So take a timed 5-minute walk in every direction from your premises. Note what that includes: shops, offices, houses, pubs, hotels, car parks, transport. The works. It is an indisputable fact that a high proportion of the people within even that very immediate catchment area don't go past your shop, many don't even know you're there and most don't know what services you offer, what products you sell.

Get to know your neighbours

If you're an active member of the local Chamber of Commerce or a councillor, you may already know all your business neighbours. But it's much likelier that you only know your immediate neighbours - and then not very well. Yet these are small business owners and managers, some of them distinctly successful. Go and introduce yourself. There will have been occasions when they've considered printwear, but not known who to buy from. You should be the first person they ask and of course the quid pro quo applies too.

Networking like this is good for business in the long-term anyway but you aren't just being nicey-nicey, you're actively seeking business. Mention all the classic prompts that can drive printwear sales: have they considered staff uniforms; do they run promotional offers; are they planning specific events; are they going to exhibit at a show; do they get involved with local charities, carnivals etc. I should add that asking for that business opportunity might be better as a follow-up contact to the initial meeting, otherwise you come across as a door-knocking salesman.

Invite them to pop in any time and just see what you're doing - the coffee pot is always on! A mixture of natural curiosity, occasional boredom and the need for a friendly face when they're disgruntled will drive visits. If they have never bought printwear, they are quite likely wholly unaware of the huge range that's now available. Remember what you do for a living is interesting and entirely relevant. Having had the ice broken they should want to visit you.

Can you turn your product or service into an additional business opportunity for one of those neighbours? Sports shops can offer team or individual strips. An independent travel agent could offer "tour" shirts to the groups who travel together - even for families. A car accessory shop could offer to put logos on shirts for the local boy racers - not just the car logos but the alloy wheels and others.

You may feel that some business categories you're already on top of, pubs, restaurants and hotels being a classic case. Are you sure? A pub near me has had five managers in six years.

In the States they have a lovely phrase "let's all get rich together". So think American! If your immediate locality includes other related businesses you have a fine opportunity. If there's a printer and a designer, say, all of you want to reach the same people. If you do it together, you can significantly reduce the cost of printed materials and tip-ins to the local paper whilst improving the quality at the same time. The customer could visit all of you on the same morning.

Especially where you have large office premises within your 5-minute catchment area you'll obviously want to make yourself known to the sales and marketing team. But don't stop there. Talk to the personnel manager. Is there a staff newsletter you could be featured in? Could you put a leaflet on everybody's desk? Is there a staff noticeboard where you can publicise yourself? Look out for these pin boards - plenty are free and none cost much. For instance, is there a library or college on your patch?

"You're less than five minutes from corporate clothing." I would suggest this approach to any 5-minute marketing activity. Note the 'less than'; it covers the whole area. In your visits to other businesses, you may notice poster sites, especially bus shelter sites that could direct customers to you. The provider's details will be on the site and you can buy just one. They're not expensive and could prove to be your best ever advert. In these cases you can be more precise about time: "less than one minute...".

Car parks (and any street-parked cars) are very tempting for a windscreen leaflet drop. Be extremely careful. First, the owners of the car park may have a policy of refusing to allow this - or they may charge (I would!). Secondly, the local council can fine you if your leaflets become a source of litter.

That said, this is an ideal application of the 5-minute principle. To encourage drivers to keep your leaflet, and thereby stop the litter issue at source, you could offer an incentive. How about "You're less than 5 minutes from new business and the chance to win two cinema tickets". To enter the draw they put contact details on the reverse of the leaflet and drop it in to your showroom. It is a mechanism for driving visits and because it's very easy to do (they are, after all, less than 5 minutes away) it gets results. Especially because of that threat of a fine and because you want to be well regarded locally, rather than seen as a litter lout, I recommend you leaflet small areas and make a point of going back to clear up any discarded leaflets later. Yes, it's a pain, but it's worth it - people will see you being responsible and that will enhance your other activities. That responsibility might even attract favourable local press coverage.

Another oddly contentious issue is A-boards. OK blocking the pavement is unreasonable but the A-board issue seems to cause more aggro between retailers than just about anything. But if the space is there, definitely use it. You can also think of where else to place a board with a direction sign on it. That nearby car park would be ideal. Ask the owner.

Do you have a railway station on your patch? They all have daily commuters. Gut feeling tells me that leafleting rail commuters will work better in the morning than the evening. You have a decent chance that they'll read it first thing and you can pick up immediate business. I could see the 5-minute message working very nicely in relation to staff uniforms or up-coming exhibitions. Meetings to discuss such issues are usually held early. Don't ignore the possibility of taking an advertising space at the station (trains aren't always on time, they tell me).

Don't you just love traffic jams? No? Well, start! If you have a traffic jam going past or near your premises at 5pm or so, you have access to customers. Stand on a traffic island giving your leaflet to those poor, bored drivers as they edge past you. It might be good to stay open until 6pm on those days.

So there you have it. Marketing opportunities are closer than you think and needn't take up hours of your time, or bundles of cash! Next time you go out, take five minutes to see for yourself.

Paul Clapham is a marketing consultant with over 25 years' experience covering a broad range of business sectors and a full spread of marketing disciplines. He runs his own business, working with small, medium and large companies alike to increase their profitability through marketing.

Tel:01453 765432

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