Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

Start by defining your primary target audience. Identify the characteristics -- demographics, psychographics, etc. -- of the people most likely to need what you're selling.

Then interview at least a dozen people who fit the profile. Ask them what they do now, how they make decisions about decorating their walls, what products they like/use and which ones they think are dumb, how much time/effort they put into decoration, where they go for assistance and ideas, etc. Don't try to sell them on your product concept. Just ask a few high-gain questions and listen carefully to what they say. Take detailed notes.

After you've completed the 12+ interviews, step back and review your notes. You'll have all sorts of good ideas about the sales and marketing strategies you need to develop.

If you try to do this without that kind of input from your potential customer base, your marketing strategy will almost certainly be flawed, or at least sub-optimal. Don't do that to yourself. You only get one chance to launch this new business.

Home, schools, and businesses? That's awfully broad. Why not settle on one small segment? It will be much easier to find and talk to your audience, rather than trying to sell to everyone.

Michael is right. Think of it like a grade school assignment (remember current events, when you had to write an article about something in the news?). Before you start, you need to know WHO, WHAT, WHERE, WHEN and WHY

WHO

Talk to people and develop a specific customer profile (who they are, where they are). Know exactly who your ideal customer is: business size, location, number of employees, industry, etc.

WHAT

What are you selling? What does it do? What do people buying products like yours look for?

WHEN

When do people buy decals? Specific occasions? Seasons? Any common "triggers"?

WHERE

Where will you sell them? Online? In a store? At a market? At trade shows? Directly to the final buyer (a consumer) or to a distributor (this is also part of WHO).

WHY

Why do people use decals? Why buy them from you? Why are you different from the hundreds of other decal businesses?



Jodi

Regardless of which group you choose as your primary target, your likely selling points are going to be: ease of use (simple to hang), creative/variety of designs; functionality (you don't have to paint your room to create a new visual environment).

You can serve each of the groups above, and those will make room for several marketing efforts. Just be sure you single out the appropriate messages for said audience; don't mix and mingle (the latter, which could lose the attention of potential buyers).

Also, share sizes in your marketing materials. Are these foot-long/width decals or mural size?

Good luck and have fun!

Don't forget the question "How Much" as in how much would they be willing to spend for various sizes, ease of placement, quality, etc. to determine what your break even point would have to be

Best of luck
jag
MarketBase

Decals are a huge business. The people I know in the business target a specific niche audience and go after them with a vengeance.