Cross promotion is a form of advertising that involves two or more parties. It's a good way to have other people help you promote your music or product. What happens is each party helps to promote the other party's product or service. A good example of an effective cross promotion campaign would be Visa. They tend to use this technique a lot. What they do is mention a store or whatever in their commercials. Let's say it's a dot com. Yourname.com will make a good example. Their commercials will talk about all that you can buy on "Yourname.com," and what a great place it is for buying that product. Then their ads will mention the Visa credit card is some way, shape, or form. In turn, "Yourname.com" will recommend that their customers use their Visa cards to make any purchases from the website. There will probably also be ads, and maybe even credit applications.
There are several different forms of cross promotion, but this is the most common. Basically what you are doing is getting other companies to promote your product. There's really not a lot to it once everything is setup. The up coming Olympics is another example of cross promotions. Companies will help to promote the Olympics by calling themselves "Proud Sponsors of the 2002 Winter Olympics." In return, they will get to not only place ads and banners around the various events, but use the brand name of the Olympics to add credibility to their product.
This is a great way to promote your product, but it might not be as easy for the unsigned artist to get going. What you'll need is a radio station or music store to help you out. Set up some sort of cross promotion with one of these types of companies that will be mutually beneficial. If it's a music store, you could have them give away certain promotional items like T-shirts, key chains, etc. with each of your album sale. In return, you would display a banner or something at your shows.
With radio stations, you might be able to set up some sort of On Location spot. This will bring people into your shows, and also allows the radio station to give away their own promotional items. These are just simple examples. Unfortunately, I can't devise a plan for you. Some things you just have to do yourself.
The problem with cross promotions and indie artists is the fact that many of these companies won't take you seriously. You're probably going to have to prove to them that you can reach a decent sized audience. You're also going to have to prove that they will benefit from this deal. That will not be easy. The On Location spots with the radio stations may be a bit easier. You may have to pay for it, but it definitely will get people to your shows. If you are going to try this, prepare for a few let downs. This isn't easy to set up, but is definitely worth the time. Good luck
Offer a reduced price, special service, or convenience if customers buy products from you and your partner.
Print joint promotional messages on your receipts.
There are several different forms of cross promotion, but this is the most common. Basically what you are doing is getting other companies to promote your product. There's really not a lot to it once everything is setup. The up coming Olympics is another example of cross promotions. Companies will help to promote the Olympics by calling themselves "Proud Sponsors of the 2002 Winter Olympics." In return, they will get to not only place ads and banners around the various events, but use the brand name of the Olympics to add credibility to their product.
This is a great way to promote your product, but it might not be as easy for the unsigned artist to get going. What you'll need is a radio station or music store to help you out. Set up some sort of cross promotion with one of these types of companies that will be mutually beneficial. If it's a music store, you could have them give away certain promotional items like T-shirts, key chains, etc. with each of your album sale. In return, you would display a banner or something at your shows.
With radio stations, you might be able to set up some sort of On Location spot. This will bring people into your shows, and also allows the radio station to give away their own promotional items. These are just simple examples. Unfortunately, I can't devise a plan for you. Some things you just have to do yourself.
The problem with cross promotions and indie artists is the fact that many of these companies won't take you seriously. You're probably going to have to prove to them that you can reach a decent sized audience. You're also going to have to prove that they will benefit from this deal. That will not be easy. The On Location spots with the radio stations may be a bit easier. You may have to pay for it, but it definitely will get people to your shows. If you are going to try this, prepare for a few let downs. This isn't easy to set up, but is definitely worth the time. Good luck
Attract More Customers Through Cross-Promotion
Offer a reduced price, special service, or convenience if customers buy products from you and your partner.
Print joint promotional messages on your receipts.
Drop one another's flyers in shopping bags.
Mention one another's benefits when you speak at local events or are interviewed by the media.
Hang signs or posters promoting one another on your walls, windows, or products.
Share inexpensive ads in local shopping papers or a nonprofit event program.
Promote your partner's products during their slow times, and ask them to do the same for you.
Pool mailing lists and send out a joint promotional postcard.
Encourage your staff to mention how your partner's products can be used with yours.
Put one another's promotional messages on Lucite stands on counters or floor stands in waiting areas.
Give a joint interview to local media.
Use door hangers, posters, flyers, or postcards to promote special offers for one another's products.
Give your partner's product to your customers when they buy a large quantity of your product, and ask your partner to do the same.
Encourage your staff to mention how your partner's products can be used with yours.
Co-produce an in-store or office event - a demonstration, celebrity appearance, free service, or lecture.
Use door hangers, posters, flyers, or postcards to promote special offers for one another's products.
Give your partner's product to your customers when they buy a large quantity of your product, and ask your partner to do the same.
Internet Cross Promotion Ideas
Advertisement: Banner or Link Exchange
You can post advertisement links or banners on each other’s sites. Look for people or businesses that share similarities with yours or are at least interesting to each other’s site visitors. For instance, if you sell party supplies, partnering with a party planner makes good business sense. Your goal is to be relevant.
Link It Up
When you are active in the blogging community you are consistently reading other articles and are aware of the topics. Keep those in mind when you are writing your own articles and link back to them.
Most website owners allow 1 or 2 “do follow” links within the text and a bio with links so the visitors can click on it for more information.
Share each other’s audiences and tap into one another’s insight. It’s a win for everyone if done well.
Write website content and blog for each other. This is something that does take a little bit of your time but the rewards are great. By contributing to a blog in your same niche you’re establishing yourself as an expert in that field as well as building links back to your site.
Blog Rolls
Guest Blogging
Most website owners allow 1 or 2 “do follow” links within the text and a bio with links so the visitors can click on it for more information.
Share each other’s audiences and tap into one another’s insight. It’s a win for everyone if done well.
Write website content and blog for each other. This is something that does take a little bit of your time but the rewards are great. By contributing to a blog in your same niche you’re establishing yourself as an expert in that field as well as building links back to your site.
Blog Rolls
Much like link exchanges, but blog rolls have a more prominent place than an advertising text link and show your visitors that you recommend this other person rather than took money from them to gain that spot.
Blog Rolls provide your readers and Google a way of figuring out what you’re all about by who you read and look up to.
Blog or Product Reviews
Blog Rolls provide your readers and Google a way of figuring out what you’re all about by who you read and look up to.
Blog or Product Reviews
You see the big guys promoting one another all the time. You always know when there is a new marketing or affilate product launch coming up when you see the same information coming from a group of people. They have their own clubs they have created, so you know it works to create a mass viral effect.
Comment Club
Comment Club
Another smart idea is to form a group of bloggers in your niche that will agree to leave comments on each other’s articles. Honestly, I think this should be something we are all reciprocating without forming a club, but it may give us the motivation to kick it up a notch.
It’s like having an exercise partner. You both want to get fit, but sometimes without that accountability of knowing someone is waiting on you it’s way to easy to put it off. Having a group of commenters will keep you accountable and actively involved.
Bookmarking Buddies
It’s like having an exercise partner. You both want to get fit, but sometimes without that accountability of knowing someone is waiting on you it’s way to easy to put it off. Having a group of commenters will keep you accountable and actively involved.
Bookmarking Buddies
Digg, Delicious and StumbleUpon are great ways to get traffic to your site…IF they are being bookmarked. Without an active base of friends or subscribers it’s nearly impossible to make it to the front page of a bookmarking site. There are certain guidelines you must follow in bookmarking etiquette to keep from looking spammy, so don’t go overboard.
Cross Promotion References
Cross Promotion References
^ a b Contemporary Marketing, By David L. Kurtz, H. F. MacKenzie, Kim Snow. p521
^ Shada, Andrea L. (2008), Cross promotion and the Disney Channel: the creation of a community through promotions, Bethel University Press.
^ a b The Ownership of the News: Report, Volume 1, Great Britain: Parliament: House of Lords: Select Committee on Communications, 2008. p58
^ Sweney, Mark (27 July 2010). "Channel Five chief reassures staff as experts question strategy". The Guardian.
^ Soares, Eric J. (1991), Promotional feats: the role of planned events in the marketing mix, Greenwood Publishing. p.155
