Effective Marketing and Advertising in DR, HOW???

This will move a few pieces...

Offer great service, value and prices to local foreigners. Use DR1 as a spring board to do this, get people talking about your business on this message board. Post specials, post your thoughts, experiences and knowledge on doing business here etc. Get your clients to post their experiences good and bad with your business on DR1. This is online networking done right and wil translate into $$$.

People that use DR1 this way, reap the rewards (Guzman, Rocky's, North Coast Management etc). The problem is, most businesses do not understand the power of social networking, social proof or how to engage future clients online.

Of course you'll need to advertise on DR1, but I have no doubt the small investment will pay for itself many times over. In fact, I guarantee it, if you do it right.

If you need help and advice, I'm here to help, just PM, email me or post your questions on the board.

You might want to rethink your investment.

Not having sufficient capital, not knowing distribution channels for your product and not having specific knowledge of the local market and how to reach customers will most likely spell insolvency.

However, Robert is correct about DR1.

It would prob help if we knew what kind of furniture you are going to be making. I don't know the location but you might do well with a place that is about half-way between Santiago and SD so you can get both markets. It sounds like you have to do a lot more footwork before you invest in an actual factory. There is a very good demand for furniture in the DR as demonstrated by the excitement for the IKEA store opening in SD. As I mentioned in my PM, I think you should focus on hotels and other commercial markets.

The most effective advertising here is word of mouth. Open up shop, impress the first customer that comes by and he/she will be bragging about you in no time. To maximize your exposure attend trade shows. (the local chamber of commerce will let you know when and where)

After you are known and trusted the standard forms of advertising simply serve to let people know what the current offers are.

Newspaper ads are pretty far reaching, but very expensive and if you are not known to anyone will be less effective.

Pengrix,


I've been in your position in the past - ie. lacking cash for advertising - so I feel your pain.

What I've found works is to work backwards, not think of the HOW at first, but think of the WHO.

WHO is your customer? Is it ex-pats and gringos (as suggested in the posts above?), is it middle class locals? Is it Doctors and Lawyers here? Professional offices? Hotels? Is it barrio people? First identify WHO will be buying your product, then work backwards and see if your marketing mix fits that target audience properly? ie. is your pricing attractive? do those people care about price? is the medium that you choose to talk to them appropriate?

I apologize if this sounds academic, because I know at first the answer would be 'anybody and everybody', but really it's worth thinking through the marketing mix carefully before spending any cash on amplifying a message through advertising.

Maybe once you identify the WHO, we can throw some suggestions of how to reach those people.

Regards.

The good news is that in this country, the population density coupled with the curiosity of the locals is such that just setting up shop is usually sufficient to get started.

"if you build it they will come"