Friday, December 19, 2008

Bumper Stickers: At the Forefront of Viral Marketing

By Buck Thompson

Marketers are always searching for advertising ideas that are innovative, creative and ultimately successful. Advertising however can be limited by the resources available. Often the goal of advertising is to entice customers to visit a web site or even make a trip to a brick and mortar store. The level of success of your marketing campaign will depend heavily on the form of advertising you choose. For local businesses with limited resources finding a cost effective method of marketing with satisfactory results is indeed a challenge.

Newspapers ads and promotions on television can be budget breaking. To be successful they need to run for a decent period of time and require significant financial backing be successful. As such these forms of advertising are very expensive and for a small business virtually pointless. Without a large investment, creativity and successful execution these forms of advertising will prove fruitless for many businesses.

Some of the effective campaigns that have good to great results for local businesses are printed T-shirts, postcard marketing and direct mail. One of the more effective marketing strategies considered in local markets is viral bumper stickers. Bumper stickers are one of the most effective ways to market locally, and are used globally. They are a practical and affordable advertising opportunity to promote your business. Bumper stickers can be ranked on par with postcards, electronic newsletters and billboards. When a prospective customer is on the road or in a parking lot, they observe your company's bumper sticker. An effective bumper sticker in this situation will help create 'touch points' which will result in increased recall value.

Bumper Stickers can be made as per your requirements. Though there are no set rules you should keep a few things in mind. Stickers that are too big won't be successful as people will refuse to put them on their cars and if they are too small, they will hardly get noticed. A sticker with just your logo or a lot of text, or a sticker trying to oversell your product will not appeal to the crowd. It should be funny, catchy, and helpful to them in some way. Ideally the reader should be able to connect with your sticker.

The more creative and innovative you are the better. Asking a customer to display your bumper stickers is a good way to gain exposure, beyond that which can be achieved normally. And by making the bumper sticker yourself you determine the catchy phase that best fits with the ethos of your business. If you support a local sports team you can use that as the theme for your bumper stickers. Ask customers if they want one when they make a purchase. You'd be surprised how many will say yes. You're marketing will reach many more people than other more costly marketing strategies.

Bumper stickers will give your business more exposure. Bigger profits and more customers will be the results of your work, patience and creativity. A bumper sticker represents you and your business. It will be seen anywhere and everywhere you, and those who display your sticker, go. Remember be responsible in your advertising. This is your reputation we are talking about and hand in hand with it goes the success of your business.

A bumper sticker is not just a sticker bearing a printed message for display on a vehicle's bumper. It's your business that is attached to these vehicles and it is being spread with the speed of your consumer's car. They take your brand with them wherever they go. - 16069

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