31 Days Project // Day 22 // 3 Marketing Tips that have nothing to do with Social Media

Welcome to 31 Days to an Organized Life & Business! For the month of October I will be a participant in The Nester’s 31 days Writing Challenge. Taking some of my own advice and taking you along on my journey to a life reset. I’ll be sharing (and practicing) some tips on everything from bookkeeping, shopping, managing kids, intentional parenting, work from home mom syndrome, work/life balance, spiritual reset and more. Not because I am the expert in these fields, but because they have worked for me in the past, and I so badly need them to work again for me now.

When I say I need this reset I’m not even kidding. When I say I’ll be writing about it, I don’t mean, I’m going to talk about past advice or something that worked once for me 3 years ago. I mean I’m going to hit publish on this blog post, and then go and do what I am writing about today.  That is all I can commit to for today. Which means, if you can relate to any of this, I invite you along on this 31 day journey. Watch me triumph or fail, but I’ll be here daily to give you updates. I’d love if you joined me, and keep me posted on your progress as well. There’s hope and support in community here. 

If you missed Day 1, or would like to catch up on any other day, click the link on the right hand side or right here.

Be sure to also follow along on Instagram as I post updates throughout the day. #31daystoreset @Angelsea Urban

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Welcome to Day 22: 3 Marketing Tips that have NOTHING to do with Social Media

 

More and more people are turing away from Facebook daily. Not because social media is the enemy, but for a number of personal and business reasons that vary all over the spectrum. More people have pondered the idea, but the #1 objection I have heard is, “but I use Facebook for business”. 

 

Coming from a person who adores Facebook marketing and what it has done for my business, I have uttered those very words myself. However, Marketing 101 will tell you never to put all of your eggs in one basket. Always to diversify your marketing portfolio because at any given moment the tides can changes and you already need to have something in the hopper when that happens.

 

So for those that have built their business on Facebook alone, what are some other ways to generate business without having to use Facebook or rely on Social Media so heavily?

 

1. Business Cards

I know. It’s so 1996 but carrying around business cards that stand out is the new “unique” form of personal marketing. Tangible is latest trend amid the technology boom and although we want an iPad size phone on our face for calls, we suddenly ooooh and ahhhh over something pretty to touch in our hands. It might fall in a purse, get stuck in the dash of a car, or even a pocket. That’s not the point. The point is that one day that purse gets cleaned out and they see your name. Again. And remember that amazing conversation they had with you when you gave them your pitch of what it is that you and what you were trying to sell them. Don’t have a pitch? Get one. You should work on that so you can deliver it on a dime when you hand out your business card.

Where?

As my friend Kathy would say, it’s to the cashier at the grocery store who commented on your camera mug. It’s to the dental assistant who asks how business is going. It’s to the PTA mom who inquired about a wedding for her sister’s friend’s cousin. All of them.

 

2. Freebies

If you are a photographer, the cost of printing a 16×20 canvas to decorate your pediatricians office will be worth it’s weight in gold. Stop by every doctors office, dental office, pre school, wedding venue, florist and stationary shop you know. Ask them if you can decorate their offices for free with your canvases. The number of people who will see your work will far outweigh the costs to produce the items. Set aside a marketing budget for this project and then decide how many products you can afford to produce. Narrow your market based on the number of products you have. Don’t forget to stop by the offices monthly at least to chat with the staff and see if anyone has noticed or inquired. Be sure to leave some business cards at the office in case they do.

 

3. Direct Mailing

Having a promo? Are you trying to attract families with babies to tell them that there is a photographer in town for their children? For a small investment you can buy a filtered list of demographics specific to the targeted area you are trying to advertise to. For a bit more time, you could likely research it yourself, but time is money and for a small amount I would be inclined to make a small investment to get my marketing materials in qualified buyers hands. Consider a 5×7 postcard with all the information for your promo delivered to the hands of every mom in town that meets your ideal client exactly.

 

Facebook was great for business for a long time. We had tons of free advertising and no one can doubt the benefits it had for businesses. But like any business, they had to shift gears too, and now it’s harder for businesses to reach their potential clients so we all have to make some concessions and move forward.

 

Personally, I have seen a shift in my clients shying away from Facebook lately. The solid referral system that was in place for many years simply is not the same that it was years ago. Over the winter when shooting time slows down, and back end business stuff gets some solid attention, I will be implementing some of these marketing strategies again into my 2015 Marketing Plan. Budgeting for them now will save me the scrutiny of trying to decide if the investment will be worth it later. It will just become a necessary line item along with internet service, and printing costs.

 

Have any tips that worked especially well in your area? We’d love to hear them in the comments below!

 

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Be sure to check the blog every day during the Month of October for new content. Or sign up for the VIP Newsletter for important updates.

East Coast Fine Art Lifestyle Family Portrait Photographer Angelsea Urban

Angelsea Urban is a photographer and entrepreneur helping women use their creative gifts to nourish their homes and cultivate their businesses through practical stewardship. Her unique photography work focuses on Redefining the Family Portrait Experience by telling the story of  family through personalized foundations while creating a space to strengthen family bonds throughout the experience. As a certified tax professional and seasoned business consultant, Angelsea has helped the careers of photographers, restaurateurs, musicians and general small business owners through teaching, workshops, coaching, and hands on consulting. Her ministry work focuses on fostering creative gifts in women entrepreneurs to prioritize family and discipleship. She has photographed for families, brides, Bravo TV, NFL Films, and more and has been featured on multiple blogs and magazine print for her work in photography and in business. Angelsea teaches and photographs throughout the United States, and resides with her husband of 17 years, their two children, and their barely 3 pound Yorkie near Long Beach Island, New Jersey.  

To book your session with Angelsea Urban, please visit www.angelseaurban.com

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