An idea for marketing campaigns without the outlay!

I would never have anticipated that the demolition of a building opposite our office would be the inspiration for a blog post, but hey, stranger things have happened!

For two weeks now, a group of builders have taken residence on the site of a beautiful Victorian building over the road from our office. We watched with interest and excitement when the scaffolding went up thinking that someone was finally going to restore the beautiful house (which has stood empty since we moved in to our offices 4 years ago) to its former glory. Our fascination turned to disappointment when we saw them starting to strip the roof tiles off. And so they continued to demolish the building layer by layer, brick by brick.

Marketing inspiration can come from anywhere…even from a half-demolished building!

It’s hard to imagine that the labour costs of this method make it a profitable endeavour, especially as there have been 4 – 6 builders on site for two weeks to get to the stage shown in the picture, but there must be good enough margin in selling on the bricks, cornices and other Victorian features or they wouldn’t be doing it.

Where’s the idea for marketing campaigns without the outlay I hear you say…. I promise, I’m getting to that….

So, with my mind on the subject of ‘salvage’ as I walked from the car park next to this building, to our office, I began to ponder what marketing materials we might have stocked in our cupboards at Mzuri which are still bang up to date and useable, but are languishing sadly waiting to spring in to life.

The team were quick to respond to my caffeine-fuelled enthusiasm when I announced that we are to embark on a renewed business development and marketing drive. We all agreed that it made sense to make sure that we have squeezed every last bit of use out of marketing materials that we have already invested in.

The list of things we have already incorporated into our campaign plans this week include: coloured envelopes (various sizes!), marketing leaflets, direct mail postcards, letterhead, email sign up postcards, A4 folders and large format printer marketing materials. (We have also consigned some things to the recycling bin having determined that they are no longer relevant – it’s important to be practical and impartial when taking this course of action!)

We’ll be usefully (and with any luck effectively) using all of these items in the near future as the campaigns get signed off and sent out, and we are all feeling very chuffed with ourselves that we have made full use of our existing materials. They worked really well for us last time we used them, and we’re confident they will again this time.

So, maybe now is the time for a bit of house-keeping in your office to see if there are marketing materials you have in the office that could be put to good use. You never know what could come from it!