In remembering back to the early days of starting a business I can clearly recall the frustration of having what I thought was a great product or service, but my potential customers, who were walking by the shop every day in their thousands didn’t know who I was or what I was selling. Coupled with the fact that I had no money and hence no marketing budget I had to think creatively and inexpensively as to how I was going to market the business.
I was in the misfortunate situation of being in a basement on Grafton Street, so people couldn’t really see me even though I was technically on the busiest street in the country.
The first thing I did was get permission from two shop owners on Grafton Street to put up a hanging banner, right across the street.
This was totally illegal and I knew the council would force me to take the sign down. In the end I got 4 weeks out of it and the difference in sales between week one and week four was significant.
You have to box clever and get noticed for very little or no investment.
Become an expert in your field – Try to get yourself on the radio, or taking part in panel discussions and talking as an expert in your field, offering insights while also promoting your business.
Write a blog and get yourself actively out there on Twitter and Facebook. Remember that third party endorsements are the best recommendations so write stuff that gets people talking.
Come up with something funny or different – Once you build a strong brand your business can end up getting exposure in the strangest ways. When the IMF first came to Dublin the shot of the poor begging man on St Stephens Green with the IMF in the picture was holding an Insomnia cup. It was photoshopped by a tabloid to include Brian Cowens face - the image was on the front page on every newspaper in Europe.
It was the same with this snap of Miley Cyrus on Grafton Street with an Insomnia cup - it started popping up online and ended up being in all of the newspapers the next day.
After Insomnia wifi was implicated in the Garda Ombudsman scandal we made the most of it with a cheeky poster and picked up tons of free press coverage as a result.
Put yourself out there: Go to networking events and fly the flag for your business. You never know who you will meet that can help you.
Make the most of your location: Use signage creatively. Make sure signs are illuminated properly so they can be seen at night. Use your shop window to come up with something that is unique, eye-catching and cheap!
Think ahead - and think outside the box: Use the seasons. For example – how do I come up with a really good summer drinks special or an effective back to school promotion? You need to plan everything at least 3 months in advance so you can think creatively and be cost effective.
Use your interests: Don’t be afraid to promote your business with any sporting or leisure group that you are involved in. I got a great retail pitch before it came on the market because I met the landlord through a sailing event.
When you are travelling or on holiday keep your eyes open for ideas and copy them: No one in Tenerife will ever know that you stole their idea!
In summary, it’s about thinking smart, thinking outside the box, trying different things and doing things differently. Good luck.
Read more advice from Bobby on www.bobbykerr.com - and hear Bobby live on Down to Business from 11am, every Saturday on Newstalk.
Highlights, podcasts and more blog posts can be found on the show's page.
