Today’s marketing tip involves a principal that not one in 10,000 business owners is using–yet is so profitable it has taken many hole-in-the-wall businesses and turned them into multi-billion dollar corporations almost overnight.

Does that mean then that this tip is expensive to implement?

Not at all. Those who do use this tip generate huge sums of income and see tremendous returns on their marketing investments, with very little cost and nearly no risk whatsoever.

This tip is very simple and in some cases doesn’t cost any money at all to implement.

So why aren’t more people doing this?

Few are using this tactic because of not knowing it exists, or because they’ve prejudged this won’t work for their business only because they’ve never tried it before. Too bad for them.

The marketing tactic that I’m speaking about is called affinity marketing.

What is affinity marketing? It’s a marketing principal that allows you to sell your products and services through the efforts of organizations your target market already knows and trusts.

The first benefit of marketing through large groups in this way is that it is usually faster, easier, and cheaper than trying to sell directly to complete strangers on your own or through paid advertising.

The second benefit is that because your offer is being distributed by someone your target market ideally already trusts, you gain instant credibility. They automatically trust you too.

That means there seldom is a need for you to deal with the common objections your target market might raise otherwise about who are you or whether or not you are qualified. All of this is assumed when you are introduced to your target market by a group your target market already knows and is familiar with.

Let’s give you a real-world example of how this works.

Here in California we have several theme parks including Disneyland, Knott’s Berry Farm and Magic Mountain.

The example that I want to share with you through this tip is a letter that Knott’s Berry Farm sent to a medical supply company that I did some work for.

In this package Knott’s Berry Farm sent a letter addressed to the human resources department. The letter speaks of an employee incentive program and includes several discount coupons for the human resources department to distribute to employees.

I noticed Knott’s sent fewer coupons than there are reported employees, probably to add a sense of first-come-first-get urgency.

Does this really work?

Absolutely. Not only did the employees snatch up all of the coupons, but they requested more coupons so they could pass along these `exclusive’ savings to their friends, families, and neighbors.

There’s another consideration in marketing in this way. Knott’s did not beg for distribution or behave apologetic in any way for making this `exclusive’ offer to the company.

Instead, all throughout the letter the tone is one that assumes the HR department will distribute the coupons, while at the same time carefully painting a picture of exclusivity.

Why did they do this? Because Knott’s knows that families with money have jobs. They also know that companies with 50 or more employees respond favorably to real employee incentive and discount programs.

Theme parks are not the only companies that profit from affinity group marketing.

I was recently surprised to walk into an office and see on their employee bulletin board a flyer from Denny’s restaurant. This flyer read, “Buy Any Entree, Get One Free… Ask Your Human Resources Contact For Details”

Denny’s sent HR a sales letter, employee break-room poster, and “exclusive” employee discount cards (printed to look like official identification cards) that anyone could write in their own name-so much for exclusive.

Did employees use these incentives?

Yes, in groups of four or more not just one or two people.

Denny’s made money from those employees during lunch hours that Denny’s would have lost to KFC, Jack-In-The Box, or Burger King who are all typically seen as faster than a restaurant and are all on the same street with Denny’s.

Smart move Denny’s!

How can you use affinity marketing?

Look at what you are selling and ask yourself where can a large group of your target market be found. If you offer a high-end consumer product or a product with repeat sales or continuity, creating an employee discount program may be right for you.

Marketing through employers is just one affinity group that reaches consumers. There are dozens of ways to make affinity marketing work for consumer products and services. You simply need to be creative and alert to opportunities.

And yes, even business-to-business products can profit from affinity programs.

Ask yourself where can a large clusters of company owners, self- employed professionals, or entrepreneurs successfully be reached (if that is the market you are going after).

They can easily be reached through small business associations such as the Chamber of Commerce, independent business-owner associations, civic organizations like Rotary, and the like.

So if you are a b2b marketer send your offer to the appropriate association presented as exclusive for that association.

In this way the association will do the selling for you, they will distribute your offers for you, in fact they will distribute any carefully planned out marketing materials if it appears to honestly benefit their members. That’s a win/win for everyone.

Regardless of who your target market is, if you would like to see your business grow into a multi-billion dollar industry (or even earn a few thousand extra dollars), I strongly recommend that you introduce affinity marketing into your marketing plan. Maybe some day you will grow to be as big as Disneyland!

Andre Bell is an author and marketing advisor. He runs an informational website that provides technology marketing tips and recommendations for Solution Providers, Computer Consultants, and Small VARs. Visit his official site at www.AndreBell.com for his free 9-step technology marketing report.