I'm bootstrapping my startup. Once I am launched my overhead will be minimal (< $200/mo) not counting my time. Although it won't cost much to run the business initially, I am concerned about marketing offline on a bootstrapped budget.
I do have some money set aside for this sort of thing. However, my product is focused toward health care providers who are used to schmoozy sales reps with huge expense accounts. I feel that my target customer isn't spending a whole lot of time online looking for my sort of products and that I need to really focus on marketing offline.
Once I am launched, I plan on hitting the pavement and personally visiting my target client. However, in my experience, doctors are busy and rarely take unsolicited meetings, so I am not sure how effective this will be.
I have a lot of confidence in my idea (duh!), and feel that it is especially relevant given the recent press on the Obama healthcare overhaul and using IT to decrease healthcare expenses.
Advertising in trade journals seems like a good option, but it is also expensive. What are some ideas that can help me gain attention offline?
How about this: You agree to buy breakfast for the staff at a doctor's office/building in exchange for the chance to glad-hand. $50 per meeting means four meetings. You do that enough and you're bound to meet some good people.
Other than that, I'd invest my $200 in my time/travel and attend trade shows, buy business cards, and try to do as much networking as I could with local organizations. Some cost money to join/attend so that would eat your budget but it might lead you to wealthy individuals who like what you're doing. Don't shy away from entrepreneurship organizations either - join the heck out of those since there are tons of ex-doctors as well as friends of doctors.
I don't know - good luck.