Under-the-Radar Marketing
by Amy Detwiler

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About how many marketing messages do you think consumers are exposed to on a given day? It all depends on what you consider to be marketing messages. Everyone can pretty much agree that radio spots, newspaper and magazine ads, Yellow Pages ads, bus benches, and billboards all constitute advertising. Junk mail, e-mail and telephone calls surely must be included in the mix.
Consider, too, the unusual placement for some marketing messages. Grocery carts, bathroom stalls, paper receipts and, yes, golf holes have become spots for businesses to grab your attention.
If you include “impressions” in your definition of marketing messages the number skyrockets. Impressions can be defined as glances at building logos, vehicle signage, T-shirts, product labels, or trademarks on actual products such as cars, computers, clothing, etc.

Meetings and discussions can be forms of subtle advertising. The ubiquitous water cooler conversation about the restaurant where you ate this weekend or the sweater you bought.
Depending on exactly how you define advertising, it is estimated that Americans are exposed to between 300 and 3,000 marketing messages per day. Not too long ago, DMNews magazine hypothesized that each of us sees more ads in one year alone than people of 50 years ago saw in a lifetime.

And, it’s reported that, on a global level, companies spend more than $620 billion per year persuading us to want and buy their products.

The question becomes how do you cut through the message clutter of companies far bigger and richer than you and still communicate with your target market?

Some inflatable rental company owners are finding that marketing smarter, not harder (or more expensive) works just fine for them.

Heidi Schulz of Delavan, Wis.’s Life of the Party Rentals is a single mom who works the business with her “very responsible” 15-year-old son Jeremy. Schulz has invested in traditional advertising such as business cards and flyers with “tear-off” strips. Schulz says, “Everywhere you can put a business card, I put one there.” However, some of her more unique approaches have paid off just as well or better.

Schulz’s community hosts an annual Christmas parade. Within her inventory she has a costumed character and she persuaded Jeremy to “don the duds” and march along. He handed out goodie bags with a business card, candy and a coupon. Schulz says the phone started ringing in the spring when the weather allowed that effort to pay off.

Schulz recommends inexpensive giveaways as a way to market and be remembered. She’s invested in Mardi Gras beads that include her business name and phone number. “Kids love them and never throw them away. My message and contact information is hanging around that house for months!” Schulz also has had T-shirts made with her logo and Web site to present to the birthday child at parties she works.

Aim High Moonwalk’s Camilla Motte’s “traditional” advertising is what you would expect. “We market through our Web site and turn up on lots of Internet searches. Word of mouth has served us well and, of course, we use car magnets.” Her not-so-traditional advertising, however, might seem like a whole lot more about play than profit. Motte tells us it’s both.

As the mom of two budding athletes, 8-year-old Joshua and 5-year-old Wendi, Motte supports her kids by cheering from the bleachers. Aim High Moonwalks supports them and their fellow teammates by sponsoring the team. “The business name gets put on the back of the uniform shirts and we hang a banner at the games,” said Motte. “Not only is it a worthwhile marketing strategy, but it helps the kids in a very direct way.”

Motte also suggests that fellow inflatable rental company owners expand their idea of marketing. Marketing, she says, encompasses the way you work your business on a day-to-day basis. “There’s no substitute for bringing safe, clean jumps to a party. That’s a clear marketing message that is passed on by word of mouth.”

When it comes to marketing Rob Weinstein of Funtastic Jumps really likes to drive the message home… literally. Weinstein’s delivery van is wrapped in bold, beautiful graphics that include his logo, photos of the bounces on offer and his phone number. He chose an easy-to-remember number, 232-JUMP, precisely because his traveling message may grab attention, but at 55 mph. “As a consumer, I’ve found word-phone numbers kind of obnoxious, but it’s memorable and that’s what counts,” said Weinstein. “Once they’ve found me I’ll be sure to maintain the connection.”
Weinstein has taken a very businesslike approach to his other marketing endeavors. Weinstein advertises in a local children’s newspaper, and he says it has paid off nicely. He’s also focused on branding. “Before I got in this business, I did a lot of research. I talked to people who’d rented inflatables in the past. Very few could tell me the company they’d used.” Weinstein says he concentrates on making sure his company is firmly branded in the minds of his target market.
Web-focused efforts for Weinstein include search engine optimization and the purchase of some Google ad words. He’s also added online reservations to his site. “Some people just don’t want to talk to a person. I’ve made it so they can ‘do-it-themselves’ on my site.”

Lastly, Weinstein has appealed to the good old-fashioned love for a bargain. “I pass out postcards at the events. Next to the photos and contact information is a coupon for a discount on their next rental.” Human nature being what it is, few people want to lose an opportunity to save money the second time around. Funny, isn’t it, these same people are bombarded by million-dollar marketing messages everyday, but the one thing that hangs around is a paper coupon and the promise of another fun day with the family.

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