Marketing - Mutual Promotion

[Peter Telfer]

Hi Guys,

Just wondering how many companies use mutual promotion as a way of creating brand awareness?

I am marketing executive for the Airlink Group, Paisley and we own off airport parking at Glasgow Airport. I have used mutual promotion to help build our brand but it is often very difficult to get companies interested.

By mutual promotion I mean, we display a poster of flyers on our buses or customer waiting areas and in return that company perhaps displays a discount for us in their retail outlets etc. Anything that ticks both companies boxes in terms of generating business.

I would be interested if anyone has any opportunities or experiences of trying to promote their business in such a manner?

Thanks,

Peter

[ComputerCoders]

Dual branding is great if it's a win win situation.

[Peter Telfer]

Hi,

Yeh I think that is the problem. It is difficult trying to convince other organisations that it can be a win-win situation.

My experience is that when I contact an organisation looking to work with them, because it is not a priority it just falls down the pecking order and nothing happens.

The organisations I have managed to work with have been hugely beneficial for both and it just trying to target the right organisations to continue this type of marketing.

[Minuteman Press]

We participate extensively. Working with charities and exhibitions in particular.

[Peter Telfer]

Yes charities is something that we are currently going to try and move towards.

The trick is making every penny count when we are an SME with limited Marketing budget.

I guess this is a form of affiliate marketing but perhaps what I am proposing is not quite as formal as the use of banner advertising etc.

[Minuteman Press]

You'll find it works really well, particularly if the organisation you are working with has a positive association with its members.

Recent / current examples:
Supporting a local professional football clubs supporters association.
Recycling paper into pads for sale and internal use for a major charity.
Sponsored marketing for pressure groups, charities and local interest groups.

The ROI in terms of time and finance resources is great and its a lovely thing to do.

Peter

[oldeagleeye]

Peter.

A fellow member Michelle Carvill has just written an article about this on her web site and it is it features in the last Sift newsletter and she seems well impressed with the idea pf partnerships as she calls it. Surprising for a so called media PR consultant because these sort of joint promotions have been going on for more years than I care to remember.

What's more if you use the correct term you will have far more chance of sharing the cost of promotion than using the words like 'partnership' or even 'joint promotions' . Both of which imply a special relationship between the 2 businesses and the big players certainly won't go for that.

The correct term to use then is 'Inter-Related Marketing' and that phrase opens up all sorts of doors.

I know one small travel company for example that specialised in Safari holidays and used to take a stand at exhibitions. It must be what 12 years ago now that I got the owner a Land Rover Discovery on loan free for a year which was emblazoned with pics of deserts and oasis etc. which he used as a stand instead of one of those bog standard booths. I can tell you that stand looked pretty impressive and both parties did well out of the inter-related marketing deal.

On a smaller scale I have advised lots of small businesses on here to take up the idea. Only the other day I suggested that the owner of a small craft jewellery business team up with a wedding dress company and share a stand at exhibitions. The potential for the small trinkets at around a fiver each was huge and yet they wouldn't normally afford to rent a stand. As for the wedding dress business that got small trinkets to give away. How you presnt the deal then is all important.

As far as your own company is concerned. You might want to look at your marketing material again. There is a hell of a lot of difference for instance in a letter of text exploring the possibilities of a partnership than turning up outside a travel agents or whatever with a bus with several companies livery on it and saying 'that could be your business on the side of that bus'. They might even pay you as well as putting your poster in the window. Nice one eh.

Hope the info helps.

[Peter Telfer]

Brilliant post and thanks for the tips!

I completely agree! Half the trick is wording is right to get the other companies interest! 'Inter-Related Marketing' is a nice way of putting it and I will certainly try it when I speak with other organisations. The only concern I would have is that some folk might be like...what is he talking about? Inter-Related Marketing?

I will try and get a hold on the article you refer to and to go back to my initial post it never seems to amaze me how few companies want to take part in 'Inter-Related Marketing.' It is a hard sell on a lot of occasions but it is surely attractive in the current economic climate.

I'm basically trying to interest a holiday company at the moment into giving us a free holiday (Nothing too big, maybe just a couple of nights away somewhere) that we could promote through our e-mail database which we are now leveraging quite nicely. We get a reason to send an e-mail and hopefully some bookings and travel company gets increased brand awareness and sales leads and of course, airport parking and holidays all tie in nicely.

But hey, when was anything ever easy. Of course I need to work hard to interest people...it's all part of the marketing fun!:)