As you may already know, marketing is a crucial aspect of running a successful business.
While you may have an amazing product and/or service, it isn’t anything without strategic marketing.
Therefore, you need to make sure it's seen by the right people and at the right time — and that's where marketing and positioning come into play.
Think of marketing as a map of opportunities, and positioning as the pins that you strategically place to attract your ideal clients📍🎯
In order for your ideal client to find you - you have to not only talk about what it is you offer but you also have to place your product or service in a convenient place that they will see it.
And honestly, sometimes it just doesn’t have to be as difficult as we tend to make it.
And while social media marketing has easily dominated most marketing strategies for many businesses in the past several years, it's not the only way. In fact, there are many other simple and creative ways to market your business that can help you stand out; and so, we wanted to take this blog post to share some of them with you:
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Networking + in-person events:
Events are an incredible way to meet new people, network, and talk about your business. Whether you're hosting your own pop-up, sponsoring a local event, or attending a networking event – these all offer a unique opportunity to engage in person, and you can create valuable connections and opportunities for your business.
Some examples of event marketing include:
Attending industry events
Industry events, such as conferences, trade shows, and networking events, are excellent places to meet potential customers, partners, and collaborators. These events offer the opportunity to learn about industry trends, showcase your products or services, and connect with others in your field.
Joining local groups + organizations
Joining local business groups, such as chambers of commerce or industry associations, can also be a great way to network and promote your business. These groups often hold regular events and meetings, providing you with opportunities to meet other business owners, share ideas, and learn from each other. For example, we recently joined the Del Ray Business Association (DRBA) as a way to connect, support and network with other small businesses in the area.
If you have no idea where to start when looking for your next networking event, check out Eventbrite for events in your local area! And if you’re new to networking events, check out our two-part video series on tips to networking with confidence.
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Strategic product placement/ marketing:
Even if you don’t sell products – consider investing in merchandise for yourself (and your team). For example, you can custom design t-shirts to wear out in public (think – grocery shopping, the bookstore, gym, etc.,) (or in videos for social media) and they can be a great conversation starter.
Consider other random items that you use daily that can be branded to market your own business using your logo or tagline (for example, coffee mugs, stickers, keychains, bumper stickers, etc.,).
For instance, if you create content, and you often have a cup of coffee (or tea) while filming your videos – consider a custom designed coffee mug with your branding to include as a ‘prop’ (in reality, this is product placement for brand visibility).
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Experiential and immersive marketing:
Experiential marketing is all about creating memorable experiences that leave a lasting impression on people. This type of marketing often involves interactive and immersive experiences, such as product demonstrations, virtual reality, and other experiences.
This type of marketing can also involve unexpected and unconventional methods, such as street art, flash mobs, and public stunts. Check out our video on HBO’s unconventional marketing approach when first promoting their TV series, The Sopranos.
Some other examples of experiential marketing campaigns include:
Lululemon’s ‘dupe swap’: In May 2023, Lululemon invited consumers to a pop-up store in LA to swap their ‘dupes’ (or knock-off brand) leggings for a pair of Lululemon leggings from their Aligned collection
Coca-Cola's "Happiness Machine": In 2010, Coca-Cola installed a vending machine at a college campus that dispensed free drinks and surprise gifts to unsuspecting students, creating a positive and memorable experience.
How can you apply this to your own business?
One popular way to apply this to your own business is through the use of QR codes in public places (where they’re allowed). Check out this video for an example of a music artist utilizing QR codes to direct listeners to their Spotify page (while also creating a memorable experience). Using QR codes in creative ways can not only spark interest but also help to cultivate a memorable experience for someone.
You can also consider things like offering a free workshop (in-person) or masterclass (virtual). For instance, a free candle-making workshop, or learning the basics of health and wellness, photography, or what you need to know as a first-time homeowner.
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Mailers/Flyers:
Mailers are more of a "old school" marketing method – but effective, nonetheless. They’re also pretty self-explanatory so we won’t dive too deep into this one.
However, we recently invested in mailers ourselves through Postcardmania (the customer service has been amazing btw!) and we wanted to share the link here in case you might be interested in looking into it!
Learn more about how to effectively use flyers in this video:
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These are just a few examples of the many unique ways to market your business.
The point is to get creative!
By thinking outside the box and getting creative with your marketing efforts, you can differentiate yourself from your competition while simultaneously attracting new customers.
Do you have a marketing strategy in place that you are fully confident in? If not, grab a spot on our calendar to help you 1:1. We’ll take 75-minutes and dive deep into your strategy, build out a content plan and flesh out your strategy and funnels to ensure that your online presence is well optimized and that you're effectively marketing your business.
written by:
Adriana Leos
Chief Creative Officer
vznayres