Looking for advertising suggestions

If it does NOT violate the forum rules...
Have a drawing here for a few free ones to be given away to the Brethren (no idea what it costs you to build or make your product). I am assuming it is a gadget or gizmo of some kind and not a cooker. We post reviews/opinions of everything we buy anyway. This way you get some advertising and we get a chance to win something.

besides the traditional advertising methods maybe think about doing a giveaway of a dozen or so of the product and make/allow the winners to post about it. first hand knowledge and opinions of somehting from someone other than it's creator are very compelling.

so feel free to send me one and I will use it and provide a non-biased review of it and post it on my blog as well as on social media.

Facebook ads that are targeted to a specific demographic (i.e. people who like BBQ, beer, cooking, etc.). You can set your own budget. I use them for our business and they work really well. Can be done for as little as $3-5 a day.

Also, Shane is spot on in his idea about getting it into our hands. I would be more than willing to do a test drive and review for you Or, give them away as throwdown prizes.

I may can assist. I sold print advertising for years in national titles that had "PAID" subscribers that were "AUDITED". If you were to consider print advertising you want to ask for a "media kit" and ask for the # of paid subscribers they have. Then ask who handles their Audit. There are tons of periodicals that give their title away or bulk mail them to everyone. You want targeted marketing, and you get that when someone is paying for a title. You might be shocked to find the price of an ad in a title that fits the desired target audience. I was selling full page ads for 25k per issue in monthly titles. Those days are gone due to digital media ( no complaint ). Still print advertising that is worth it can/will be costly. You might ask for remnant space for a break. You could also provide your product to an editor and have them review it. Some will and some wont. We called that whoreing out a title. You can see it it done heavily today. I have no idea what you product is, but I can tell you it doesnt matter when it comes to marketing. If you have no sales, you need to start by getting your product in professional end users so they can critque it for you. You need real feedback that is non-biased. Then you can do smaller targets to launch your product, get some momentum and get about a years numbers under your belt. Use social networking, buy space on targeted digital media ( websites/forums). If it is BBQ related you should be at all of the bigger competitions and demoing your item. Hire good looking help when you do that. It will do you no good to get in a "big box" if you are unable to fund the order. Most will require you to inventory a pre-agreed upon qty of the product, and get ready for the returns. So when you return something to Home Depot "no questions asked" they just send it back to YOU. They then take a credit on their OPEN invoice from you. I have seen people do PO financing, but that is harder and harder to do with a big box. I hope your product is as good as you believe it to be, and wish you the best. In all honesty you have a long way to, and it will take a great deal of work, and money to get there. That is one of the greatest things about the USA. Everyone has a shot.

You could always try Shark Tank!

I am much more inclined to buy something that someone I know has NO interest in the product has used and reviewed. I'd suggest you find a way to get your product in the hands of known, respected users of this (and one or two other respected) forum(s) and simply ask that they do honest reviews of it. The best example in my own world is the KickAsh basket ... I have never seen an ad for it, but I bought it because of positive, honest, unpaid reviews.

ITBFQ said:

Got me wondering what the heck this thing is! I can't think of anything else I "need" to cook my Q.

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landarc said:

Well, and that is the point, most all of us don't NEED any more that what we already own, and most of us own more than we ever needed to begin with. For a BBQ product to really take off, I think it has to be a WANT. And a pretty decent 'want' at that.

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I have to agree with ITBFQ and Landarc....

When I first started out many years ago, I bought items that other people liked or thought were good. The reality to the items, they were nice toys but not anything to rave about. Later I continued to buy items because they were cute or seemed like a good Idea.

I had saved these items for years and many were never used. Recently I have passed them on to friends or sold them online. Now I have less stuff in my drawers and I am happy because selling the items allowed me to buy more meat to put in my freezer.

Any item I would consider buying would have to be something beneficial, something practical, as well as something that I would want to use.
(IE: I have seen many pork pulling contraptions, yes they work, but they shred the pork rather than pull it. Not my cup of tea, I prefer to offer large strands of pulled pork. I prefer to use my gloved hands to pull it apart, once you have done it a few time, it only takes a couple minutes to use your hands and get the type of product your customers desire.)

That said, out of curiosity, I'd be interested in see what it is and what it does.

BobBrisket said:

On another note, this is why we ask people to Report a post and then........let US handle it. Also, we shouldn't jump to conclusions and air them publicly. Assumptions aren't always correct, and in many cases alienate new members and leave bad tastes in people's mouths. Not to mention, it creates work on our end by having to break it up.
Let us do the Moderating. We would greatly appreciate it!

Welcome, Boom!


Bob

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"Also, we shouldn't jump to conclusions and air them publicly."


Plus......it makes yer legs tired (jumping to conclusions, I mean)


Thanks for the clear mod !!!!

Well, Congratulations on your new product. Hope it works out for you. And it is 2014. So social media is huge. Get it on Twitter, Facebook and spread the word. I'd also get that product on Amazon and if it's as good as you say it is, they will write about it. One thing Amazon does have are people who do review many products and when I purchase anything on there, if the reviews are great, I'm getting it. So definitely give that a shot. Plug that website and you should be on your way. Good luck buddy.

landarc said:

Well, and that is the point, most all of us don't NEED any more that what we already own, and most of us own more than we ever needed to begin with. For a BBQ product to really take off, I think it has to be a WANT. And a pretty decent 'want' at that.

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I agree with Bob. It needs to be a want more than a need, but I don't know what the product is..... It could be a need that I didn't know I needed. lol

Having said that, I laughed when years ago someone suggested offering outdoor cooking classes. Had NO idea anyone would be interested in BBQ cooking classes. Boy was I wrong. :laugh:

Garyclaw said:

I suggest you post it in our venders forum and then send one to Cowgirl.:-D

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Thanks Gary, I don't mind reviewing cooking items but I am honest. If I don't like them I don't back them. (a BBQ crockpot cookbook comes to mind)

RaguJr said:

Well, Congratulations on your new product. Hope it works out for you. And it is 2014. So social media is huge. Get it on Twitter, Facebook and spread the word. I'd also get that product on Amazon and if it's as good as you say it is, they will write about it. One thing Amazon does have are people who do review many products and when I purchase anything on there, if the reviews are great, I'm getting it. So definitely give that a shot. Plug that website and you should be on your way. Good luck buddy.

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Good ideas. Word gets out fast on Facebook and Twitter.


Congrats to the OP, good luck with your venture. :thumb:

After reading through this, I believe that you've been given some sage advice! The one common denominator, and my opinion, is to get this into the hands of people that will spread the word for you. There are not many BBQ mags out there but there are many people with youtube channels on BBQ. Check out their subscription numbers and send your product to them. If they like it, their subs will HAVE to have one!! Good luck, I love to see people rewarded for their inventiveness and perseverance!:clap2: