Youth Venture

The following is a list of twenty five ways to market your Venture. Some of these options may be more relevant to your Venture than others. This isn’t an exhaustive list; be creative and keep developing new ways to let people know about your Venture!

• Create a website for your Venture. This can be done through Youth Venture. Because so many people visit the Youth Venture website, this is a good way to make sure that your Venture gets as many hits as possible. Go to www.genv.net to find out more.
• Write a newsletter that you send out periodically—by email or regular mail—to update people on your Venture’s activities.
• Keep a blog about your Venture. This is also possible through the Youth Venture website.
• Keep a bulletin board with up-to-date information about your Venture.
• Develop a logo that people will recognize and associate with your Venture.
• Create T-shirts, pens, and other merchandise with your name and logo.
• Create posters and ask permission to hang them in your school, at local businesses, and around town.
• Set up informational tables during school lunches, in student unions, or at community events. Create a large sign with your logo for your table.
• Distribute your business cards whenever you can. Youth Venture provides business cards for each Venturer.
• Learn how to talk about your Venture—then tell everyone about it!
• Use testimonials. Ask someone supportive for a quote about your Venture and then include that quote in flyers, newsletters, and other promotional materials.
• Create a video that highlights your Venture’s activities. You can post this video on your website, show it at events, and distribute it to supporters and potential supporters of your Venture.
• Hold events that appeal to many types of people.
• Write a press release whenever big events or activities occur and send it to local newspapers, TV stations, and other types of media.
• Invite local newspapers to your Venture’s events.
• Advertise upcoming events on the local radio or in local newspapers.
• Publicize events and meetings on your school’s morning announcements or in your school’s newspaper.
• Call people directly on the phone to tell them about upcoming events.
• Use free classified ads on the Internet or in local newspapers.
• Take pictures at all of your events. These pictures may come in handy later when you’re creating flyers and brochures.
• Connect with already-established organizations that would be willing to talk about or support your Venture.
• Send flyers and brochures through email or regular mail to as many people as possible.
• Barter your service/product for other services/products that your Venture needs.
• Mail postcards to community members to advertise your Venture and request donations.
• Offer gift certificates or coupons for free or reduced-cost products and services.

© Youth Venture, 2007. All rights reserved.