Small Biz in A Digital Age: Cross-Promoting

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Monday, March 02, 2015

GoLocalWorcester Business Team

The world of business is moving faster -- hyper fast. Small businesses face the challenge of trying to keep up and innovate their business to create an advantage.

This week, GoLocal brings you a look at how cross-promoting other small businesses in your area can be mutually beneficial for you and your fellow small business owners. This series is sponsored by Countybank of Worcester - but know they have no editorial review or control. The goal is to help small businesses compete and grow in a period of tremendous change.

Cross-promoting your small business can be a great way to unite with other non-competing businesses in your area to garner support and new ideas to help your business community thrive. 

Cross-promoting can be as simple as using coupons, fliers or tagging other small businesses through your social media posts. “Cross-promotion has the potential for a big marketing payoff because partners can successfully expand through each other’s customer base,” says Kare Anderson of About Money. “They can gain an inexpensive and credible introduction to more of their kind of customer more effectively than with the traditional ‘solo’ methods of networking, advertising, or public relations.” 

Through partnering with other small businesses to promote a day of special deals, or events that area businesses will be sponsoring or displaying new merchandise. 

But what is it really?

“Cross-promotion is about getting your message out on multiple channels,” says Steven Mintz, a marketing consultant with CLM Prescriptives. “Your target audience gets information from various sources right? By using multiple sources to share your message, you help increase the odds of customers hearing abut it.”

Partnering with your fellow business owners is just one small way to get your message out through multiple channels and to multiple prospective customers.  
According to a study done by Alignable - the social network for local business owners - and advocacy organization Independent We Stand 77% of small business owners surveyed said they fee “buy local” campaigns can help build sales. 

How to get started

Ask around and find other businesses that make sense for you to partner with. If you sell home goods like serving trays and bakeware, think about partnering with a local bakery to come up with a great last minute gift package for the at-home baker.  

Another way you can begin cross-promoting with other small businesses is to include a call for action for your existing customers. Campaign your new alliance on social media or through your business’ website and offer a discount or rewards program for the customers who frequent the businesses around you. And be sure to encourage your customer base to see what other local businesses around you can offer by linking their websites and mentioning their goods.

Bringing more eyes to your area of business will only help the other small business owners around you and bring more foot traffic to your shop. 

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Related Slideshow: 20 Cool Small Businesses in Central Massachusetts

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• Small Biz in a Digital Age: Direct Response Marketing
• Small Biz in a Digital Age: Consumer Trends
• Small Biz in a Digital Age: Analytics - Know Your Options
• Small Biz in A Digital Age: Advertising
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