4 Easy Small Biz Valentine’s Day Marketing & Piggybacking Strategies

One of the most cost-effective ways for a small business to increase distribution and advertising reach is to piggyback onto another business. Here are four ways to piggyback this Valentine’s Day selling season while also maximizing your marketing budget. 

#1 -- Piggyback onto another business’ email or postal mailing list. For example, if you’re a fitness consultant, your Valentine’s Day promotion may be, “Get fit for your Valentine this February; receive six one-hour consults for the price of only four.” Approach a nutritionist who distributes a monthly e-newsletter and ask her to promote your special offer. In return, you’ll promote her offer in one of your customer communications. When piggybacking, always join forces with complementary businesses, whereby they’re not competing with you, but their customers’ concerns and buying behaviors are similar to your customers.

#2 -- Piggyback onto office or retail space. Why sign a long-term lease? Instead, approach a complementary business and offer to pay a small one-time rental fee to display your products during Valentine’s Day in their popular, high-foot traffic location.

#3 -- Piggyback onto social networks. If you have an active Facebook page, Instagram, or another active social channel and you know of neighboring or complementary businesses that do as well, approach the owner and suggest that you cross-promote each other on your respective social channels. This strategy is most effective when you have something special and unique going on that also has a nearing expiration date. Otherwise, there’s no reason for a fan or Instagrammer to take immediate action. For example, if you’re an upscale restaurant offering a unique Valentine’s Day culinary experience, approach high-end clothing stores, limousine services, jewelry stores, and other upscale businesses whose customers share similar demographics and psychographics to yours.

#4 -- Contact the human resources department of large businesses. Offer to participate in their vendor days -- a time when outside third-party businesses are allowed to display their products and services to employees. This activity is becoming increasingly popular at large businesses, who promote vendor days as a company perk. They’re primarily organized during popular shopping seasons, bringing the convenience of shopping right to the workplace.

Attract more customers this Valentine’s Day season. Check out my Kindle eBook, Email Marketing, Subject Lines that Sell. It’s packed with Valentine’s Day subject lines that inspire readers to click and buy.

Learn more about Valentine’s Day marketing and Marketing Consultant, Sharron Senter, at her website, www.SharronSenter.com.

Have you experienced success with a piggybacking strategy? Help other small businesses. Share your piggybacking tips in the comments section below.