Your Marketing Should Not Be A "One-Way Street."

I've got the good fortune of having a number of people on my Feeder Matrix team living in or around my neighborhood. You see, I live in urban Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York (there are 2.6 million individuals in New York City's most populous borough) and during the ordinary course of doing business, I happened to come across a few of them. That being the case, we were able to get together recently and took the team "offline" and into the streets, because it is SUMMER, you know, and as they say, "the living is easy."

We choose a Monday to do this activity (since it's the start of the week and I figured we could build off of the momentum). Meeting at 8AM, we gathered at the McDonald's on Empire Boulevard to have some breakfast and develop some strategies. Tee Low, from Flatlands, was already at the table when I arrived. I got an Egg-White McMuffin (trying to keep it healthy) and some coffee, and then we began to map out our course of action. Shortly thereafter husband and wife Alvin and Regina (from Brownsville) walked through the doors, ordered their food, and the four of us put our heads together. The local Medgar Evers College of the City University of New York, was a few blocks away and we wanted to target students as well as the community. Also joining the group was Will Right and his daughter Bianca, a young college student herself, coming in from Long Island, who got stuck in traffic on the Belt Parkway. Bianca was our "secret weapon" because students usually like to engage with other students and we figured that she would be "the face." And rounding out the bunch was Derrick from Flatbush. 

Some of the "Crew" at McDonald's: L-R, me, Regina, Alvin and Tee Low (with his big smile)

Armed with our flyers, business cards and tear-offs, we made it up to the college. On our way there we spoke to people who were walking around the campus or were parked nearby in their cars, about the benefits of starting a home-based business, and the low-entry cost of joining our Feeder Matrix Team. People were receptive and it was great to engage with the first batch of folks. 

L-R, Tee Low, Alvin, Regina, Bianca and Will.

Regina with a driver parked in his car.

 Me. grabbing the attention of a student.

At the college, either Alvin or Regina mentioned the possibility that we might get "shoo-ed" away from the front of the building, so Alvin took the lead by going to speak with security. And sure enough they were correct. We couldn't distribute material at or near any entrance of the campus. So we were told to move across the street. By then Derrick, in his 3-piece business suit and with his clipboard (unintentionally making the rest of  us feel a little "under-dressed,") joined the group. Bianca followed some young women into a bodega as Regina borrowed tape from the owner so that Will, her dad, could put his tear-offs on a nearby pole. And "Gentle Giant" Tee Low, began to approach men as they walked by. All of us were getting our footing with this "street approach to marketing." And when we hit our "stride," there was at least one of us always engaging someone on the sidewalk.  

Regina, Alvin and Derrick with Hat Lady. Loved it!

Tee Low, breaking it down.

Will, Bianca, Alvin Derrick and a member of the community.

By 11:30AM, we moved to the Prospect Park subway station and Tee Low was able to give out his materials which consisted of an application form with information on Feeder Matrix and a "self-addressed stamped envelope." He would tell the prospect that he didn't want to "hold them up," but wanted to get them "information that may be of interest" that they could read while either on or waiting for the train. I loved his technique!

It was a beautiful day to be outdoors. And we realized that marketing our business didn't have to be a one-way street. You can market online or "do it ol skool" and take it offline, but no matter what, we are marketers, who after taking a "brutal beating" with the cold weather this winter, decided to get some much needed sunshine and take our business OUT to the community. It was a success. We planted seeds. And we look forward to doing it again. Maybe even next week!

To find out how you can join our Brooklyn Feeder Matrix Street T.E.A.M., click on the link below and friend and/or message me on Facebook. And if you're a part of the Feeder Matrix family and have a group of local marketers in your community, don't be afraid to "take it the streets," because TOGETHER, EVERYONE ACHIEVES MORE!

Ciao for now,

Lynn Hamilton
Business Developer | Growth Coach
917-830-7440
click here to find me on Facebook

#onlinemarketing #offlinemarketing