Cooperative Advertising

Advertising is expensive. As a result, successful businesses are looking for more and more ways to save money on their marketing packages. Co-operative advertising is taking on many shapes and faces. It can be online or offline. It can be in multi-piece packages or multi-message single page flyers or fillers. The concept of co-operative advertising is not new. It is a great way to stretch your advertising dollar and to reach additional pockets of your target market. When multiple people pool their advertising dollar they can reach more people. Its like the choice between sending 1000 color brochures or 10,000 black and white ones. Your message may be watered down a bit by the additional material but it also has the potential to reach so many more people. The power of co-operative advertising is the opportunity to reach so many more people. Every advertiser participating broadcasts their message to their primary markets. And your advertising message gets to piggy back along for the ride. Speaking of piggies, one of the most interesting co-operative advertising efforts, The Mom Pack, was founded by piggy bank artist Lynn Korff of http://www.korfforiginals.com Lynn has spearheaded a group of work at home moms who share co-operative advertising distribution. At http://www.mompack.com work at home mothers send their samples, business cards, flyers and fillers to one another. When each participant ships an order or attends a craft fair, festival, or event they hand out packets (MomPacks) of information from other members. MomPack has evolved quite a bit from its beginnings. The site bosts a membership directory, text links, contest listings, and resources for moms who run home based businesses. http://www.MomPack.com has become a great way for women to network and co-operatively advertise to people who already shop from work at home moms. Shopping With Women is also a great way for advertisers to co-operatively get your marketing message in front of targeted groups of people. When someone needs a booklet to distribute at their event, they request it from http://www.ShoppingWithWomen.com and then advertisers purchase spots in the upcoming booklet. These booklets are going to specific groups, organizations, and locations so that they offer advertisers inexpensive yet targeted advertising opportunities. Shopping With Women is unique in that its advertising opportunities are ever changing. Bookmark their upcoming events page and check back often for ways that you can reach very targeted markets in a co-operative advertising venue. Another brand new advertising co-operative, and really neat women's group is located online at http://www.mywoman2woman.com These ladies are producing joint mailings and catalogs that you can participate in. There are also many ways that you can develop your own co-operative advertising efforts. If you participate in home party sales, you might wish to coordinate with several other people representing different home party plan companies. You could each supply a few items to be used in your own show displays and keep business cards handy for any guests who are interested in your co-op's products. You know that your samples will be seen by people who already attend, host, and shop at home parties. You might want to get co-ops together for booths at craft fairs, business opportunity seminars, or demonstration meetings. You can share the cost of the booth and share the leads obtained. This is especially helpful with multiple day events as no one has to man the event around the clock. With multi day events, you can even put together a co-op of people representing the same company. Another co-operative advertising effort that has grown steadily over the years is the WAHMfest events. These are held nationwide throughout the year and target women who are considering starting a work at home business. Visit them online at http://www.wahmfest.org. You can participate in currently scheduled events or sign up to host an event of your own. This is an especially effective co-op because many people are participating who reach varied segments of a geographic population. Since all participants help to promote the event, you are likely to reach people you would not otherwise come into contact with in your own hometown. A finaly way that I would like to suggest co-operative advertising initiatives isn't really my idea at all. It is a part of the efforts of Shopping With Women. But the concept can be spun and utilized in many different venues. Have 15-30 people come together and print tote bags, book bags, shopping bags, or even three ring binders for a specific event or venue. Examples could be Christmas Shows or Festivals, Church Sponsored Events, Training Seminars, Open Houses, etc. Each participant pays the same amount towards the printing of the bag or binder. Ads are printed on the final product for each participant. Then the bags or binders are given away for free at the open house, show, party, or farmers market. These are just sample ideas. But it is a great way to be sure that event attendees take home something with your marketing message. Advertising co-op participants might also include samples, coupons, flyers, or business cards in all the printed bags. Co-operative advertising is a good way to stretch your advertising budget and reach more people with your marketing message. Always be on the look out for people that you can participate in advertising co-ops with. You'll get a bigger bang for your advertising dollar and continue to build your network of influence.