I Got Shot and Survived": How to Cross-Promote to Attract More Customers and Community Goodwill, With Less Effort

What happens when managers of a local museum, bank, ice cream, pizza, toy, childrens clothing and video rental stores join forces with pediatricians, local school principals, city and non-profit agency health directors to attract and serve their common base of customers: families with young children?

Together, they did what they could not have accomplished on their own. They offered a highly valued, emotionally-loaded and media-attracting service and increase foot traffic into their sites: "I Got Shot" free immunizations by pediatricians and health screenings by dental professionals for kids on Saturdays just before school started. Immunizations were offered at family - convenient times in a roomy, cheerful childrens' store, with a party atmosphere where the kids were the center of attention.

Parents heard about the offer through all the participating outlets and received free snack coupons after the kids received their shots so they could reward their children with a snack from a nearby store. Kids got "I Got Shot and Survived" buttons. Partners provided better, more news-catching service at less cost and inspired greater community and customer loyalty -- while spending less.

Instead of solo advertising they cross-promoted to offered a combined service that naturally pulled their customers in. The partners' keys to success were a common market, non - competing products or services, shared values and comparably valuable resources to contribute to the cross-promotion. Partners created "passion bond" relationships with each other, their customers and many others who didn't need shots but were motivated to try the partners' services because of their "I Got Shot' community service.


Nimble Marketing Method for Local Businesses to Out-Market the Big Guys
While the promise of "high tech" internet marketing grabs headlines another often "low tech" but highly versatile and efficient marketing method is being enthusiastically adopted by organizations as diverse as veterinarians, park directors and restaurant owners: cross-promotion. Why? Because they can reach their hottest prospects more frequently and credibly while spending less.

Another Easy Example: A restaurant owner attached a lucite box to the front of the cash register to hold coupons worth $3 off the customers' next tank of gas at a nearby gas station. The station owner placed a similiar box, displaying coupons worth $3 off their next meal at the partnering restaurant. That proved so successful that they recruited more partners and offered customers value: coupons from their cross-promoting and nearby hardware store, dry cleaner and shoe repair shop.

The Profitable Results: Their partnering businesses'coupons builds loyalty from their existing customers. They gain visibility where their competition isn't even in sight. And they don't have to pay for the position. They trade for it.

Nothing beats the credibility of another business touting your product's differentiating benefit. Partners reach more prospective customers at a lower cost. Prospects are introduced to each business in a powerful way-- through vendors they already use. Using their imagination, familiarity with their customers and the right cross-promotion, they out-market larger companies with expensive advertising budgets. Their partnership leveraged their promotion budget. Why? Because cross promotion is more efficient -- and often more fun -- than traditional "solo" marketing, advertising, networking and other public relations efforts.


Take Advantage of the "Multiplier Effect" to Attract More Customers
Two cross-promoting partners can more than double the number of prospects or suporters they each reach. Three of the right partners can gain five times the exposure -- without spending more!

Make News With Unlikely Allies!
Partner with people outside your industry or profession and you are even more likely to attract media coverage.. Plus your message or offer appears (through your partners) where your competition is not even in sight. . Example: partners to reach a local market of middle class women, ages 30-55: realty, health clinic, dry cleaner, and beauty salon. Then

What is a Cross Promotion?
Two or more groups (business, government, non-profit) with shared markets and values join forces to reach their kind of customer more memorably, efficiently, frequently and credibly.

Why Cross - Promote?
1. Stand Out
2. Save Money
2. Can Stabilize Cash Flow
3. Build Credibility
4. Generate More Reasons to Buy -- and Buy More
5. Make News
6. Improve Support of Community Causes
7 Have More Fun
8. Reach More Prospects More Frequently and Credibly

14 Low Risk Ideas to Jump Start for Your First Cross-Promotion
1. Print joint promotional messages on your receipts.

2. Offer a reduced price, special service or convenience if customers buy products from you and your partner.

3. Hang signs or posters promoting one another on your walls, windows or products.

4. Mention one another's benefits when you speak at local events or are interviewed
by the media.

5. Drops one another's flyers in shopping bags.

6. Pool mailing lists and send out a joint promotional postcard.

7. Promote their products during their slow times, ask them to do the same for you.

8. Share inexpensive ads in local shopping papers or a non- profit event program.

9. Give a joint interview to local media.

10. Put one another's promotional messages on lucite stands on counters or floor stands in waiting areas.

11. Encourage your staff to mention how your partner's products can be used with yours.

12. Give your partner's product to your customers when they buy a large quantity of your product and ask your partner to do the same.

13. Use door hangers, posters, flyers or postcards to promote special offers for one
another's products.

14. Co-produce an in-store or office event: demonstration, celebrity appearance, free service or lecture.

Discover more ways to profitably partner in my book (sold 60,000 in ten months): SmartPartnering at http://www.sayitbetter.com

Some More SmartPartnering Success Stories
• An insurance agent, pharmacy, gym and beauty salon sponsor a "Women's Wellness
After Forty" seminar.

• A hardare store, cellular phone seller and hospital ER offer "Make Your Home More Safe" tip sheets (listing their names and services) at all of their sites.

• A motel association and a popular magazine for bikers regularly features articles of "Five Day Rides" with offers: "Free Bikers' Breakfasts & Travel Snacks" when they reserve at a minimum of three motels along the route.

• "Valentine Love Food" displays appear in a cooking school, kitchenware shop, florist, card shop, restaurant and supermarket a month before Valentine's Day. Every display features a romantic dinner menu surrounded by products from the participating outlets.