Category: My Marketing Advice (Page 3 of 26)

Best Online Side Hustles for Teachers

August 17, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Are you a teacher looking to make more money in your spare time? One of the best side hustles is to sell Study Guides as digital downloads.

You could also sell lesson plans, practice tests, and other educational materials as long as they are your own original content.

For example, there are two shops on Etsy making thousands of dollars a month selling their study notes from nursing college: Nurse in the Making and RNExplained.

Their study note products range in price anywhere from $50 to over $200, and they are getting it!

What seems to be resonating with buyers is the realistic handwritten, note-like layout that they use. Being a teacher, I’m sure you have study notes like this.

Keep reading and I’ll tell you what and how to sell them, but here are some ways to package them:

Educational Downloads for Teachers to Sell

Click to download on Etsy

Below are some of the most searched educational materials:

Study Notes for Students in Teacher’s College
Home Schooling Lesson Plans
Preschool Lesson Plans
Math Practice Tests for GED
Math Games
Math Activities for Preschoolers
Middle School Math Worksheets
Elementary School English Worksheets
High School Classroom PowerPoint Slides
High School Art Curriculum
Essay Writing Worksheets

→ By the way teachers, check out my downloads for your classroom at OurBestLaidPlans.

Educational Products That Are Trending

Nursing Study Notes on Etsy

You can also look at Google Trends to see the type of educational materials people are looking for. For example, this past week these were top searches, and all of these could be How-To Guides you could quickly draw up:

How to Teach Phonics?
How to Teach Reading Comprehension?
How to Teach Sight Words?
How to Teach Phonemic Awareness?
How to Teach Prosody in Reading?

How and Where to Sell

If you wish to sell your study notes and lesson plans digitally all you have to do is scan your notes and turn them into a PDF for customers to download, and then sell on:

Etsy
Gumroad
Teachers Pay Teachers

Click to download on Etsy

If you also wish to sell them in printed form, you can do this through a print fulfilment company like Printify, where they will handle everything, even the shipping. But you still need a storefront like Etsy or Gumroad.

If you have no idea how to start your side hustle, I highly recommend downloading my best-selling How to Start a Small Business Planner.

It will help you easily get your business quickly up and running with step-by-step planning pages and checklists with everything you need to do. It even includes a hyperlinked list of print fulfillment companies and an Etsy set up checklist saving you valuable time.

The possibilities are endless, and you likely already have the materials. If you have certain knowledge, study or learning tips that work, why not sell them!

Decorate Your Classroom with Printables!

Check out my downloads below for your classroom at OurBestLaidPlans.

Click to download on Etsy

About Me

Click to download on Etsy

With 20+ years in marketing, my advice has appeared in publications from the New York Times to Success Magazine. My blog was chosen by AmericanExpress Open Forum (the people behind Small Business Saturday) as one of their “Top 10 Small Business Blogs“. I am also a contributor at Business2Community.com and a Small Business Expert at SheKnows.com, the #1 Women’s Lifestyle website.

Your Marketing To Do List for August

July 29, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

august marketing to do list Hard to believe August starts on Monday, so prepare your small business with my Marketing to do list August.

Back to School

If you sell anything back-to-school-related, the searches have already started. According to Google Trends, these were the top searches this past week:

“Back to School events near me” has increased over 100%.
“Back to School haircuts” and “Back to School cookie cutters” searches have both more than doubled.
“Bento boxes” searches have increased over 250%.

And the top back to school products are:

Mesh Backpacks
Clear Pencil Cases
Storage for College Dorms
Twin XL Mattress Protector
Bed Risers
Shower Caddy

Labor Day Sales Publicity

If you get the free HARO (Help a Reporter Out) emails, you will see that there have been several requests in the past week from major blogs and publications looking to feature Labor Day Sales. It’s a great way to get free publicity for your sale, and “Labor Day Sale” is one of the top searched sales of the year. Also read: Labor Day Sales Opportunity.

More PR Opportunities

If you’re a hispanic-owned business, start pitching to blogs now to be included in articles such as, “Hispanic Small Businesses to Support for National Hispanic Heritage Month”, which starts September 15th.

SEO Tips

Something as simple as adding the current year to your keywords can help your SEO, as people do search this way. i.e. Fall 2022, Back to School 2022, Halloween 2022, etc.

Create Social Media Posts

Post a reel to Instagram (as it is the most viewed type of content) of a quick pan overview of all of your new fall 2022 collection #reelsofinstagram.

Don’t forget about Pinterest, because it is still used as a search engine by millions of people. So create a Pinterest board titled with a long tail search phrase (4 to 6 words) related to what you sell and even make it seasonal i.e. The Best Fall Sweaters for 2022. Then make sure that every pin you pin to it, also has that long tail search phrase (or at least the keywords) in the pin title and description.

Be sure to read my post, Social Media Ideas for August, and my post Creating Social Media Posts Using Canva.

Halloween Products & Services

Halloween has become the second biggest retail buying occasion. Last year, spending on costumes, decorating and other Halloween items was more than US$10 billion. In fact, it is so big that many retailers have already launched their Halloween collections, which might inspire you:

More Marketing To Do Lists

My 12-Month Marketing Plans are essentially marketing to do lists, but much more detailed and specific to your business. They will help drive more traffic and sales, without spending a lot of money. Be sure to also read my post, My Top Marketing Ideas for August.

Prepare for Holiday Sales

Click to download

If you sell on Etsy, download my best-selling 2022 Etsy Holiday Sales Planner, packed with the top search phrases, product trends, planning tools, press contacts and so much more!

Me in the Press!

I was quoted in an article on Yahoo Finance called, “4 Types of Businesses to Start in the Fall“. Check it out for more inspiration!

About Me

A 20+ year marketing professional, small business consultant, ebook author & blogger, my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Forbes, Success Magazine, Yahoo Finance, American Express, GO Banking Rates, Big Commerce, Business2Community, SheKnows to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust!

I sell online on Shopify, Etsy, Gumroad and on Amazon back in its early years. This, combined with my decades of marketing & business experience means I can advise, mentor as well as come up with creative new ideas for your business. It really does help to talk to someone who is objective to get a new, but professional, perspective.

I have also written publicity pitches for clients that resulted in them being featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride – just to name a few. Be sure to try my Publicity Pitch and other Marketing Services.

I hope you enjoyed my marketing to do list for August.

Examples of Engaging Product Descriptions

July 26, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

how to write product descriptions examples Need some engaging product description examples?

I love writing all types of marketing copy, but product descriptions are some of my favorites. If this is something you struggle with, below are some examples of copy I have written that might inspire you when writing your own.

I personally do not like it when the writing gets too flowery, as the customer still has to understand what you are selling. I always like to follow an engaging opening paragraph with bullet points of the main features, for those who don’t always want to read a big block of text.

I also always like to end with a call to action getting people to contact you with questions, and a thank you for shopping or visiting the store.

Product Description Example #1

Woven Friendship Bracelet

Beautifully woven from high quality cotton thread, our stylish friendship bracelets come with a sweet message card that you can customize however you wish. With three different styles to choose from, these bracelets are a simple but thoughtful way to reach out to a friend to say hello and send loving and supportive thoughts, so important during difficult times.

BRACELET DETAILS

Woven from cotton threads with tie closure.
Three different design styles: Thin Braid, Thick Braid, Woven Wrist Plate.
Choose from various colors for each design style.
A customizable message card comes with each bracelet, with 5 captions to choose from.
Bracelet comes in an eco-friendly semi-transparent Glassine envelope (no plastic).
Option to have the bracelet come in a high quality gift box.

Your satisfaction is always our top priority and we love to see you happy, so please message us with any questions you may have.

Thank you so much for shopping with Store XYZ!

Product Description Example #2

Thanksgiving Theme Dog Collar

Have your dog or new puppy beside you watching all the Thanksgiving day football games wearing our cotton vanity play collar in a whimsical turkey and football print. The perfect holiday gift for any dog owner, complete the look with the matching leash and ID tag below!

ABOUT THIS COLLAR

Get the matching dog tag here.
Brown with turkey and football cotton print.
Metal D ring adjuster.
Side release buckle.
Sizes XS to XL (see size chart photo #2).
For dogs or cats.
Completely customizable.
We do not recommend using our vanity collars as leads for strong pulling dogs.
FREE shipping.

Please feel free to message us with any questions you may have.

Thank you so much for shopping with Store ABC!

More Product Description Examples

Below are some snippets of other product descriptions I have written:

Men’s Silver Cross Necklace: Chunky in scale, this 925 Sterling silver cross pendant necklace is stunningly handcrafted, making a powerful but still minimalist statement. Featuring a unique silver brushing technique for a grainy texture, the black oxide finish gives it a masculine aesthetic. Completely made by hand, this is true jewelry craftsmanship, for a piece that will last a lifetime.

Monogrammed Leather Portfolio: Are you thinking about gift ideas just yet? How about this zippered Personalized Leather Portfolio for the executive in your life. It’s great for anyone really, laser engraved with a monogram, initials, logo, or even a graphic. It’s made from leatherette (faux leather) so it’s vegan-friendly, and there’s a pocket for a writing pad (included), a half pocket, business card pocket and pen holder. It also has a secure zipper closure keeping everything safely organized inside – and it just looks so good!

Wooden Beside Phone Stand: Are you in need of some night stand organization? This wooden bedside phone stand is the perfect size to hold your phone while it charges overnight, as well as your watch and glasses. You can even have it personalized with a name or monogram for an awesome gift idea for him. Handmade from eco-friendly Ukrainian oak wood, it’s shown here in a chocolate stain, also available in a blue or light wood stain.

Camping Moon Art Print: Wonderfully serene and peaceful, this art print offers a whimsical view of two children camping under a majestic full moon, sure to calm your little one off to sleep. Ideal for your nursery, child’s room or playroom, it comes in three different sizes and mixes beautifully with other prints in our shop to create a captivating gallery art wall.

Also Read: How to Write Product Descriptions That Sell

If you need marketing copy of any kind, please send me an email at attentiongetting@gmail.com to discuss. From brand stories to About pages to blog posts, I write it all!

About Me

A 20+ year marketing professional, small business consultant, ebook author & blogger, my advice has been featured in the NY Times, Success Magazine, American Express, Big Commerce, Business2Community to name a few – so this is professional advice you can trust! Read more about my services, products and marketing plans.

I have consulted for thousands of small businesses since 2012. It really does help to talk to someone who is objective to get a new, but professional, perspective. I have also written publicity pitches for clients that resulted in them being featured in Real Simple Magazine, Apartment Therapy, House Beautiful, Vanity Fair, Houzz, Martha Stewart, Glamour Magazine, LONNY, DesignMilk, Emmaline Bride,– just to name a few. More about my Publicity Pitch service.

Is a Recession Coming? Advice for Your Small Business

July 7, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

is a recession coming With a recession coming, people will still continue to spend money, but it goes without saying that they will spend less, except for the wealthy.

Therefore, you have to re-examine who your business targets. Is there a way to pivot and focus offering products and/or services for people on a budget, and / or do you need to target customers with deeper pockets, who are unaffected by a recession?

Here are some examples of what you could do.

If You’re a Travel Agent

People will still want to take a vacation, but it will likely be a shorter one, maybe just a weekend getaway, and it will be closer to where they live to avoid having to take a flight or use too much gas. In fact, I was looking at a local hotel recently, and they were offering an additional 20% off to anyone in the area looking to take a staycation.

Therefore, a good solution would be to add weekend getaways and staycations to your offerings. Now, you still have that wealthy 1% who will take the high-end luxury vacations, so make sure to pitch to them as well as there will likely be other incentive perks for this type of travel, since there will be less demand.

If You’re a Realtor

You will probably be best to focus on people looking to downsize their home due to layouts or people strictly attempting to lower their cost of living. The middle ground price range will likely not be as attractive unless your clients are people relocating to your city from a higher priced area.

If You Own a Restaurant

You are going to have to push value offers such as two-eat-for-the-price-of-one type specials. And don’t give up on your takeout menu just because COVID is over. People will want to avoid the added expense of drinks and tipping, but still enjoy not having to cook.

If You Have an Online Store

Think about how people will change certain habits due to costs, as this might help you determine what else to sell. For example, customers might:

Give up their gym membership for home workouts. i.e. sell small fitness items.
Decide not to buy a new home but instead renovate or redecorate the one they’re in. i.e. sell home decor.
Ride their bike more than drive their car. i.e. sell bike accessories.
Eat at home more i.e. sell cookware, packaged food and accessories.

Much like COVID, a recession does depress people somewhat, which makes them turn to comfort items and activities. This includes food, alcohol, getting a pet, watching more TV, home baking.

Gifts always sell, but people will spend less on them. From Christmas gifts to wedding gifts, be sure to offer a variety of price ranges.

If You Sell Services

Some services will increase if it means anyone in the household who isn’t currently working now has to re-enter the work force as the family needs the money – so child care, housekeeping, food prep and lawn care services might actually increase in demand.

Need More Advice?

Please visit my Shopify and Etsy stores to see my small business marketing products and services. You can also ask me a question at attentiongetting@gmail.com.

Read This If You’re Feeling Bad About Your Business

May 29, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Read This If You’re Feeling Bad About Your Business.

I don’t know about you, but I’m getting tired of these fly-by-night, so-called business or social media experts that brag how they made six figures right out of the gate and you must be a failure if you haven’t done it this quickly.

No One Gives Up a Successful Business to Give Advice

They all have the same story. Even though their business was so successful, they decided to give it up to help other small business owners by selling you their “success” secrets. I hate to tell you this, but no one ever walks away from a successful business. Repeat, no one. These people are really equivalent to snake oil salesmen. read this if you're feeling bad about your business

The worst part is they make you feel badly if your business has not taken off immediately. Seriously? Who tells people that you should be successful in your first 6 months, let alone first year of business. Starting a business is a marathon, not a sprint.

There is NO Magic Secret

I have said it many times on my blog – THERE IS NO MAGIC SECRET, no one thing you can do that will turn you into a six-figure business overnight, unless you are selling face masks at the start of the pandemic. That’s the only time I’ve seen it happen.

But those kind of businesses also start fast and end fast.

For example, let’s say that you are selling face masks and charging $30 per. I guarantee you there is nothing that some “magic” success course or ebook is going to tell you that will help that scenario. Why? Because the demand for this type of product has dropped very low, and the price you are charging is way too high – do you see where I’m going here? People don’t buy things just because you put it in front of them.

Get REAL Advice

Real business advice has to start with what you are selling, who are you selling to, what you are charging and your expected profit margins. Once this is solidified, is realistic and has true potential, then you can try all the marketing tricks, but even then, not all are what they seem and might not be right for reaching your customer.

Social Media is NOT Proof Enough

I see tons of online businesses that have hundreds of thousands of followers on Instagram, and yet little sales. And vice versa. I have seen businesses with little to no social media following, and they’re killing it. Don’t get so caught up in the “social proof” because a lot of time, it’s smoke and mirrors.

Sales are NOT Profits

The real truth is that a successful business takes time to build and grow. You have to set realistic goals or you will be very disappointed and give up on the business too soon. Remember, SALES ARE NOT PROFITS.

I know a lot of businesses that spend $90,000 to make $100,000. That’s actually pretty easy to do. Still think that’s a successful business? It’s not. Therefore, you might also want to read my post: Just Because Someone is a Top Seller, Doesn’t Mean They’re Making Money.

Even on Etsy, did you know that the ad budget can go as high as $1,000 a day? So you might see someone and think they are making tons of money, but not if they are spending $1,000 a day on ads.

The Rich Get Richer on Social Media

A lot of these Tiktokers and other so called social media influencers, for the most part, are rich kids. They will pretend they’re not, but they are. As I said, it’s easy to make a lot of money if you spend a lot of money to do it. But I guarantee they are still not making big profits, and big profits is what makes a business successful, not just big revenues.

What bothers me the most is the influence they have on young small business owners. They always try to lure them in by showing their “alleged” sales figures. What legitimate business ever does that? Do you know that some of these businesses will actually buy their own products just to falsely bulk up their sales figures? From a tax perspective, how stupid is that?

They also try to prove to these young business owners how rich they now are, by showing off on social medial all of the expensive things they are buying. That’s another red flag. You don’t get to just spend all of your profits. Most business owners draw a salary and have to keep money in the business to avoid the tax man. Young small business owners listening to these so called experts are going to find themselves in for a big surprise come tax time if they just spend everything they make.

Now, once in a while, a small business might get a bit of press that causes sales to skyrocket in the short term. But this can also hurt your business. Read this post of mine: When Too Many Sales Can Hurt Your Small Business (It Happened To This Seller)

It Takes Time

Remember, most businesses do not make any profit in their first year, according to Forbes. In fact, most new businesses need 18 to 24 months just to reach profitability. And then there’s the reality that 25 percent of new businesses fail in their first year, according to the Small Business Administration.

More than anything, I do not want you to give up on your business, just because it has not been successful overnight. Sometimes it might just be a small thing you need to fix or a more viable niche you need to target.

Be Sure to Also Check Out

About Me

Freelance Marketplaces for All Types of Creatives

May 23, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Looking for some freelance marketplaces for creatives? If you’re a creative business, have you thought about selling your services as well as your products?

For example, if you’re an artist, photographer, graphic designer, illustrator, ceramist, fashion designer, jewelry designer or stylist, you can get freelance work on the following sites:

Behance
Upwork
LinkedIn (click on “Services” under your Profile and add up to 20).

At very least, checking out these sites might give you some ideas for offering services on your own website. Providing a mix of both products and services is a very quick way to expand your offerings and your revenues!

If you need more easy and affordable ways to market (and grow) your small business, be sure to download one of my 12-Month Marketing Plans that’s right for your small biz.

My Most Popular Posts

How to Optimize Your Instagram Link In Bio

May 19, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

You want to optimize your Instagram Link In Bio because right now, the Instagram bio only allows you to use one link, unless you use a link extender. A link extender means that when visitors click on the link in your bio, it will go to a page that has several links on it, which you can even customize with your branding. This is mine.

Within this page, you can link to your ecommerce site, blog, specific blog posts, and other social media pages.

I use Link.tree, and they offer four packages, from free up to $20 a month. The more expensive packages mean you can also sell directly from your link extender page – saving customers the extra steps of going over to your ecommerce site – as well as collect emails right from the page, even collect payments.

It’s worth checking out if Instagram is a major source of traffic and marketing for your business.

About Me

Ideas for Free Downloads for Your Business

May 16, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Today I have some free business download ideas that are ideal if you have a blog, website or even on your social media pages.

By offering a free download that your target market is searching for is a great way to get new customers to notice your business. The key is to make sure it includes your branding, hyperlinks back to your site, and is optimized for Google SEO.

IDEAS FOR FREE DOWNLOADS

Not sure what to offer? Here are some ideas, all of which you can do in Canva. The key is to focus on top Google searches to maximize the SEO opportunities:

Travel Agent: Printable Travel Packing List PDF
Real Estate Agent: House Buyer Checklist PDF
Kids Store: Holiday Coloring Pages Printable
Restaurant: Local Summer Event Calendar Download
Art Store: “How to Hang Art” Printable

Get more easy marketing ideas like this in my My 12-Month Marketing Plans.

I’m Gail Oliver and since 2012 I have advised thousands of small businesses and I can help yours too! Be sure to see my services and products below: free download ideas for your business

Cool Side Hustle Opportunity

May 13, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

If you are looking for a cool side hustle opportunity, I have one for you!

Both the house sitting and pet sitting industries are experiencing huge growth right now, and this has opportunities for not only a cool side hustle, but I also see it as a way to expand your business if you’re a real estate agent, travel agent or pet business.

GenZ and Millennials are using house sitting and pet sitting “gigs” as a way to get around the unaffordable housing market right now (since they can work remotely) and as a way to travel the world for free.

So, not only is this a great side hustle – to get paid to live in someone’s house for house sitting and/or pet sitting duties – but I feel that it can also be a new service for you to offer your clients.

If you’re a realtor, you can connect reputable “sitters” with home owners for a commission fee. Same thing for travel agents and anyone who owns a pet business. It’s a great add-on service that will bring in more revenue and expand your customer base with little investment on your part. Hope you are in a position to try this cool side hustle opportunity.

Need more ideas for a great business or side hustle? Set up a phone consultation!

Also read 54 Creative Small Business Ideas.

101 Super Creative Small Business Promotional Ideas

May 11, 2022 / Gail Oliver, Online Small Business Consultant

Welcome! Time to get inspired!

I love coming up with creative promotional ideas for my clients, so below are 101 of my favorite small business promotional ideas that I’ve come up with in the past for clients, a few of which are included in my top-selling Marketing Plans for Small Businesses.

First, Some FREEBIES!

As a thank you for reading my post, here are a couple of my free downloads:

For super affordable marketing and business downloads, check out my Shopify Store and Etsy Store

101 Small Business Marketing Ideas

Google “new businesses” along with the name of your city to find any local newspapers, magazines or blogs that like to feature brand new businesses for free and hit them up for a mention.
Post a compliment on social media for another local business that is non-competitive but has the same target audience, and they will likely repost exposing your business to their followers.
Email your customers the night before daylight savings time as a reminder to turn clocks back or ahead, as an easy way to get in front of your customers without seeming pushy.
Make hats or t-shirts with your business name and url on it, and give them to family members to wear everywhere, especially to public events like concerts, racing events, etc.
Hire a student to help you with the small marketing stuff like commenting on blogs, posting to social media, sending out promotional emails. Many teens looking to get into marketing will value the experience, and they likely know social media a lot better than you do.
Comment on at least 25 blogs or social media profiles every day that your customers read making sure that your user name is your business name, for free exposure.
Email your customers the day before Thanksgiving with tips on how long to cook a turkey, again, as an easy way to get in front of your customers without seeming pushy.
Whenever possible, use people you know in your company photos as they will likely repost the photo of themselves to their own social media site, putting you in front of all of their followers.
Offer neighborhood or street discounts on your products or services, telling people for every neighbor they get to sign up, you will take another 5% off the price, to a maximum of 40% off.
In early September, run localized ads on LinkedIn targeting either HR Managers or Sales Managers who wish to buy your products or services in bulk as gifts for employees or clients.
Every month, email your customers the events happening in your city this month. Always mention a sale or event that you are having at the very end.
Try a weekly Instagram post called “Follow Friday” where you recommend other Instagram accounts to follow, and they might return the favor, giving you exposure to their followers.
If you own a fitness studio, offer free workout classes on the day after Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras (from my Marketing Plan for Personal Trainers).
If you own a beauty salon, offer Shamrock nail art designs /manicures for St. Patrick’s Day.
If you’re a realtor, offer a free seminar on how to “green” your new home in honor of Earth Day on April 22nd (from my Marketing Plan for Realtors).
If you own a barbecue shop, have a free BBQ of bratwurst and sausages for customers during Oktoberfest, or give away a free package of sausages with every purchase.
If you own a photography studio, offer a free newborn portrait to the first baby born in the new year in your city.
If you own a lighting store, use red and pink light bulbs in all of your light fixtures in your store windows on Valentine’s Day.
If you own a dog food company, create Thanksgiving promotional dog treats that taste like pumpkin pie, stuffing, mashed potatoes, and so forth.
If you own a garden center, create a large bunny topiary and position it outside your gates the weeks prior to Easter to attract attention and as a great for photo opp for kids.
If you own a makeup company, create an advent calendar with a different mini nail polish for each day (from my Marketing Plan for Beauty Products).
If you own a spa, offer a chocolate facial on National Chocolate Day (July 3rd).
If you own a sports store, either put winter gear on a one-day sale or spring gear on a one-day sale on February 2nd, depending on what the Ground Hog sees.
If you own a greeting card company, make cards for the most obscure holidays like National Cat Day or National Hat Day (from my Marketing Plan for Greeting Cards).
If you own a fashion accessories store, display your scarves in various nautical knots in your store window during Fleet week (early October).
If you own a pets product business, post various reels of happy dogs jumping for joy, wishing everyone a Happy First Day of Spring on March 21st on TikTok and Instagram.
If you own a donut shop, and it’s an Olympic year, create a pack of five donuts iced in the Olympic Ring colors.
If you own a shoe store, displays colorful rain boots filled with tulips in your store window to celebrate spring.
If you own a pet store, offer Santa Claus photos for pets.
If you own a bar, hand out scratch-off cards at lunch hour on St. Patrick’s Day, with the discovery of a four leaf clover meaning a free green beer.
If you own a make up company, post photos to social media of beautiful landscapes accompanied by eye shadow shades that match the colors in the photo.
If you own a watch company, post a graphic to social media with one of your watches showing the clock turning back to remind people when its daylight savings time.
If you own a jewelry store, post a photo to social media spelling out “Happy Mother’s Day“, using letter initial necklaces on your social media pages.
If you own an online store, post an animated gif to social media of a piñata breaking and exposing a Cinco De Mayo sale of 25% off today only.
If you own a vintage store, post regular updates to social media of period TV shows, such as The Crown and Stranger Things (from my Marketing Plan for Vintage shops).
If you sell iPhone cases, post to social media your favorite free iPhone apps and ask followers theirs.
If you own a sandals company, post to social media pictures of cool pedicures or toe nail art.
If you’re an insurance broker, post to social media the craziest but true insurance claim stories.
If you own a green cleaning products company, clean up a run-down local park and post to social media a time-lapsed reel of the cleanup on TikTok for Earth Day on April 22nd (from my Marketing Plan for Eco-Products).
If you own a local clothing store, offer to take 25% off the price of any item if the customer takes a photo of the item and posts it to Instagram right there in the store (from my Marketing Plan for Retail Stores).
If you own a kid’s clothing company, post to social media a carousel of back-to-school-outfits for Monday through Friday, during the first week of August on your social media pages (from my Marketing Plan for Kids Products).
If you’re a wedding gown designer, post to social media an infographic of the most famous wedding gowns of the 20th century.
If you’re a book author, post to social media book club food suggestions.
If you own a dance school, post to social media your reviews of the previous night’s Dancing with the Stars routines.
If you have an online shop, ask your most loyal customers to pick their 5 favorite items in the shop and post to social media for 25% off their next order.
If you’re an accounting firm, post the most outrageous tax breaks given in other countries. Get more creative social media posting ideas in my best-selling 365 Social Media Post Ideas download.
If you own a lingerie company, re-create one of those pens that when turned upside down the clothes come off the photo of a woman (but instead of being naked she is wearing lingerie) as a fun promo item.
If you’re a motorcycle lawyer, create a 12-month pictorial calendar of unique bike detailing or cool tattoos.
If you own a baby skin care company, create a baby shower game printable as a free download on your website.
If you own a pizza delivery or local restaurant, include with each order to local college dorms a door hanger sign-up sheet for the next food order i.e. “Who Wants to Order Pizza Tonight?”
If you’re a wedding gown designer, offer a free fashion sketch of the bride in her dress (from my Marketing Plan for Wedding Shops).
If you run a local art museum, promote your latest exhibit by giving free drink coasters featuring the artist’s works to surrounding bars and restaurants.
If you have a dental office, put your label on dental floss containers and leaving them in a basket in the rest room at a local steak house.
If you own a children’s clothing company, give a free car window baby sun shade to customers, complete with your logo on it (free advertising on every car).
If you’re a wedding invitation designer, offer to design, for free, an email reminder that goes out to brides about their dress fittings for local bridal shops (i.e. this reminder was sponsored by...)
If you own a ceramics company, donate handmade salt and pepper shakers to a local restaurant, embossed with your shop name.
If you’re a food products business, offer free downloadable printables such as, “Spices That Go With Every Type of Food” (based on top Google searches).
If you’re a children’s book author, have coloring pages made of pages from your book and give them to local family restaurants to hand out for kids to color.
If you own a teen clothing or jewelry shop, give a free locker mirror with purchase (your shop url is on it and all her friends see it).
If you own a salon, make your business card a nail file.
If you own a wine company, make your wine label a peel-off, so customers can keep to remember the name of the wine!
If you own a clothing store, offer to do a home showing of prom dresses and accessories for groups of 8 or more (from my Marketing Plan for Fashion Brands).
If you own a makeup company, offer free 5-minute touch-ups to working women at lunch hour from a mobile unit.
If you own a coffee shop, hold a contest for customers to submit their best original coffee cake recipe and then create a recipe ebook as a free giveaway.
If you’re an artist or photographer, give free prints to a local designer to use in their displays at a home show (from my Marketing Plan for Art Shops).
If you own a paint company, go around to local neighborhood homes and hand out free paint swatch color suggestions for the exterior of people’s homes.
If you’re a realtor, hold your open houses at night and using a strobe light to attract attention.
If you own a comic book store, offer a free in-store viewing party for the premiere of a popular fantasy TV series.
If you own a travel agency, features a free, walk-in open-house “destination of the month” party in your offices, complete with music and food from that destination (from my Marketing Plan for Travel Agents).
If you own a pet shampoo company, conduct free dog washes at a local dog park on a muddy day.
If you own a salon, offer a special day where customers can bring their dogs into be groomed while the customer is getting their hair done.
If you’re a fashion designer, hold a contest to make a custom prom dress for one lucky girl.
If you own a yoga clothing store, have a yoga expert in the window of your shop doing and holding a different yoga pose every 2 minutes during noon hour.
If you own a bakery, have a bicycle cart that sells cookies at the local park during the morning kid rush.
If you sell make-up, co-market with a purse vendor by including free samples in each of their bags for a limited time offer (good for both of you).
If you own a bakery or cupcake shop, offer cupcakes in the flavors of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream as a special one-week homage (from my Marketing Plan for Online Bakeries).
If you own a garden store, offer a free seminar on how to make a terrarium.
If you own a local beer company, hand out free samples at tail gate parties during football season.
If you own a salon, do free manicures for patients at a local hospital once a month.
If you are an artist or photographer, offer a free info session for interior designers on how to hang art.
If you own a karate school, hold a school safety tips session at a local school or day camp.
If you’re a personal trainer, offer easy fitness tips at a local weight watchers meeting.
If you own a veterinarian clinic, offer free nail clippings at a local dog park.
If you own a retail shop, paint a back wall in chalkboard paint to keep kids busy while parents shop.
If you own a toy store, position a bubble blowing machine out front to attract the attention of kids.
If you own a limousine company, offer to decorate the limo with the name of the bride or prom attendee i.e. Sarah’s Ride (use car/window letter clings).
If you own a coffee shop, let small businesses post one of their business cards on your “small business wall” whenever they buy a coffee.
If you have a storefront, keep a large bird cage filled with exotic birds outside your shop doors to attract the attention of passer-bys.
If you own a coffee house, host a book club for seniors in the afternoon.
If you’re a realtor, include the blue print of the home as well as a legend of the distance from the house to schools, community centers, and grocery stores in the online description.
If you have an online store, add an audio voice that says, “Welcome!” that announces the sale of the day when people land on your home page. There are audio apps that do this for Shopify stores.
If you own a car rental business, set aside part of your lot for cars that are ideal for very tall drivers, or new drivers, or large families.
If you’re an artist, donate your artwork to be hung in the hallway of schools and libraries (will be seen by parents).
If you own a furniture store, offer to help realtors stage homes in return for free promotion to new home buyers. Just a sign on the couch saying “you can buy this couch at…” (from my Marketing Plan for Home Goods).
If you own a landscaping company, donate a few uniquely sculpted shrubs (with a sign for their company on the planter pot) to anchor the doors of the most popular local restaurants or retail stores.
If you own a toy store, announce your sales in chalk on the sidewalk outside your store.
If you own a vintage store, sell your books in unique collections i.e. Nobel Prize Winners, World War II Novels, etc.
If you are an optometrist, make your business card an eye chart that actually spells out your name and address.
If you own a food truck, raise a large colorful flag on top of your truck that says “Food Truck” once it parks so it can be seen from far distances.
If you own a jewelry store, re-create the engagement rings of famous people and display them in your store window alongside their photo.
If you own a coffee shop, have a penned in play area for young children in the middle of the shop and tables for parents situated around the pen.