Any Marketing Ideas?

[Emo6126]

Hi everyone,

I last posted a thread about fear of success......well lets just say I got over it and have launched my business!! Now I am deep into the marketing part. I would love to get everyone's opinion on my thoughts and if you have any thoughts let me know!

A bit of background on my business without giving too much info is that I invented a fitness product and the last year and a half I have spent developing, manufacturing, patenting, creating a company...etc

I first want to say I love word of mouth and marketing from the bottom. I like the idea of creating a buzz about something.

• My first marketing idea and I have already started is I have been contacting blogs that have a decent following and are in the same field as my product. I have already sent them my product to review and blog about and in return I am writing guest blogs in fitness for them.
• My other ideas are of course to build a facebook presents with likes and with twitter........My question to everyone is what else can I do with this, I know likes are good, but how do i convert those likes into sales
• I though about placing an ad on toilet paper in gyms and colleges, but I am not 100% on the idea, but what can it hurt.
• I just so happen to work in a gym with a TON of connections to other gyms and major TV networks and newspapers.........so I am in the mist of bartering personal training for a mention in any media
• I will be on MSNBC your business. I was lucky enough to have a great question while I was at the NY business expo
• I gave one to all my friends and asked them to work out with them
• I want to give them out to local sports teams and contacting coachs
• My latest idea, was to go into gyms for free trials and working out with the device....then "forgetting" it in the gym. I figure a trainer or a member might "steal" it and then share the product with their friends or coworkers..............any thoughts?

I don't want to spend a fortune on marketing and I am only a single person to do real guerrilla marketing.

I just feel like I a missing something or is marketing trial and error?

 

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[Likwid24]

What part of Brooklyn are you from? I'm in Staten Island. I have some ideas. I just created a product for the painting industry. I'm a little tired to write all my ideas out now. Can't think straight. Lol.

I'll write back tomorrow. For now, check out my thread and see if you can pull any ideas from what I have done so far.

https://www.thefastlaneforum.com/fastlane/30969-my-path-fastlane.html

 

[The-J]

I'm pretty stuck on marketing as well. All of the people who used my service are people I contacted directly. As far as I know, marketing is not trial and error but instead about (1) knowing who to contact (2) knowing where to contact them and (3) knowing how to contact them.

I've had a few traffic ideas, one was a big hit (did 10k hits in two days, but this was before I had anything to sell *facepalm*). What I really need is front page traffic.

An acquaintance of mine is getting media appearances from all angles. Fox Business, BBC, I have no idea how he's doing it. Connections, maybe? Paying for press releases (which I will gladly do)?

I'm thinking of going for a controversial angle, a polarizing one. Since I deal with plastic surgery, it's very easily polarized. A lot of people believe it's evil. I, personally, don't. I spend lots of time brainstorming but never end up with a plan of action.

 

[PatrickP]

Why are you concerned about giving out too much info seeing as how you have a patent.

If it were me I would be screaming from the roof tops, posting links here, telling everyone about it.

I don't understand.

Who is your target market?

Do people who already have a gym membership really want/need a piece of workout equipment?

Are their similar products to yours? Find out how they reach their customers.

Before you spent all that time and money how did you think you would reach your target market?

Did you do anything to presell to see if there is any demand for the product?

 

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[Emo6126]

Hey PatrickP, I have no problem sharing my idea at all, just trying to stick to the forum rules, but if it is okay with everyone Ill share it.............




the product is the only one of its kind

The product is more of an accessory to aid in and enhance a workout

When I first started I figured I would reach people with word of mouth. I didnt really know much about marketing and until polishing off a few books....I know a lot more, that is why I know have all these ideas and am looking for more along with feedback

I attempted presale, but I didnt market it, so not really a presale, and i recently ran into some production problems, that took up a lot of my time...so now I am all in to marketing.

 

[PatrickP]

Ok cool.

So target market is people who workout with weights?

If so go to gyms and ask if you can do a demo and then give them one for free to sell at the gym.

Is it small enough to fit on a counter display?

I have owned a number of gyms and a health club if I can help in some way just let me know.

It is pretty tough to give marketing advice without knowing what the product is.

 

[moonjun]

Hi everyone,

I last posted a thread about fear of success......well lets just say I got over it and have launched my business!! Now I am deep into the marketing part. I would love to get everyone's opinion on my thoughts and if you have any thoughts let me know!

A bit of background on my business without giving too much info is that I invented a fitness product and the last year and a half I have spent developing, manufacturing, patenting, creating a company...etc

I first want to say I love word of mouth and marketing from the bottom. I like the idea of creating a buzz about something.

• My first marketing idea and I have already started is I have been contacting blogs that have a decent following and are in the same field as my product. I have already sent them my product to review and blog about and in return I am writing guest blogs in fitness for them.
• My other ideas are of course to build a facebook presents with likes and with twitter........My question to everyone is what else can I do with this, I know likes are good, but how do i convert those likes into sales
• I though about placing an ad on toilet paper in gyms and colleges, but I am not 100% on the idea, but what can it hurt.
• I just so happen to work in a gym with a TON of connections to other gyms and major TV networks and newspapers.........so I am in the mist of bartering personal training for a mention in any media
• I will be on MSNBC your business. I was lucky enough to have a great question while I was at the NY business expo
• I gave one to all my friends and asked them to work out with them
• I want to give them out to local sports teams and contacting coachs
• My latest idea, was to go into gyms for free trials and working out with the device....then "forgetting" it in the gym. I figure a trainer or a member might "steal" it and then share the product with their friends or coworkers..............any thoughts?

I don't want to spend a fortune on marketing and I am only a single person to do real guerrilla marketing.

I just feel like I a missing something or is marketing trial and error?

Hi, congrats on starting your business. I'll just share with you what
I think you can do for your marketing.

Word of mouth is good only when your product is GREAT. So instead
of relying just on organic referral, have a formalised referral program/system
in place.
-pay people commission when they refer someone to buy your product.
make it known to ALL your customers and your network.

-have your product placed in all the gyms you can connect with, let gym
goers to use it for FREE. Then ask gym owners if you can put information
about your products in the gym. Also pay them commission or for a fee,
depending on how you want to do it.

-have a photo taking contest on your facebook. Example: people to take photo
with your products and a short caption on why they like your product. Best photo
with best caption wins something. MAKE IT FUN

-sell your products to GYMS in BULK, if you can convince them of your product's value.
of course, if they're buying in bulk, you should have discount for them.

-make videos for video sites such as youtube and dailymotions, link them back to your sites.

-Do guess blog posts, definitely.


My 2 cents. hope you find them useful.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

just trying to stick to the forum rules,

Feel free to post a link ... it will probably help us brainstorm for marketing ideas.

Based on the list above, it sounds like you are well into a good strategy.

 

[Emo6126]

Thanks MJ

so here it is:

my product is a rotating shinguard for dead-lifting. When testing users not only found that it stopped them from scraping their shins but it also helped improve form. With better form it took a lot of leverage off the lower back and allowed them to lift heavier weights

The users also found it was great for a thin neck pad during a squat instead of the big bulky ones and also a clavical pad for front squats. One guy used it as a knee pad for abs by opening it up.......all the other uses came from my original testers

I guess to add and possibly a marketing angle is that once used...they always used it......it was some sort of mental fear of the pain from scraping their shins


So their is the product. Here is my site BADKALLUS | DEAD X

I did all the site design, logo design,video and pics myself to save on upfront costs

Along with my original questions as to what ideas people might have to market the product and what people think of my current ideas to market it here are some other questions that came to my mind this morning are..........


My original goal was to build a brand and market a product. I feel that my message is somewhat distorted...what does everyone think?

Is my product name or company name to intimating or misunderstood?

Should I focus on the product more and then the brand or brand then product? I have a few other product ideas in the pipeline, but I only want to focus on this one. That is why branding is important to me.

Moonjun....I thought about a facebook where people send me a pic of their bloody shins to win a free one. On a side note with facebook is I dont feel like when I post things that the people who liked the page are interacting

 

[PatrickP]

Did you get my PM?

 

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[100k]

Whats the product?

It would help if we knew what you had invented

Social media, youtube video, SEO, craigslist, contact local news channels ask them to do a report on you ....radio stations .... and maybe consider Joint Venturing with someone that has a big gym list / access to your demographics.

 

[Mike39]

Mobile site could use some updating, I got a menu for coffee/tea products haha. The regular site looks good, I would remove the "Made in China" from the "Designed by BADKALLUS in New York, Made in China" a the bottom of the page.

Whats the product?

It would help if we knew what you had invented

Social media, youtube video, SEO, craigslist, contact local news channels ask them to do a report on you ....radio stations .... and maybe consider Joint Venturing with someone that has a big gym list / access to your demographics.

It's a pad to wrap around the bar for deadlifting and a pad for squats.

 

[Likwid24]

Whats the product?

It would help if we knew what you had invented

Click on the link in his post.

 

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[Likwid24]

Looks like a great product. I'm in. I would love to give it a shot since my favorite workouts are deadlifts and squats. I would also take any advice from PatrickP since he's a fitness buff (like myself).

BTW- I might be able to hook you up with a new manufacturer that I found in Canada. Close to Toronto. I'm in talks with him right now about getting my product produced much cheaper and it's only a few hours away. It's also a friend of a friend.

 

[Emo6126]

PatrickP ...just sent you PM

Thanks Mike39, I will take a look at the mobile site......I developed it with html 5 so it could be seen on mobile devices. I will also remove that made in china.

 

[snowbank]

the last year and a half I have spent developing, manufacturing, patenting, creating a company...etc

what exactly is the patent?

 

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[bernieshawn]

Send free samples to fitness publications -- Bodybuilding.com, powerlifting sites, muscle mags, fitness/health mags, etc. They publish product reviews pretty often so if you could get in those (and get a good review, of course) then you should get a ton of targeted exposure.

Example: http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sports_body_training_performance_consumer/stuff_we_like_volume_18

Edit: Also, look up fitness/bodybuilding/powerlifting/etc Youtube channels and ask if they'll do a video review if you send them the product.

(I love deadlifts, haha I'm so close to hitting my goal of 3x bodyweight!!)

 

[Emo6126]

Everyone's ideas are great! and I am writing them down into a list and taking action!!. Thank you guys!! keep em coming

just a side note...... it is finally nice to be in a place that is so helpful and genuine about it. Its nice to know I am not alone. Thx especially to PatrickP and Likwid. I hope that one day I can help someone who is my position and say "I've been there", "this is what you need to do"....

on anther side note: just got back from a diner..........I parked my car next to a Maserati........it was so sexy. When I went into the diner I sat near a window and waited to see who got into it. I thought it may be the diner owner whom I know of........wrong!!

The guy must have been in his 70's.........wealth in a wheelchair........this was some BIG motivation to keep on going

 

[TimFrancis]

Thanks MJ

So their is the product. Here is my site BADKALLUS | DEAD X

I did all the site design, logo design,video and pics myself to save on upfront costs

I bet you would get a bump in conversions if you added more credbility above the fold. Things like:
- number of customers solved
- endorsed by X
- studies show that
- etc.

...I'm just finding your product seems interesting (I do Crossfit 3x-4x per week, and I love deadlift workouts!), however your site makes me wonder if the product is high quality, and/or if it can trust it to appear in my mail if I order it.

(not saying I want you to explain the quality of your product here on this forum - probably best if you didn't - but rather I would like to *feel* the quality / credibility aspect more clearly from the site itself.)

Hope that helps,

Tim

 

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