Giving away free banners and stands.

[JgS]

I have some family friends that sell locally grown foods (cheese, wine, candies, salsa, and things like that). Every week they set up tables at grocery stores and farmers markets. As of right now they don’t have a budget for signs.

They get a lot of traffic at their table and I am considering giving them free banners and stands in hopes to boost my marketing. The plan would be to give them the top 4’ of the banner and use the bottom foot to advertise my shop.

Has anyone done anything like this? Does it work, or am I opening a can of worms? What should I say? “This sign donated by”, “provided by”, “friends of”, or nothing at all? Thanks.

 

[mark galoob]

if you want to donate to a worthy cause, just donate to it, dont try to make money off it by advertising on their stuff, its bad form. and it wont work, you wont make enough to justify doing it.

mark galoob

 

[ddarlak]

i don't think it's cheesy at at....

give them what they need and then give them a banner for you. they can hang both, great exposure for you.

i wouldn't say anything about donated, you don't want to advertise that you donate signs...

your payment is their lugging around and displaying your advertisement.

 

[Mosh]

Here is what I have found...people will see that and want you to "sponsor" them too...
Are you just going for the low-end customers at the Co-op, hippies ain't gots any money fool....

 

[SD&F]

I do donate signs to local charities or organizations(veterans, police, humane society....) that come to me asking for donations($). I don't see any referrals from it, but I'm doing a little bit for the cause.

 

[Tim Aucoin]

Agree with ddarlak AND mosh...
Good idea, but separate your "ad" from their banner. Give them a separate banner that is strictly YOU. If you have your ad on their banner, people will definitely assume you donated it and bug you to do the same for them. A separate banner is different. For all anyone knows, you are paying them to have your banner there... but it's less likely they will think it's a donation thing.

 

[gabagoo]

I see nothing wrong with splitting the banner up and running a blurb about yourself....heck they won't argue with free banner stands!!! do it...just don't put donated on it or you will be looking for freeloaders

 

[JgS]

Mosh, you made me laugh.

I guess I should mention that even though these are good friends I don't consider this charity. I am just trying to find a way to advertise in different markets.

 

[mgcustomgraphics]

yeap sponsoring will get nothing but more sponsor requests... ( just reality ) self experience

 

[MikePro]

+1 to if you say "donated by" you're just increasing your donation requests.
if you do it, just make an ad, and make it a good one... 18"/42" sounds better. 1' isn't much. also make sure to stop-in and see if they haven't "accidentally" stacked cases of product in front of your ad space

 

[Craig Sjoquist]

A big word here was family & friends.
Meaning doing a sign advertisement for them is all on you, your commitment to there hopeful success.
That's family & friends sticky together, glad you are even thinking of it.

But I would also make a good sized sign advertisement for self, placed in secondary prime spot, after all you are family & friends.

Not to worry friends of mine are glad to have me advertise on there trucks & property fences, it helped sell a truck for one & got me a few paid jobs within 3 months, with 2-12" X 24" magnetic's.