Dec
12
Did you know website promotion could take place on the road as well? Well it can, and the good news is it does not take a lot of effort.
- During your trip, you will probably stop at a few rest areas to stretch your legs and maybe use the restroom as well. Before you leave the restroom, place your business card in the stall and on the sink. I do this at every rest area when my husband and I travel. After all, you never know who might pick up your card and visit your website. In fact, not only have I left my own business cards in stalls and on the sinks, but I’ve discovered business cards left by others and placed them in my purse to check out later.
Alternatively, you could print out some brochures and staple your business card to the back of each one. This gives the potential taker more information about the website your promoting, and who knows, if they plan to be in the stall a while, they’ll have some reading material to occupy them. 
- Another place to leave your business card or brochure is at restaurants. You can place the business card or brochure under the salt and pepper shaker when you leave, but don’t forget the tip.
- Design flyers to take with you on your trip as well. Then when you stop at the gas stations and convenient stores, ask the attendants if you can hang your flyer in their store. Many gas stations and convenient stores have bulletin boards for promotional materials, and some will tape the flyers to their door or window.
- Before you checkout of your hotel room, leave a brochure on the nightstand.
- If you’re traveling in your own car, place a bumper sticker promoting your website.
The above are just a few ways I utilize my website promotion when I’m on the road. This on the road website promotion allows me to reach thousands of other travelers, and you’d be surprised just how effective it really is. Go ahead and give it a try the next time you take a vacation… you have nothing to lose.
Popularity: 10% [?]
I do similar things, but I try and target travellers. What I do is this:-
- Leave badges with my blog’s url in hostels.
- Stick a sticker in books and leave them in a book exchange.
I find they get more interest than a flier and a business card
Rhys,
I’d have to give your methods a try as well. I never thought of leaving stickers in books, but I have placed my bookmark inside many. In fact, I carry bookmarks in my purse, and when I visit the local bookstores, I stick my bookmarks in some of the books similar to mine.
Very interesting post. I never have done enough of this kind of thing. Thank you for the ideas.
David,
You’re welcome. I’ve been doing this type of marketing for quite a few years and thought it would be fun to write and share with all the Pure Blogging readers. Of course I do market online and through other means as well.
I’m always looking for new ways to market.
That’s very out-of-the-box thinking. I’ll start doing it from next time…Thanks for the idea
Great ideas, like you said, you never know who might pick up your card.
How many times have your site visitors told you that they found your site through your card from a rest area, bookmark, etc.? Those stats would be really interesting to hear. Thanks Misti!
JoLynn,
Before making freelance writing my full-time job I owned and operated an online wholesale business, and that’s when I first began this promotion. I ran the business for six years, and to be honest, only two of my (then) customers let me know they found me by picking up my business card from the rest area bathroom. I don’t know if there were more and they were just too shy to actually admit how they found me, but I do know my customer list increased once I started doing this.
Even though I sold the wholesale business, I still practice these “on the road” marketing techniques for my writing services.
On another note, I’m not always traveling either. Sometimes I place business cards or brochures in the public restrooms in my local area as well.
I wish I would’ve thought of this as my boyfriend and I trekked all the way down to Georgia, then Florida, and back –all driving. We stopped everywhere….what great exposure I would’ve gotten. I’ll definitely remember this next time…
Offline website promotion? The website is your business. It’s not uncommon to see people dropping business cards in “Starbucks”. They promote their business and their website at the same time.
In blogging, maybe it goes hand in hand with the consulting aspect if you do consulting on your blog.
it’s a pity that I can’t make use of these ideas. I live in Brazil, but my blog posts are written in English. Well, I could target English courses… Hmmm…
Is this practise allowed in US bookstores? That was a cool tip, but I’m afraid I’d be scolded if I was caught doing it here.
I made a license plate with my URL on it … and I have pens that I leave at the bank, grocery store, gas station … it’s all good stuff!
Darin