When you run a promotion, you are likely doing so for a measurable reason. You may wish for a certain amount of sign-ups to your subscription service, or to gain a certain amount of social media followers, or of course, to sell products. However, not enough firms take a worthwhile and comprehensive approach to their marketing strategy. In the modern day, it can be seen as enough to simply choose one stance, such as social media marketing, and aggressively follow it.
But being visible means not simply conforming to the same options everyone else is. It means doing that and then going beyond, to be more of a presence, to raise your profile, to think outside of the box. This is how any firm causes a stir with its online marketing, and it is a wonder to behold if designed in the correct contexts. Thankfully, this needn’t seem like a great and yawning task that will never be complete no matter your intentions. It’s actually something you can optimize quite clearly given the right strengths.
So, consider:
Consider A Tongue-In-Cheek Approach
It may seem as though alluding to your competition is a dirty tactic, but it can actually be a baseline for great marketing humour so long as you pull it off well. That last part needs to be emphasized once more — if you pull it off well. It is very easy to be on-the-nose with this, and sometimes outright dismissing your opponents with harsh words can actually lead you to unwanted litigation. However, a tongue-in-cheek approach is often fine. In fact, companies that ‘roast’ their competition with playful jokes can often help people spread your message through social media for you, because everyone likes seeing a corporation prove that there are people working in their ranks, not just focus groups and automated analytics making all the decisions.
Consider the now famous tweets by Wendys. The art of the ‘comeback’ has turned into a bona fide marketing attempt, and for many that is quite a hilarious thing to see. However, on top of that, it’s not uncommon for businesses to act with a little personality. It might be that during a convention you as the CEO decide to unveil your next product with a self-referential and humorous speech. You’d be surprised just how much attention this can receive.
Attend Business Conventions
While we’re on the subject, it’s important to discuss the essential nature of attending business conventions. If you hope to be a voice for your industry or even a contributing part of it, you need to understand what is happening in the social business scene. We’re not talking about networking with the movers or shakers of your industry or coming with a new innovative product that everyone will talk about, although you are free to exercise both should you wish. No, what we are recommending is that you use the conventions as a worthwhile promotional event to take part in.
For example, you may decide to offer product demonstrations, exclusive promotions to those at the event who subscribe to your package or follow your social media profiles. You may also use an event like this for research purposes, giving you the chance to learn more about your product and how certain people react, generally giving you an on-site focus group to help you with some of the questions regarding your product or prototype. You would be surprised just how much insight might come your way thanks to this.
Launch A Real Campaign
During an episode of Gordon Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares UK, the more relaxed nature of the show compared to its US counterpart allows the master chef himself to offer more insight and understanding into the running of a business. During one of his best episodes, where he visits a struggling roadside pub named The Fenwick Arms, Ramsay notices that the pub has ideas above their station and the food it is serving is much too fancy for what people expect, leading to an exodus of customers.
Ramsay continues to discuss how all a business needs when re-launching or promoting itself is a great hook. In this case, he does his research on the competition. Most pubs in the area are using instant gravy with their Sunday roast dinners, leading to a lower quality product. He has his idea. Along with the patrons of the Fenwick Arms, he sources the best natural gravy in the area, and parades around the local town strongly promoting ‘the fight for real gravy!’ When visibly demanding better standards while also being the solution, Ramsay brilliantly pivots himself as being the fix to a problem he has shone a light on. This certainly works.
While not everyone enjoys the foul-mouthed approach of Britain’s angriest chef, it’s not hard to see just how genius this marketing strategy is. Could you apply something similar to your business, and the product you are hoping to promote? Would launching a real campaign help you stand out from the competition? We think there’s a strong chance this is possible. Through using services such as Eazy Print https://www.eazy-print.co.uk/ you can throw your banners far and wide.
Know Your Audience
It’s silly to promote your business to an audience who may not have anything to do with you. A skating company would not launch their new line of products within the magazines often read by middle-aged women who love gardening, for example.
Often, different demographics consult different areas of media, but be sure to keep your parameters open enough so that you are not promoting to a solely niche group. For example, there are many vegans who may be considered ‘hippies’ yes, but there are also many successful vegan bodybuilders. It’s all in the execution, and the research you apply beforehand.
Image by StartupStockPhotos from Pixabay
