Most business owners will experience times of stagnant growth and confusion on how to remedy this problem. If your current marketing strategies aren’t proving effective at bringing in new customers and you’ve suddenly hit a brick wall when it comes to new ideas, consider these simple yet effective approaches below.
Host an Open Day
Hosting a company open day is an opportunity to show people what your business offers. Many companies host annual open days to introduce their products or services to new potential customers. These events allow business owners the opportunity to speak directly to potential clients, show people around the workplace, give a short presentation of what the company has to offer, and provide potential clients/customers with branded items. Open days are also a great way for changed ownership businesses to bring back lost customers. For example, lets say you’ve taken over an already established restaurant that had a bad reputation for bad food and poor service. Advertise an open day with free or discounted food samples, allowing locals who had written the establishment off to see for themselves the improvements you’ve made.
You can plan an open day by sourcing people on Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, local business groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, Meetup groups, etc. Make sure that you provide a clear overview of what the open day is all about, dates and times, and a brief description of the itinerary of the day. Give people a reason to come, other than supporting your business (free food, entertainment, giveaways, etc).
Design a Giveaway Promotion
Another effective marketing method is to design a promotion campaign where you offer giveaways or provide discounts on your products or services. Holidays are an ideal time to implement this strategy. Promotional campaigns can be a great way to get people to engage with your company online through Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and can be an excellent method to boost your brand awareness.
Create an Advert to Showcase in Cinemas
TV and Youtube are popular platforms for advertisements, but this isn’t always the most ideal way to get people to watch your ads. Usually people skip, block or ignore YouTube advertisements, and often take a commercial break when they appear on TV. Another way to reach a relatively large amount of people, but more effectively, is to advertise on the cinema screen. While you may not be reaching quite as many viewers as with TV marketing, your ad is less likely to be ignored and the upfront costs will be less.
Urban Marketing Strategy
While virtual marketing is the go-to advertising method today, old school marketing techniques (a.k.a. gorilla marketing) should not be ignored. Not only can this approach be more cost efficient, it can be just as effective as virtual marketing and great for local customer acquisition. Options include: handing out flyers, hiring a plane to fly a banner, signage spinners, and billboard advertisements. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and get creative with your advertising.
Become a Sponsor
Corporate sponsorship is a form of advertising in which companies pay to be associated with certain events or people who need funding. Company branding is displayed during events or on products to raise brand awareness. Consider sponsoring a local sports team, a race car driver, a new building, or charity event.
Don’t Forget The Marketing Basics
While the above are less common approaches to business marketing and client acquisition, don’t forget to incorporate the basics of brand development. This includes hiring a good graphic designer to create a unique logo for your company, a quality website to act as a hub for all of your content, and all of the promotional items you need to distinguish your brand from the rest (ex: business cards, brochures, social media imagery, signage, and so on). Marketing videos, digital banner ads, and e-newsletters can also be effective ways to promote your business.
And lets not forget the power of social media and the massive user bases on these platforms. Many big-time brands such as Coca-Cola use social media to spread their message and visibility. Their adverts allow online engagement and an increase in brand recognition. Explore these platforms and find which work best for your business/brand. Generally Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube are most effective for sharing of visual content, while Facebook and Twitter are best for providing real time promotions and business offerings.
Final Thoughts – Boost Your Brand
You may be offering the best quality and services, but none of this matters if you’re not reaching your intended customer base. It’s never too late to plan an effective marketing strategy. The above tips should help in your efforts.