Marketing on a micro-budget

[WelshPixels]

Does anyone have any advice on low-cost local marketing methods?

My partner sells Ann Summer products and Avon cosmetics using the usual party plan method of selling.

So the budget is small if not microscopic.

Many thanks

[creative-keyrings]

I can do you some low budget advertsing keyrings for your friend to hand out to your customers!

Just £44.00 for 100, if your interested visit my site @ www.creative-keyrings.co.uk

Regards,

Callum

[Richard Glynn]

Put this on your Christmas list ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1580622054/qid%3D1132522257/202-4680514-1018235

[Marina Stone]

She could try linking up with other local businesses who target ladies, for e.g. ladies fashion designers, ladies accessories, etc. not in competition with her business and hold joint events.

They could start by inviting local ladies groups for an evening out and provide drinks and nibbles.

The venue is important, perhaps hold the event at a local hotel on a quiet night (Monday evenings!) where the hotel may have a spa to promote to these ladies!

You never know,
Marina

[Hayles]

Hi,

Hope one or two of these ideas help...

1) Give leaflets out at pick up time at local schools to get party bookings.

2) Offer a commission to school funds if they'll hand out the Avon books (probably not the Anne Summers ones...!). Do it on a class by class basis so not too expensive buying all the brochures.

3) Leave books in staff rooms of local businesses, again offer a commission (say to a charity), on the orders taken.

4) Try a friendly local bridal shop for the Anne Summers brochures. Lots of young female customers.


Hayles

[directmarketingadvice]

My partner sells Ann Summer products and Avon cosmetics using the usual party plan method of selling.

On the basis that, if you tell us the symptoms, we might be able to prescribe a cure, what exactly is stopping her makng the money from this she'd like to make?

ie what's her main marketing challenge(s)?

Steve

[Rob]

Clearly for this type of business you can't afford mega budget busting marketing material.

The best way to generate business will be via referrals and word of mouth.

At each party or for each person you do business with specifically ask for a referral. Prepare a referral form on your PC which asks for the name(s) of the people you can contact. State on the form that if you successfully arrange a party or sale then the referrer will get a free gift from you.

To encourage word of mouth marketing ... just ask everyone you do business with, or who attend your parties, to tell everyone. Print up some Business Cards and hand them out to everyone you get in contact with.

At your parties why not ask everyone for an e-mail address and you will quickly build up a free mailing list. You can e-mail your list once a month with details of your latest lines, funny things which have happened at your parties during the month etc. Include anything which will help build a relationship with the recieptient. Once you have established a 'link' with the person then it will be easier for them to come to the decision to do business with you.

Hopes these points will spark off some ideas for you.

[Stationery-Direct]

If you need any design or print doing then I will sort you out a good price.

[WelshPixels]

Thanks all for the suggestions, comments, advice and book recomendations.

So far this is what we have planned:-

A website (I am a web designer after all)
Yellow Pages and as many directories as we can find
Charity Ladies Night at our local show bar

Thanks all

[clairemackaness]

I used to be an Anne Summers rep and if you follow the two parties from every party rule, you should be flying in a couple of months without the need for marketing. The trick is to get them drunk and then to keep them warm in the weeks leading up to their parties. Freee gifts work a treat and dont buy them from AS, get chep thongs for 40p from Primark and sweets etc, they dont have to be sexual, if most women are honest, they would prefer a box of chocs for booking a party, than a buzzy thing!

Nightclub parties work really well too, but DONT do it alone, one rep and 50 odd drunken women is NO fun, share the profits with at least two more reps.

[multilingual]

Not sure about the Yellow Pages idea for this particular business.

I think you need to get groups of women together to get a sales momentum going.

Ever watched The Full Monty? Hire a local function room for an evening, pay for a gang of male strippers and sell all the Anne Summers stuff to the girls who turn up for the action!!

Get them to pay on the door to get in as well and you will be in profit faster than you can say 'Tom Jones'.

JB

[WelshPixels]

We are thinking Yellow Pages because its free for a basic listing and simply because there are no party planners advertising in there at the momment.

Many moons ago I did a charity fund raising Ladies Night in our local show bar (Minskys for those of you that know Cardiff).

We had Ann Summers, Drag Acts and Male Strippers and it was a great success for all concerned (especially Ann Summers).

It was a nightmare to organise but it did raise enough for me to take part in an aid convoy to Kosovo.

[Hayles]

Do you have a business phone number? I think you have to have a business number to get your free listing in the Yellow Pages. And how many people would look in there to book an Anne Summers party...?

Cards in shop windows always used to work for me (did my own toy parties when I was a teenager!)

Hayles

[WelshPixels]

Putting our details into Yell.com (which also adds us to the Yellow Pages) there was no obvious restriction on the type of number we could use. It takes up to 5 days to get listed so we will find out in the next couple of days.

Not sure how many people would look in there for Ann Summers party but where else would you look if you didnt know an Ann Summers rep? Our local ad-paper the AdTrader (Our version of The Loot) has a couple of adverts by Ann Summer reps but they are swamped by loads of get rich quick adverts.

[SillyJokes]

Don't Ann Summers and Avon help you with ideas themselves? Surely they have some sort of support for thier sales team?

I would have thought that it is all down to referrals and nailing at least 5 at the end of each party.

[clairemackaness]

Just as I said in my post. There is no nee to advertise either type of party, they advertise themselves if you are doing it right.

I was in the top ten of my unit for two years simply by following the rules of two more parties booked for every party attended. And I was only doing anne summers then. Not avon as well. Not sure on the commissoin structure for avon though, I would think it is probably a bit low. I know body shop has an excellent one and it will certainly attract the youngsters more than Avon.

[SillyJokes]

The worst one of these parties I went to was a Pampered Chef - what a load of twaddle.

I still ended up buying a gadet I have only ever used once in two years that cost £20.

[clairemackaness]

Thats the joy of party plan, guilt shopping. Nobody who goes, wants to offend the host or hostess and leave empty handed!