Advertising Advice and Promotion

[viellen]

Hey davis_square! I'm starting up a new business in Arlington Center for Therapeutic Massage, Bodywork and Reiki, it's called Innovative Bodywork. While it's not located in Davis, it's a close neighbor so I hope you don't mind my asking for advice.

I'm looking for local hot spots with community posting boards. I've hit up Diesel and Whole Foods, but I'm wondering what other places you might suggest I try? What community boards do you tend to peruse?

To say "thank you" for your help I put a coupon under the cut!

Comments

[ron_newman]

We don't have a Whole Foods, so I'm not sure what you meant to refer to there.

Davis Square bulletin boards I know of: Starbucks, Diesel, JP Licks, Farmer's Bounty, Boloco, McIntyre & Moore (but only for the next two weeks)

[viellen]

I mean the Whole Foods at fresh pond. I was looking for any local suggestions. :)
Thanks for the help, I didn't realize many of those businesses has bulletin boards!

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

ron_newman listed most of the ones I frequent, and then some. There is also one inside Blue Shirt Cafe. In Porter Square, there's one inside Tags (in a bad location, just to the right of the entrance, where you'll block the door if you read anything), plus one outside the Tibetan gifts store on Mass Ave. In Ball Square, True Grounds has a bulletin board.

I'm very interested in this thread, because I'm a professional organizer (http://www.jenniferhunter.com), and I put flyers up to promote my business as well. I think it'd be an amazing service (for which I would pay) if someone kept a current list online of all the public bulletin boards in the Boston area. I don't need one more career, however.

Can you list the locations for bulletin boards in Arlington Center? Good luck with your business! I already have a massage therapist, else I'd give you a try. :-)

[kalliejenn2.livejournal.com]

the J.P. Licks bulletin board.

[ron_newman]

You could also put your posters on currently vacant stores, such as the ex-Dollar Days next to Blue Shirt Cafe. They'll probably last two or three days before someone removes them.

[ron_newman]

Laundromats often have bulletin boards. Click on the laundry tag to see where some are near here.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wasn't talking about a flyer-putting-up service, but that is another interesting idea. I'd just like to have a list so I don't have to keep poking my head into random coffee shops and getting stared at. :-D

[viellen]

Thanks for the tips. I would also love it if there were a central listing for all of the bulletin boards.

I'm a Somerville resident and I admittedly haven't spent much time in Arlington yet so I'm still figuring out where bulletin boards are here. I haven't found an Arlington LJ community to ask them, but I'm hoping to explore around town now that the weather is getting warmer. I'll try to remember to post here when I find some places!

[viellen]

I would never have thought of that, thanks!

[ron_newman]

Don't forget the libraries -- Somerville West Branch on College Ave, Somerville Main Library on Highland Ave, and North Cambridge (O'Neill) library on Rindge Ave. The O'Neill library has both an outdoor and an indoor bulletin board.

Posting Flyers.

[bostonartist.livejournal.com]

When I first started my photography business 10 years ago I was starting from scratch and tried every form of advertising I could think of. One was posting postcards for my business at every place in the area I thought potential clients might be. For some reason the postcards never stayed up for long because others would often take them down to make room for their postings. Rarely if ever did my postings lead to paying clients. Perhaps other types of businesses fair better with such postings? Do you own a business that has had success with posting on local community boards? Please tell me.

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

It's called menotomy. They really need to change the name.

[viellen]

Wow, I had no idea Arlington used to be named Menotomy. It doesn't look like a very active community, but I smell cross-posting anyway :)

Re: Posting Flyers.

[ron_newman]

The Robbins Library in Arlington Center, the Fox Library branch in East Arlington, the Arlington Center for the Arts (Gibbs School) on Foster St, various laundromats up and down Mass. Ave.

Maybe also Starbucks and the ice cream place in Arlington Center (whose name I've forgotten -- used to be a JP Licks). I also can't remember what the former Carberry's is now called or if they have a bulletin board.

Re: Posting Flyers.

[syntheticnature.livejournal.com]

Ice cream - Chilly Cow; former Carberry's - Jam'n'Java (ugh). Don't know about bulletin boards in either.

[ron_newman]

The Arlington List is much more active than the LJ community.

[viellen]

Cool, those are good ideas. I'll give the health clubs a shot, though sometimes they won't allow massage therapists to advertise if they also offer massage there. Thanks for the help!

[viellen]

Cool, I'll check it out!

[ron_newman]

Also Arlington Health & Fitness gym on Mass. Ave. just beyond Route 16, behind CVS and Hollywood Video.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

I dunno, I tend to think of that as being kind of illegal, which sends a not so great message about your business. :-/

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

Nope, but she and I do have a lot of LJ friends in common!

[viellen]

I had already decided against it for other reasons, but I didn't know it was illegal.

[anotherjen.livejournal.com]

I'm pretty sure it's against the law to put up a sign on someone else's property unless there's an area that's obviously set aside for that purpose. Otherwise, wouldn't people just advertise on any flat surface?

[ron_newman]

I just remembered one more bulletin board - Downtown Wine & Spirits, on Elm Street.

[apricot3.livejournal.com]

You would probably have to ask first, but I see a lot of stuff on the board at O2 Yoga on Cedar St...

a few more suggestions re: Arlington spots

[mamabunny72.livejournal.com]

Maybe you already know of the following:
=Together In Motion, at 1 Broadway (corner of Rt 16/Broadway, down the road from Foodmaster), has a bulletin board in the back.
=Jam&Java (fka Carberry's) on Mass Ave doesn't have a bulletin board, but you could ask them to leave some fliers or whatnot on the window ledge.
=Sweet Sue's, further up Mass Ave, across from Jason Russell house... haven't been there in awhile so can't remember if they have a board or not.

BTW, I love your tree graphic!

Re: a few more suggestions re: Arlington spots

[viellen]

Cool, thanks for the help! I'm glad you like the logo, I was really excited when I found it. :)