Meatball Marketing

Meatball marketing is what you do when you’ve got to get cash in the door fast. It was coined by one of our marketing professionals who would much rather have the luxury of time to analyze, discuss, and analyze some more before making a decision.

Alas! Business owners and entrepreneurs don’t always have the luxury of months and months of analyzing before we have to create a marketing campaign and sell something. So what is meatball marketing in the business world? Getting out there and letting the world know you exist. For example, how many of your neighbors know what you do? How many companies in the industrial parks or streets where your offices are located know what you do?

A few months ago I told a client to go to each of the companies in his industrial park and surrounding industrial parks and introduce his company. He came back with a significant job in a slower time of the year. Meatball marketing worked for him.

If you don’t want to knock on your neighbors’ doors, put a yard sign in your front lawn. People will drive by and get your message.

I wanted to test meatball marketing myself. Wednesday is the slowest day for our studio production and videocasting. (Videocasting is broadcasting live, interactive video to people who can watch and participate only if they have the password). So, we printed up a flyer with a Wednesday discount and one of our team members volunteered to deliver them to our neighbors. The results? So far, three interested companies. None have turned into business yet. However, it is three more potential customers than we had before.

What other meatball marketing tactics work? Putting your business cards on bulletin boards in grocery stores, in restaurants, or anywhere people are likely to see them. If you make them a color other than white, they will stand out on those boards.

Look for opportunities. I was walking my dog last evening and a car stopped. She said, “Happy Memorial Day” and continued, “if you ever needed dog sitting call me”. She handed me her card. Another example of meatball marketing.

Many years ago a service technician for a company I worked with walked into an auto parts store one Saturday and noticed that the ceiling grills were filthy. He asked who did that store’s maintenance. No one was doing it. His company got the contract. Another example of meatball marketing.

Meatball marketing is being proactive rather than reactive. It is looking for opportunities. It is getting out from behind your desk and talking to people. Most will say no. However, there will be some who say yes…and increase your revenues.

What meatball marketing can you do today?