# What is the best way to market to small businesses?



## silverbolt (Aug 11, 2005)

Hello all and Happy New Year!
I have a t-shirt package that I want to "get out" and promote to small businesses/businesses just starting. What would be the best way to do this? I thought about taking out an ad in our local newspaper, but I need some more ideas. Maybe you guys could give me some excellent small business sites or blogs/forums to check out. Any help/ideas would be great! Thanks,
Silverbolt AKA Desiree


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## Smckee21 (Jul 23, 2010)

Sure Thing, The best way would be to hit the streets and try and make contacts and meet with actual small business owners or managers. This however does take a bunch of time. Here are some tricks that I have used and they paid off. Look into your local chamber or commerce, if they have a website that's even better as I have found a few chambers that listed their members along with e-mail addresses and phone numbers so I could contact actual owners or managers without joining the chamber (Although I am now a member of a few chambers).

Steve


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## jdoug5170 (Sep 8, 2010)

Check with your local city. Where we are, new business license applications are posted on line. Once you have this information you just need to track them down and make your proposal.

Doug


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## silverbolt (Aug 11, 2005)

jdoug5170 said:


> Check with your local city. Where we are, new business license applications are posted on line. Once you have this information you just need to track them down and make your proposal.
> 
> Doug


that is a fantastic idea Doug!


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## Pedro Tek (Jan 4, 2011)

I do as much administrative work as I can at different small businesses that have free wifi. I drink a lot of coffee because I don't want to constantly be buying meals out. I have gotten to know most of the workers at quite a few of the buisnesses and they have championed my services with the owner once I was able to meet them. It has been great and they have more loyalty to you because they have seen you around. If you continue to stop by, you are also in front of them frequently enough that they think of how they could use you more. Most of the small business owners around here know each other, so from there, I have gotten a lot of referrals.

I have also taken a few business classes through the SBA and because shirts and promotional products can go with just about any business, I have had success with that as well. 

This is my first response on the forums... hope it helped.


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## silverbolt (Aug 11, 2005)

it did! thanks for taking the time


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## selanac (Jan 8, 2007)

Other then Chamber of Commerce, check out other free and fee Small Business Networks. Many of them meet in local diners or Denny's, IHOP etc. 

One group that is really big started in California which is BNI. They started from a professor at Cal Poly Pomona. Anyways, they're in every state across the US. 

Another one is LeTip. 

I joined BNI for $500 plus dollars, and had a $1500 order that same day. Same with LeTip. There are many other Small Business Networks include church groups.


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## silverbolt (Aug 11, 2005)

do I just search LeTip in Google I have heard of BNI again do you have a link for them? Thanks for the advice!
Desi


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## ludicrousman (Oct 1, 2010)

silverbolt said:


> do I just search LeTip in Google I have heard of BNI again do you have a link for them? Thanks for the advice!
> Desi


I was a LeTip member for about 6 months. Great source for leads. They are in most cities. For those not familiar, they have only one member from one particular field. So one graphic designer, one lawyer, and so on. So it can lead to great opportunities. But it's a weekly commitment and not cheap to be a member.


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## WestZ (Jan 5, 2011)

Based on what I've read here, I just needed some clarification on one point brought up in this topic:

What exactly can the Chamber of Commerce in my area do in order to help launch a T-Shirt business?


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## My Shirt Connect (Jan 24, 2010)

jdoug5170 said:


> Check with your local city. Where we are, new business license applications are posted on line. Once you have this information you just need to track them down and make your proposal.
> 
> Doug


I would use Doug's advice and then personally deliver your "T-Shirt Packages" to each of them. Most of our larger customers came from making a sales call. Direct phone calls are effective too but, from our experience, face to face visits are 10 times more effective : )


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## Smckee21 (Jul 23, 2010)

The Chamber of Commerce is a great way to get introduced to or at least names and contacts of owners or managers of small businesses. For instance if you call a small company in your area where there are 20 employees the chances of you getting to speak or meet with the owner or decison maker about uniforms are low. If you had a name, e-mail adress or teelphone extension number from the Chamber of Commerce you could easily get in touch with the decision makers. It's a real time saver.


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## EnMartian (Feb 14, 2008)

It sounds simple and it is simple, but I think sometimes the simplest things are the ones we forget. Get good business cards made and carry them everywhere with you. Distill the package you're offering down into a few sentences so you can give someone a basic overview quickly. Be ready to hand out a business card and explain what you have to offer quickly and at every opportunity. You never know who might be or who might know a potential customer.


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## jdoug5170 (Sep 8, 2010)

Networking. Many other businesses to visit, pass out cards...show off your bestest T-Shirt promoting your business when at meetings, Network! Good call list also since you get a membership roster.


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## WestZ (Jan 5, 2011)

Smckee21 said:


> The Chamber of Commerce is a great way to get introduced to or at least names and contacts of owners or managers of small businesses. For instance if you call a small company in your area where there are 20 employees the chances of you getting to speak or meet with the owner or decison maker about uniforms are low. If you had a name, e-mail adress or teelphone extension number from the Chamber of Commerce you could easily get in touch with the decision makers. It's a real time saver.



Thank you very much!


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## ludicrousman (Oct 1, 2010)

WestZ said:


> Thank you very much!


Chamber of Commerce have monthly mixers. They are cheap to attend and you just get to network with other business owners in your area. Bring your business card and make shirt samples...


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## WestZ (Jan 5, 2011)

ludicrousman said:


> Chamber of Commerce have monthly mixers. They are cheap to attend and you just get to network with other business owners in your area. Bring your business card and make shirt samples...


That's good to know. I didn't know they had those sorts of things. Guess you learn something new every day. 

I'm going to get started on this ASAP.


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## Say Anything (Jun 16, 2009)

Other than b-cards... another good idea is note pads... Have some printed up with your logo, usually they are not that expensive to do. Take them and pass them out to all the businesses.

1) people love to get free things
2) everyone uses note pads/post its

if they have a note pad on their desk/counter that they use everyday... eventually they will be curious what all you can do / or they will need some shirts printed and their notepad is right on their desk.. so they don't have to even look for another printer.

Also, the Chamber of Commerce is a good way to get involved with your local community. It shouldn't be that much (our local chamber is $120 per year) depending on the size of your town and how many members are already in the Chamber, your cost may be different. 

We joined and our city has a parade/festival every year, the chamber have shirts printed for the event... even though our shirts were a little more than other quotes, they used us because we were a member and they love to promote local businesses in their area. 

Just my 2cents.


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## WestZ (Jan 5, 2011)

Say Anything said:


> Other than b-cards... another good idea is note pads... Have some printed up with your logo, usually they are not that expensive to do. Take them and pass them out to all the businesses.
> 
> 1) people love to get free things
> 2) everyone uses note pads/post its
> ...


Wow, that's actually a great idea. I'll see what I can come up. There's a Chamber mixer coming up in my area, and I think that we can make an impact. 

I appreciate all of the advice being given. Thanks guys!


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## mistacash (May 3, 2010)

jdoug5170 said:


> Check with your local city. Where we are, new business license applications are posted on line. Once you have this information you just need to track them down and make your proposal.
> 
> Doug


i was having a conversation with a friend s last night, and he gae me this same advice, and i think its great


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## stitcherlady (Jan 20, 2009)

You will get alot of biz by word of mouth advertising, so try to get a friend or a contact to at least wear something and start spreading the word - free also use facebook - free and a great way to put pictures up of your offerings and all your friends and their friends can see what you have.


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