This month BizNet’s
Networking Connection looks at:
Costco, Sam’s Club, you know, those
really big warehouse stores
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This month BizNet’s
Networking Connection looks at: |
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The ones that are too big for little old you to get business from. Wrong! One of the greatest overlooked networking opportunity is with those big warehouse guys. In Los Angeles, both the Sam’s Clubs, and the local Price/Costco, have a great networking opportunity for all their business members. If you are a member of either store I bet you looked right at the opportunity and totally missed seeing it as an opportunity to market your business. Now think, what opportunity were you missing?
When every person leaves these stores they have to stop as someone checks their receipt and the stuff in the cart. Right at this exit area is a sign highlighting a member business. Every month a new business is highlighted. So how much does it cost to get the eye of every shopper in a warehouse store? Five grand, ten grand, fifteen grand? How about FREE! That’s right. Totally free. All you have to do is talk to the store manager and get on the list of highlighted businesses. You will have to provide the literature and sign at your cost. Additional you must offer a special discount or service exclusively for the stores members. In exchange you get thousands of dollars of exposure for almost nothing. If you’re not a business member, then join. Membership is less then $100.00 and if you’re the highlighted business it’s a great deal.
In addition to the business of the month opportunity, some warehouse stores have mini business expos at little or no cost. You just sign up and spend a day or two at the store marketing your business to everyone walking though the place. Is this a great deal or what! Think about it. A small table at a chamber expo for a few hours is about $200.00 to $400.00. This is a table for a full day or two at a big traffic flow warehouse store, and it’s for next-to-no-cost.
So the next time you go shopping talk to the store manager about what programs they offer.
One last thing, if you’re going to display your products at a table, look professional. Dress up the table. Spend a few bucks to get a table-cloth or two. Cover the top of the table and the sides. Think about having a professional sign made at a local banner shop. The total cost is still under a hundred bucks and worth every penny. The better your image, the more likely you will get customers.