• Snow machine! The newest gadget on the market. Only works for snow when the temperature is below about 26 degrees. Snow on your parade can create attention-getting results, when your neighbors don't have any.

• Bubble machine. Go for the fun in life and grab your share of the market.

• Base your promo on the weather in your area. 103 degrees hot, with no relief in sight? Purchase crushed ice, snow cone syrup, tiny sample-serving cups and set up a sign: "Free flavored snow when the temperature tops 100!". Ask the local weatherman to come over and forecast from your business to show some good news about the heat. Any time you serve food, be sure you check with your local health department for rules and regulations. And be sure your employees wash their hands! There is nothing like a good promotion gone horribly wrong.

• Invite other (non-competition) businesses to set up a display in your business for one day each year. Charge a nominal fee ($20 or less) and spend it all on advertising. Each participating business must also advertise the Super Day to their clients and must serve a pre-wrapped mini snack or give a promotional item or coupon away.

• Invite a new restaurant in your area to set up a booth once a month in your business and split advertising costs with the restaurant owner. Hand out flyers in both places of business regarding sample day. Once again, check with your local health department.

• Design on a computer mini puzzles featuring your logo or a picture of your business. Give them away to the kids or kids at heart that visit. Attach them to business size magnets.

• Jump into puzzle passion. Buy a computer program that generates puzzles. Create clues and words that focus on your business. Give the puzzles out to everyone. Create a puzzle for another business in your area and trade out puzzles. Print the puzzles on different colored pages, to clue puzzle-maniacs that different puzzles are available.

• Design a "find 25 different things about these 2 pictures", using a good picture manipulation computer program. Watch people stare at YOUR logo or a picture of your business to find the differences. Design one for a friend in business also. Share distribution.

• If your business is large enough to accumulate the crowd, without shoplifting or other concerns, invite the band and/or choir from your local church or school to play a concert and raise funds at your place of business. Encourage the band or choir to invite parents and grandparents, with a prize awarded to the oldest person in attendance, or to the person in the band that had the most people show up to listen.

• Hold an annual garage sale in your parking lot. Distribute notices to people that live near your business, informing them that you are providing one free parking space to each family to set up their mini-booths for the day, on a first-come, first-served basis. Each family must reserve their space by dropping a pre-printed form off at your place of business. Be sure the form has a disclosure that neither you, nor your business (or your landlord) is liable for injury or weather or any other detrimental occurrence. Ask each person to make and post a garage sale sign.

• Make an "Angel Day" near Christmas. Judge for the best angel, no risqué costumes allowed, if you wish to keep a good reputation. Invite the local media to the celebration and allow a charity to set up an "angel gift tree" in your business or lobby.

Set your original thought machine in motion! Promote your business with a bit of dazzle. Find something other than ordinary to set your business apart from the ordinary.

Credit:
Kevin and April Campbell are REALTORS® in the Greater Tulsa, Oklahoma area.
Their web site is: http:www.TulsaHOMERUN.com. They are linked with a large referral business and can refer you to other great, customer proven REALTORS® in your area; just send an e-mail with permission to refer and your city, state or country. Don't get stuck with a guess out of the phone book; look for the standard setters. Their e-mail is mailto:acampbell@tulsarealtors.com. Our happy little disclaimer that must be on everything: If your home is already listed with a broker, please do not consider this a solicitation of that listing. We cooperate with all brokers.

Reprint of this article does not constitute an endorsement by the National Business Association; the article is for informational purposes for our members and viewers of our Web site.