Specialized Advertising Opportunities

Trade shows are essential to some types of wholesale and manufacturing businesses. Display design, booth location and pre- as well as post-show mailings are carried to high degrees of sophistication (and expense). A small business person thinking of using this form of advertising would do well to contact the trade or professional association for his or her industry and also to pick up a copy of How to Participate Profitably in Trade Shows, by Robert Konikow, published by Dartnell.

Tie-ins with another business, co-op ad reimbursements from suppliers whose products you sell, and frequent buyer clubs are all becoming more prevalent in the current advertising environment. One of the emerging trends these days is for businesses to accept or even solicit the coupons of their competitors. Hardee's will almost always accept coupons from Burger King, Arby's and other competitive fast food chains. Accepting competitor coupons or meeting their discount offers is, when you think about it, an excellent way to retain customers without having to mount an expensive ad campaign to counter those of your competitors. Let them spend the money for the four-color free-standing inserts or the big display ad in the Sunday paper.