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Successful businesses promote. Ways to promote can vary widely from business to business. What works for a small cafe might not work for a car wash.
Some promotions work well in many businesses. Open houses, information sessions, and demonstrations can work for just about everyone.
Set these up yourself, or get together with another business person to offer two party promotions. These promotional activities are easy to organize and they cost little, or nothing in some cases.
Example: A small neighborhood restaurant brings in a group of musicians who perform Irish music on authentic instruments. The musicians do it for the love of the music--and a venue where they can practice and perform. People come to expect the music every Sunday afternoon, and the restaurant is more successful than before. Both parties win.
Example: Spas and salons bring in holistic practitioners to offer introductory sessions explaining their services. The sessions create lots of buzz for the spas and salons, not only among regular clients but among referrals as well. The sessions can lead to more substantive sessions for the nutritionists, hypnosis experts, Reiki and massage practitioners, and others.
Example: A garden center hosts free sessions by experienced gardeners aimed at a public hungry for expertise in horticulture. The sessions are very popular in spring. In summer, the garden center brings in experts to demonstrate how to build fences, how to use pavers to create patios and walkways, and other outdoor activities of interest to homeowners.
Example: A winery hosts art shows as well as artists creating their plein-air works out among the vines in the vineyard. Artists make contacts and come away with sales opportunities not otherwise available to them. The winery attracts more upscale visitors to sample their wines--and buy a case to take home. Both parties are winners.
To set up your own two party promotions, think outside the box. What can get attention? What are the interests of my customers? How do I contain costs? Are there new types of customers I want to attract?
When you've homed in on your two party promotional event, get the word out. Post on your website, Facebook and other social media.
Two party promotions can be very effective in tapping into new customer streams. The excitement created in the community will help spread the word--you'll get more referrals.
