Promotion Game

Competition for attention and spendable dollars is fierce today. Conventional wisdom says that promotion and publicity can give you an edge. Chances are you're already using your websites for promotion.

You're also using your signature file in emails, forums, and social networking to promote the URL of your sites. You probably have even included your URLs in your hard copy materials like business cards and letterhead as well as bookmarks, post cards, flyers, and other print media.

You're probably putting your website info in your press kits and other media contacts too. If you meet the public for speaking engagements or book signings, you're using that opportunity to hand out print material that promotes too.

What Else

What else can you do as an adjunct to these standard means to promote your name and/or product. If you're an author, you know that means you and your writing. If you're a manufacturer or a retailer, of physical or digital products, that means your name and your thingamajigs.

Here are a few ideas I've thought about. I think these will work, but I don't know how effectively because it's difficult to measure results from promotion efforts in an objective, quantitative way. If you try these ideas, let me know what you think.

License Plate Frames

You can get these stamped with your website URL or the name of your book or product. A lot of companies, probably in your own locale as well as online, offer this service. I even offer them on my Cafe Press shop if you just need one or two.

I like the idea of the exposure one gets if stuck in traffic every day. I know when I'm in gridlock, I'm reading bumper stickers, car badging, billboards, and anything my eyes find. I'm going to get a couple of frames made with my blog URLs and test it for myself.

Bumper Stickers

Same reasoning as the license plate frame. I used to have a Suburban with "Caution: Writer Aboard In Creative Trance" stuck on the bumper. That bumper sticker actually got me out of a speeding ticket out of state when the trooper asked what I wrote. He was kind enough to give me a warning instead of a ticket. (My shop sells those bumper stickers. I'll even design one just for you with a URL on it if you email me.)

CD/DVD Video

Produce a video about you and your product with info on your websites. Hand that out when you meet the public. Make sure the disk and/or the jewel case has an appealing cover design. Certify that there are no bugs, viruses, or other kudies in the file.

Podcasts

Produce a podcast with the same goal as the video. Promote the URL in the conventional and unconventional ways.

Takeaway Truth

Don't hesitate to try new ways to get the message out.