SNARING PROSPECTS IN A COMMERCIAL BUILDING WITH A PLACARD

A small service business was hidden away at the back of an office building with little walk-by traffic and no chance to place a business sign that passers-by would notice. He decided to promote where no one had previously done so.

He asked the building superintendent to allow him to place a poster-sized sign on an easel in the lobby. The building supervisor worried that everyone in the building would want the same arrangement and he didn't want to have to deal with that hassle. But the small business owner kept the heat on and suggested that they test the sign to see if what he worried about came to pass.

The small service business was right. They put up a sign on an easel in the building and no one else asked for one. So, the business owner got to keep his sign in the lobby and was able to prospect inexpensively with the many daily visitors to the office building.

This approach has been used by some small businesses without asking permission from the building manager. It seems that in loosely managed buildings the managers don't even notice a signage. And if they do, they don't seem to care or do anything about it. However, in strictly managed buildings, the managers notice, but in half the cases allow the sign to exist anyway.

Key Marketing Questions
if you do a sign , make sure you answer these three questions:

1. What do you do? The answer is a business function checklist of services so passers-by may determine if they want or need what you're selling and come into your office.

2. Why buy from you rather than someone else? One or two strong points of differentiation are needed. Could be convenience and price or quicker turnaround and ability to meet face-to-face, etc.

3. How do I get in touch with you? List your phone, e-mail and suite or office number. And, place business cards and/or brochures in a take-one Plexiglas holders on the front of the sign as a reminder. Particularly if they don't need your offerings today.