Page 101 - 101 Ways to Market Your Business

101 WAYS TO MARKET YOUR BUSINESS

34 Use a blackboard to get attention

Not long ago I was driving to a friend’s house for a
barbecue. On the way I noticed a huge blackboard on the
side of the road outside a local nursery. On the blackboard
a message was written: ‘Wanted—One wife. Please apply
inside.’ I thought that this was hilarious and obviously a
joke of some sort.

A few days later I picked up the paper and the sign
and the man who wrote it were on the front page. That
night he was on the news. He really was looking for a wife
and he decided to make his intentions rather public. His
nursery received so much free publicity that I was almost
embarrassed. In the end he found a wife and everyone was
happy. All of this happened because of his blackboard on
the side of the road. Every time I drive past his business I
have to chuckle.

Blackboards instil a sense of spontaneity and value.
They are generally used to indicate a special or some other
item of interest that changes regularly—hence the need for
the blackboard. Restaurants use the blackboard very effec-
tively with most of us being aware of the specials board
that tends to be carted from one side of the restaurant to
the other throughout the day.

You can use blackboards to the same effect in any
business. Put one inside your shop to indicate a daily
special. Put a blackboard on the wall outside your business
to highlight a new product or a special service. Perhaps
make a small sandwich board into a blackboard and put it
out the front of your business to draw attention to yourself.
Boating companies often put the day’s forecast on a black-
board along with a small subliminal message such as
sunscreen and refreshments can be purchased on board.

Blackboards are an inexpensive way to get your message
across. Remember though that nothing looks worse than a
blackboard that looks like it has been written on by a

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