Tips on Successful Cross Promotion

Summer is a good time to execute a collaborative effort between you and another business or organization on a cross promotion. If you are a upscale restaurant consider partnering with a boutique who wants to produce a fashion show in your lounge. If you are a fast casual concept with fundraising programs available, consider reaching out to a local non profit for a fundraising night this summer. The purpose for both entities should be; a) tapping into each other's core customer base and making a personal connection, and b) for the purpose of providing value to each other's customers.
To get started, identify retail businesses that are non-competitive to your product or service and who share a similar customer base as you.

Here are some tips on implementing a successful cross promotion:

1. Promote the event at each of your business through small signage inside the four walls or small cards.


2. Each partner should commit to posting the event on Twitter, Facebook fan page, Yelp, e-mail database, and your website beginning 3 weeks prior to the event.


3. If budget allows, share ad space in your community newspaper. Or better yet, if there is a social page that pre-promotes events, write the reporter well in advance.


4. If the event is off-site, give out samples of your food. And hand out a special offer bouncing people back into your restaurant within a 2 week period.


5. Host a drawing for dinner for four. This will allow you to capture names to add to your social network and database. Most importantly, you can begin a real dialogue with new customers.

The success of a cross promotion is all in the execution; from pre-promotion to the night of the event to post stories. Take digital video of your event and post on YouTube, write about the night on Twitter the next day, post photos on your Facebook fan page, and send an e-mail to all in attendance thank them for participating.