Creative Ideas for Marketing a Service

Incorporate children into your marketing efforts to draw in families as potential clients.Office Girl image by sarkee from Fotolia.com

When searching for creative ideas to market your service, start by defining goals and targeting your potential clients. Efforts produce the desired results. Keep in mind that the current business trend is to look small and personal rather than corporate and uncaring. Ask your trusted friends, colleagues and customers for ideas; you might be amazed by the insight and intelligence in the people you see every day. Consider appearing less sales oriented and therefore more trustworthy. Be true to your personal and company ideals and focus on providing helpful information free of charge. Whatever you do, be memorable.

Send Thank-You Notes

Even with available technology, handwritten, personalized notes still create a more lasting impression. Displaying emotions in a positive way will provide a stronger personal connection to potential customers, according to Forty Agency, a marketing agency based in Chandler, Arizona. This can be easily implemented on a small scale via a thank-you note. If hesitant about sending a personalized card to a professional you have yet to officially meet, simply imagine how he will feel as he opens a card thanking him for his contributions to the community. He is more likely to read this handwritten note than an advertising flier sent by a faceless agency.

Volunteering for a nonprofit organization allows you to improve the world and meet valuable contacts at the same time. An upside is that there are no worries about rejection. Simply find a nonprofit that rings true to your values and ideals and hand out business cards freely to other volunteers as opportunities present themselves. Consider having a coupon or free trial offer on the back of the card for redemption.

Giving gifts shows you value your community connections. One option is to choose something helpful such as a flashlight or letter opener. Another option is to choose something meaningful to the recipient and personalize the gift. This could include tickets to someone's favorite sporting event or a goody bag full of tasty snacks. If feeling a little more whimsical, make it fun by finding inspiration on the calendar. Give them gifts on days such National Pickle Month and April Fool's Day.

Have an open house and incorporate an unexpected element. An open house can feel like a weekend celebration in the middle of the week. Fellow marketers and potential clients will attend to be informed. A family-oriented open house with entertainment and activities for children will draw people who may usually miss this type of event due to work or other responsibilities.

According to Forty Agency, "say something nobody else will." Depending on your career discipline, this could be your key to success. According to Judy Strauss, associate professor of marketing at the University of Nevada, "The more you reveal, the better people like and trust you,"