help with brainstorming

[CaptainCrunch]

Hello all, I thought I'd throw this thread out there, and see if anything came back.

As a few of you know, I'm the manager of business development for a IT services and procurement company here in Calgary. Now I've gone through the standard concepts of business development (ie cold calls, door to door drop offs of marketing materials, networking groups), and I'm not really getting the traction that I would like to see.

I don't really want to advertise because I've found that what we do dosen't garner great results from advertising, and its an expensive proposition for a relatively new company.

I'm looking for ways to get a larger exposure for what we do, and what services we can provide for the medium sized enterprise companies out there. I've also seen that Calgary just dosen't seem to have a lot in the way of trade shows that would work for us.

If anyone has some success stories or ideas that they would like to pass along, I would appreciate it.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Align your company with a worthy charity and sponsor a fundraising event.

[CaptainCrunch]

Align your company with a worthy charity and sponsor a fundraising event.

We've just bought a hole at a charity golf event, I'm hoping that this shakes something lose.

[jam26]

Join the Chamber of Commerce and participate in their networking events.

[CaptainCrunch]

Join the Chamber of Commerce and participate in their networking events.

For the most part the chamber networking events haven't been great, strictly from the point that the majority of the participants are financial planners, individual marketers, housepainters and gardners. I've gotten very little from them, in fact, I've given out far more leads then I recieved.

I'm going to go to one of the luncheon ones, but I have a feeling that its going to be the same thing.

I've done one for the PGIB, but its the same story, but the companies are on a smaller scale.

[Slava]

I have done everything that you've listed above and come up with very similar results to what you've listed. There are two things that have brought me most of my clientele; referrals (no shocker there), and just being involved in groups/organizations that I would be involved in regardless of my business.

People deal with their friends and people that they like. Networking groups (save for the CP one!!) are not really worth anything these days, and you're right advertising is very expensive and does not produce much in terms of results. I have another approach that we are trying out now...if it generates some good stuff then I'll let you know!

[JiriHrdina]

Align your company with a worthy charity and sponsor a fundraising event.

This is a good one but thought needs to be put in to how you are going to extract value from it. Having one's logo included amongst 30 others on the bottom of a poster does very little apart from a little good will.

Is there a way to have an innovative and prominent role in the event/cause that is a win for the charity while also giving you the necessary exposure to standout from the other supporters? That's the key question. Figure out that and becoming a part of a charity event can be great. But often companies don't and their role becomes nothing more than an altruistic donation (which by the way there is nothing wrong with)

[Reggie Dunlop]

This is a good one but thought needs to be put in to how you are going to extract value from it. Having one's logo included amongst 30 others on the bottom of a poster does very little apart from a little good will.

I was implying singular sponsorship.

And anything of this sort should be viewed as a long-term strategy. If the Captain is looking for instant results, then I'm afraid nothing short of gimmicks may be successful.

[JiriHrdina]

I was implying singular sponsorship.

And anything of this sort should be viewed as a long-term strategy. If the Captain is looking for instant results, then I'm afraid nothing short of gimmicks may be successful.

Ah yes. Agreed. Singular sponsorship is the way to go, and you're right - it does take a long-term perspective.

Gimmik wise Captain should hand out fuzzy dice. Fuzzy dice are highly under-rated.

[Reggie Dunlop]

I got it: Naked girl streaks Saddledome with company logo strategically placed!

[coolme]

Advertise and offer limited free services to prospective customers?

[Fozzie_DeBear]

Maybe keep your eye on the infoport events page www.infoport.ca for more targeted events...www.wirelessconnections.ca may be of interest

[PYroMaNiaC]

nm