Collaborative Advertising - Get More for Less

Integrate your marketing…with someone elses.

The generally accepted definition of integrated marketing is putting your consistent message in all media that effectively reaches your market.   (paraphrased from the American Marketing Association “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.”)

The definition of integrated that may better serve small business advertisers is, however: pertaining to a group or society whose members interact on the basis of commonly held norms or values

The way to integrate to get MORE for LESS?  Identify advertisers whose products or services are used by your target market and establish advertising partnerships, forming an advertising group based on your commonly held market!

Example:  You sell art and custom framing and your market is high income homeowners.  High income homeowners also buy more elite automobiles and tend to take them to a dealer for service.  The local high end dealerships advertise their services through direct mail, you advertise your business in the newspaper’s arts section. 

Suggest a partnership offering $25 off at your store in their direct mailers (tied to a service at the dealerships) and $25 off a service at a selection of dealership  in your newspaper add.    Try adding the landscaper who advertises on the radio and a restaurant who advertises via email to the group with multiple value added offers in each of your ads.  You each gain a stronger call to action along with valuable INTEGRATED exposure in your market. 

Already doing something similar with success?  I’d love to hear about it.  Share it here!

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