own children to pass out to their friends!

10. Contact local schools and churches and obtain info about their upcoming holiday plays and holiday music concert programs. They usually sell advertising in their play program books and holiday music guide books! You can get a lot of business exposure directed to guests and customers who are already thinking about the holidays and they will be in the holiday mood after seeing your ad in the program guide.

Now I have given you 10 creative ideas to target those holiday shoppers. Which idea will you be implementing first?

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a manager with Tupperware. You can visit Shelly online at www.workathomebusinessoptions.com for free Direct Sales articles and home business tips.

Direct Sales - 25 Creative Ways To Advertise Your Business In Your Community
By: Shelly Hill

Are you in Direct Sales? Are you looking for creative ways to market your home business? If so, I have 25 creative ideas that you can use to advertise your home business, in your local community.

When it comes to advertising, it's important to be consistent with your advertising efforts. The harder you work on advertising your home business, the more new customers and team members you will get.

Let's take a look at a few ideas.

1. Check out your local area State Fairs and Community Carnivals. Ask about getting a booth or table and set it up with your business information. People love to shop at Fairs and Carnivals, and they are looking to spend money.

2. Purchase some business card styled refrigerator magnets. Hand them out to all of your customers, party hosts, and business contacts. Using a magnet as your business card keeps your business in front of your customer, instead of being hidden away in their wallet.

3. Give your business products as holiday gifts. Cousin Jane might just love her gift enough, to become a future customer.

4. Put an AD in the back of local high school yearbooks. You can usually get these ads for around $25.00 which makes it affordable.

5. Put an AD for your business in local Athletic Sports Programs. In the fall, I purchase an AD in our local high school football program for around $40.00.

6. Contact local churches. See if you can place an AD in their weekly church bulletins and activity guides.

7. Do you have a local community Play House? If so, get your business AD placed in their play programs.

8. Co-Sponsor a local Youth Athletic Group. Baseball teams, softball teams, cheerleading squads, gymnastic squads and swim teams, etc. are always looking for sponsors.

9. If you have a home business, consider getting a Yard Sign printed up. You will want to place it in your front yard, in a highly visible area.

10. Does your neighborhood hold local Meet and Greets? If so, make sure you go out and attend them. Get to know your fellow community members and make some new contacts.

11. Donate a Raffle Drawing Prize to a Non-Profit Group or Charity in your local community. They are always looking for prize donations for their charitable raffles.

12. Local bus stops and bus sheds. Have you noticed that a lot of them have local business advertising on them? Contact the company and ask them for their advertising rates.

13. Does your local area grocery store allow advertisers to place business ads on the back of their cash register receipts? If so, contact them and ask about their advertising rates.

14. Contact your local Fire and Ambulance companies. Ask them about their upcoming fundraiser events or chicken barbecues. Ask them if you can set up a display table with a few of your products.

15. Contact your local Assisted Living Centers for Senior Citizens. These centers will often hold Senior Shopping Events. Find out the date of the next event and participate by setting up a table display with some of your business products. Seniors can't get out to shop like they used to, so bring the shopping to them.

16. Does your community hold summer concerts in your local parks? If so, contact them about sponsoring an event or setting up a table.

17. Exchange business cards, fliers and coupons with another Direct Sales consultant. Every time you hand out a customers order, place one of her business cards into your bag, and vice-versa.

18. Indoor Concert Venue's. Have you attended a concert lately? A lot of local businesses co-sponsor these events. Ask the sponsor how you can get some advertising at the event.

19. Does your community print up a free renters guide, house buying guide or used car guide? (you can usually find them for free at your local supermarket). If so, contact them about placing your business ad inside one of the guides.

20. Get your business information printed onto paper text book covers. Donate them to local area adult technical schools and colleges.

21. Is there a local business in your area holding an upcoming Grand Opening? If so, contact them. A lot of times they are giving away freebies to the first few hundred customers. Inquire to see if you can donate a few of your products for their Grand Opening. If you do donate, make sure your business contact information is attached to your products.

22. Get your business information printed up on inexpensive bookmarks. Donate these bookmarks to local colleges and libraries.

23. Put your business knowledge to work. Call up your local colleges, cooking schools, craft stores, etc. See if you can come in to teach a class. Sharing your expertise with others is a great way to get new business.

24. Print out some kid's coloring pages with a small section on them advertising your business and donate them to local area restaurants, daycare's, doctor's offices, etc.

25. Consider getting some inexpensive mini desktop-sized calendars printed up with your business information on them. Hand these calendars out to local businesses to give to their office employees.

I hope you find these 25 creative ideas useful when it comes to advertising your home business in your local community.

Shelly Hill has been working from home in Direct Sales since 1989 and is a Manager with Tupperware. You can visit Shelly online at www.workathomebusinessoptions.com for Direct Sales articles and home business tips. You can also visit Shelly online at my.tupperware.com/Ravish30

Direct Sales Marketing Idea
By: Deb Bixler

Do you have a full calendar of bookings scheduled for your direct selling business? It is critical for you to fill in a few days on your calendar.
If you have asked all your close relatives and friends to come to parties, you now need to go further. Below is one unique home party plan bookings idea to help you get busier and improve sales.

Direct Sales Marketing Tools – Pens

Pens are an excellent way to spread the word about your business, you and your products. Pretty much everyone needs a pen from time to time. It is something all people need at least once per day. So pens are perfect for marketing your direct sales venture.

*You can buy plain white, inexpensive pens at most big department stores or small outlets that offer low-priced goods.
*Then you can purchase some decorative labels.
*You can find a kit for printing labels at home at most office supply stores.
*Next, you can use your computer to make a template for your labels.
*After you have a template, you print out the labels, peel them off the paper and attach them to each pen.
*Next, you hand out pens everywhere you travel, to friends, loved ones and even strangers.

Of course if you prefer a higher quality pens can be purchased at very affordable bulk rates through many sales novelty catalogs or online.
Often times, you will hear someone in a supermarket say, “One minute, I need to find a pen.” When you hear that, you can offer one of your pens to this person. If he or she tries to return it to you, you say, “Keep it,” and smile warmly.

This unique way to market your direct sales business is easy it will work wonders for your direct selling business. Bookings are essential to your success with direct sales.

If your calendar is wide open, you need to get cracking, get out there and advertise your business and its products. Unfortunately, business does not come-a-knocking on our door, as we hope it would. We have to go out and become visible to people in order to accumulate bookings and sales. Handing out pens is a great technique to add to your home party plan. Besides the fact that people need pens daily, everyone loves to get gifts too. By using pens for marketing tools, you are not spending a fortune on advertising.

Deb Bixler works with Direct sales consultants who take advantage of every marketing idea will grow their business. You can not depend on just one lead generation system for your business.

Direct Sales - Use Your Telephone As A Powerful Marketing Tool
By: Shelly Hill

When I talk to others who are with one of the Direct Sales companies, I am often told that they hate making business phone calls and that they "view" the telephone as their enemy. Matter of fact, most of these consultants told me that they will delay making business phone calls as long as they can. With that said, these same consultants are the ones who are usually complaining that business is not good.

If you are not used to making business phone calls it can be scary, but that fear can be turned around into something you enjoy with a little practice and a change of mindset.

First let's take a look at your mindset. When I asked these people why they hated using the phone about half of them told me because they feel like they are 'pestering' people for orders or for booking a home show. First let me state...you are not pestering people if you only make one or two calls to them. All businesses large and small use telephone marketing in one form or another. Instead of viewing the phone as your enemy you need to view it as a powerful marketing tool.

You are doing nothing wrong when you call a customer and ask for a sale (order), ask a person to book a party or to ask a potential recruiting lead if they want to join your company. All great Direct Sales leaders will tell you that you need to overcome your fear of the phone and use it as a tool to build your business. At worst...the person will just say 'no' or they will hang up. When that occurs, just move on to the next one.

Second...how can you overcome that fear? You need to practice! I always recommend to consultants that they first practice their sales pitch with a spouse or family member. If you have a hard time with words, make yourself a set of flash cards with all of the points you want to make during your sales call presentation. Once you get comfortable speaking with family members you can move on to speaking to friends and acquaintances and then proceed on to complete strangers.

Overcoming your fear of the telephone does take some practice and hard work...but, it can be done! If you want to build a successful Direct Sales business, you will need to view the telephone as an important marketing tool and put that marketing tool to work for you!

Article Source: http://www.wahm-articles.com

Shelly Hill has successfully worked from home in Direct Sales for over 20 years. Shelly is the owner of the successful work at home resource site called Work At Home Business Options at www.workathomebusinessoptions.com where you can find free direct sales articles, tips and resources.

Direct Sales: 9 Ways To Use Extra Product Inventory
By: Shelly Hill

As Direct Sales consultants, we often end up with excess product inventory. These items could be discontinued items, slightly used demonstration products, or items you received as gifts from your company.

At my home, space is at a premium. I like to use my overstock to help promote my business, after all, it doesn't make me any money sitting around in storage.

Here are 9 creative ways you can use your inventory to enhance your business.

1. Booking Gifts - You can use products from your inventory to obtain new party bookings.

2. Customer Orders - Entice larger customer orders by offering a product from your overstock for free or for 1/2 price, if the customer places an order of $100 or more.

3. Open House - If you have a lot of overstock on hand, you can hold a cash and carry open house.

4. Rewards for Team Members - If you have a team, set a monthly goal for them to achieve. If they reach the goal, reward each member with an item from your personal inventory of products.

5. Sponsor a Contest - Donate a product to a business as a prize donation. You can receive some terrific business exposure.

6. Charity Raffle - Donate a product to a charity raffle event. You get business exposure and a tax write-off.

7. Recruiting Incentive - Offer a product from your inventory as an extra incentive to a potential new consultant to join your team.

8. Bartering - Consider bartering with other business owners for business products or services that you need.

9. Gifts - When you need holiday gifts for friends and family members, consider using items from your product inventory.

I hope these ideas have sparked a few of your own. Just remember, if your merchandise is sitting around in boxes collecting dust, it isn't making you money.

Direct Sales - 5 Creative Ideas To Generate Additional Product Sales
By: Shelly Hill

When it comes to running a home business, we are all looking for some creative ways to generate more sales. Generating more sales, equals more income for you.

Here are 5 creative ideas that I would like to share with you.

1. Start a monthly auto-ship program. This auto-ship program could be monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. When I do auto-ship programs, I always give my customers a discount for participating. They need a nice incentive to sign-up for your program.

example: If you sell candles, you could do a monthly auto-ship program by offering a different scent for your customers each month.

example: If you sell gourmet baking mixes, offer a different mix each month.

2. Start a referral program. Print up some coupons or business cards with your referral program information on them. Offer your current customers an incentive to refer their family and friends to you.

example: Refer 2 new customers to me and receive a free _____________.

3. Try before you buy program. If at all possible, purchase or create sample packs of items you sell. Customers are more likely to buy a product after they have sampled it.

4. Offer A Contest. Announce to all of your customers that you are holding a contest this month. Let them know that every purchase they make, will earn them an entry into your monthly contest.

5. Teach A Class. Offer to teach a class within your business niche. It's important to use your company products as supplies for the class. You will need to charge your student's appropriately, for the supplies.

example: If you sell scrap booking supplies, offer to teach scrap booking classes at your local craft store or community center.

example: If you sell home decor items, offer to teach home decorating classes at your local home decor store, furniture store, and community center.

There are many more creative things you can do to generate more business sales. I hope these 5 ideas have started the creative process for you.

7 Ideas On Using Your Home To Promote Your Business
By: Shelly Hill

When it comes to Direct Sales, one of the most valuable tools you have to market your Direct Sales business is your own home.

There are many creative things you can do to market your business out of your home. Here are some ideas to get you started.

1. Hold a joint Direct Sales Vendor Party in your home. Invite other Direct Sales Consultants in your community to participate. In order for this idea to work, each of the Direct Sales Vendors need to invite a minimum of 20 customers to the event. Each vendor then sets up a table display with their products and business information. Guests and customers arrive and can browse the table displays to see what interests them. This works best with only 5-10 vendors unless you have a very large house or hold the event off-site.

2. Host a Community Block Party for your neighborhood. These work best during the summer months and if held on a Saturday. You can invite 1-2 other Direct Sales Consultants to participate to keep costs down. You will want to hang up flyers and pass out invitations to all of your neighbors. Serve some freshments or hold an outdoor barbecue.

3. Invest in an all-weather yard sign. You can find some really affordable ones online that you can have custom printed with your business information. Find a good area in your front yard to place your sign so that everyone who walks or drives by can see it.

4. Neighborhood Children's Shopping Party. This idea works best in November (to promote holiday shopping) and again in April (right before Mother's Day). You will want to invite the children from your neighborhood that you personally know and with the parents permission. Children love to shop without their parents, especially when it comes to purchasing gifts for their parents. Parents love this idea as it gives them an hour or two break from the children. If you are expecting 7 or more kids to attend, then please do yourself a favor and get a volunteer helper.

5. Co-Sponsoring A Home Party. Find another Direct Sales consultant in your area who is with a non-competing business. Hold a joint home party together in your home. You both invite your customers to the joint home party which in turns put you in touch with customers you might not of ever met. This is a great way to move beyond your circle of friends.

6. Vinyl Window Cling: I recommend getting a vinyl cling business sign that measures approximately 4 inches by 6 inches in size. Get your company name printed on it and place it on your front door window. You are now advertising your business to everyone who enters your home or who might be there delivery packages. Keep the size close to those proportions so that its not to obtrusive.

7. Business Banner or Flag: You can find some custom printers online by doing a keyword search through a major search engine. You will also need to invest in either a flagpole or a banner holder. Get your business name printed onto a banner or flag and hang it up in your front yard.

I hope these 7 ideas have inspired you into using your own home to help promote your Direct Sales Business.

Direct Sales: Holiday Advertising Ideas By: Shelly Hill

Direct Sales - 25 Creative Ways To Advertise Your Business In Your Community By: Shelly Hill

Direct Sales Marketing Idea By: Deb Bixler

Direct Sales - Use Your Telephone As A Powerful Marketing Tool By: Shelly Hill

Direct Sales: 9 Ways To Use Extra Product Inventory By: Shelly Hill

Direct Sales - 5 Creative Ideas To Generate Additional Product Sales By: Shelly Hill