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.