An Inexpensive Marketing Tool

Do you have your business cards with you all the time? You never know when you are going to meet a contact who could become a potential client. There may be a new client on every street corner, in the line at the bank or the corner market.

A friend of mine who is a contractor came up with an inexpensive marketing plan; it helps him and it helps me. I maintain his web site, design his business cards, stationary, etc. I carry my business cards with me and I carry his. He carries mine. This may sound silly to you, but it works well.

When someone comes to my home office and tells me they really like the way it looks, I tell them who did my work and give them his business card. If he is with a client, and they say "Wow, I really love your web site!" or "Your business cards are really nice.", he gives them my business card. Guess what? We are referring business to one another and it costs us nothing but 20 seconds of our time. It also shows our clients that we care and wish to help them in anyway we can.

Since this worked out well with my contractor friend, I began to carry other business cards of friends too.

This concept is neither high tech, nor a traditional marketing strategy, but it is a good way to make contacts and get new business. Networking with other quality businesses illustrates good business ethics and everyone wins: you, your partnering businesses and your customers.

// posted by BasicAnn on 6/28/2005 08:03:00 AM / Permanent Link