Ready for “Tightwad Marketing Secret” #3?
Okay then, let’s hit it:
This 3rd one is something a lot of people may have heard of… but almost nobody understands.
And while it mostly applies to local businesses, it’s an extremely cheap (literally the cost of a cup of coffee) way to market.
What am I talking about?
I first heard about this back in my netwerk marketing days.
It was a brilliant idea then, and it’s even MORE brilliant now.
Especially since with the tanking economy, more people may be open to it.
Here’s how it works:
Basically, you contact 5 or 10 (or however many you want) other local businesses in your area — all non-competing, with no two the same kind of business — and ask them to join your business breakfast club.
So, for example, you can have the copywriter, the web designer, the bankruptcy lawyer, the accountant, the mechanic, the roofer, the printer, the bizopp guy etc.
And maybe once per week you meet at the local coffee shop, cafe, bagel place, whatever…
… and just exchange leads.
For instance:
You have Mike the mechanic at the table with Bubba the bizopp guy, and Mike’s friend is afraid of getting laid off and is looking for a way to make moolah in his spare time. So Mike gives his buddy’s contact info to Bubba.
Or, Chester the copywriter might know someone who needs their books done and gives that person’s contact info to Al the accountant.
Or, Luke the lawyer knows someone looking for a good roofer, and gives that person’s contact info to Roland the Roofer.
Or, Paul the printer has clients desperate to start marketing online but don’t know how (there are LOTS of businesses like this in your hometown), and gives Ike the Internet marketing consultant all these clients’ info.
And so on, and so forth.
Anyway, so instead of y’all selling each other… you’re simply exchanging leads.
And when you get a lead, you just contact that person and say:
“You don’t know me, but we have a mutual friend. His name is Al Accountant and he suggested I contact you…”
See how that works?
Not only do you get hot leads ALREADY LOOKING for a business just like yours…
… but they come with a juicy endorsement from someone those leads know.
Very powerful stuff for prospecting and selling.
And works for almost anything you can sell locally.
Ben Settle
P.S. Since yesterday’s post about publicity, a few people have asked if I write press releases, what my fees are, my availability, etc.
If you want the inside scoop on this, simply go to:
