Publicizing Your Offline Business in the Online World

Aug 14, 2010 by admin

By Jimmy Krug -

I’ve been using the online world to create publicity for my offline business ventures since 1996. In the beginning, I got sucked into the mindset that doing business “online only” was the way to go. I didn’t realize how much money was sitting on the table (as they say) in my own local economy. At the time, someone I knew was selling downloadable digital products for between $97 and $197 a shot. He said more times than I can remember, “I have no inventory, no overhead and my business virtually runs itself.”

Who wouldn’t enjoy that kind of business, right?

It wasn’t long, however, before his returns started ballooning at an alarming rate. His “digital only” model left a sour taste in the mouths of many of his customers – after the fact. Once buyer’s remorse kicked in, the returns started eating away at his profits noticeably. To alleviate the problem, he began publishing his products in a 3-ring binder format along with a CD and mailed the product out. This helped and the wave of returns finally subsided.

Of course, it’s easy to romance an “internet only” type of business model. The problem is, while some have spent years chasing customers from around the world, they’ve neglected the ones right under their noses in their own “backyards.” I’m talking about the money that’s always been available in your local economy.

As my friend Jim Straw says, “Ninety-percent of the money to be made will be found in your local economy.”

In recent years I’ve used to online world to generate more business than ever before in the offline world.  Although I have clients and customers throughout the country, it’s twice as easy to secure local clients because people still enjoy doing business with others – face to face.

This isn’t a knock on the Online world at all. Thanks to the Internet, just about all of my paper and ink promotional materials have become a thing of the past.  The difference is, I now use my business cards to direct potential clients and customers to my online promotional materials such as web sites, eBooks, etc.

Likewise, you can effectively use the Internet to promote your offline business activities and pursuits with great effectiveness.  I’ve been experimenting in this area since 2006 and I’ll be upfront with you right here and tell you what the secret is. Stay on message.

Using the Internet to create publicity for your offline business can work a lot faster once you understand the mechanics of direct marketing in the online world.  In the Online world; facts, figures and information are churned out throughout the day at a frenzied pace. The attention span of those reading and assimilating this information is shorter than ever before. According to statistics, the average person has to see the same message up to 7 times before they actually digest its content.

Back in the old days, everyone used to listen to local, FM radio stations. They’d play the same songs over and over again. Eventually, certain singles would rise to the top and become hits. You see, the principle is the same whether you’re talking about images, audio or video. The more you’re exposed to the same message – regardless of the medium, the more ingrained it becomes.

Recently, new statistics were released. According to the new study… the average person now has to be exposed to the same message  – UP TO 12 TIMES before the message is internalized and digested!

What does this mean for your online marketing and publicity campaigns? Do you want new customers and clients knocking on your door, supporting your events, buying your products and recommending what you’re offering to others?  Of course you do. How can you realistically accomplish this?

By staying on message!

What’s your message to the world? What is the #1 reason people should buy your product and not the next person’s?  Unless you have the time and energy to pump multiple messages out into the online world – dozens upon dozens of times… staying on message is so important, your businesses offline survival may literally depend on it one day (if not already).

One message – delivered dozens of times on forums, blogs, websites, social media networks, etc., that’s what works in 2010.

In my own case, I sell multiple products and services to offline businesses. But my central message to offline companies is very clear and simple. I have a lead product/service that I promote. That’s what brings potential clients and customers to the table. Once they come to the table, they now in a position to buy additional products.

Amidst all the confusion associated with Online Marketing and Publicity, there’s some very good news for you. Most of your competitors don’t have a clue as to how to use the Internet effectively for their offline business. They’re just groping in the dark, the blind leading the blind. Forget about them for now. They’re blasting a different message into the cyberspace every other day and people are too busy and too inundated with other things for any of it to stick.

You must be different.

Take some time to really craft a message you can get behind. One message, powered by your personal energy and enthusiasm can do wonders for your business.  How do you find a message that works? Only by testing. Test and adjust as you go. It once took me an entire year to do this with one of my businesses. I guess it was a case of better late than never!