We all know how to do marketing – or that’s what we tell ourselves. We are all successful and call ourselves experts of this and that with great results and track record behind us – until we’re not. That’s when we have to admit failure and being in a rut and turn to some unusual methods and strategies that we wouldn’t even consider a year ago. For those of you out there with this particular problem, we give you 7 unusual – at first glance a little crazy – marketing strategies that actually work. Stick with us!
1) Be wild with content
Content is king, but it cannot be boring.
Publishing content for content’s sake used to be enough, but these days users are tuning out in droves. There are only so many times someone wants to read “The Ultimate Guide to Marketing Tactics!” or “Everything You Need to Know About This or That”. If they read “everything” about something enough times, what more is there to know?
So make a move in a different direction.
Be exciting. Be interesting. Be quirky and entertaining. Most of all? Be a little different. The Internet is full of static these days, so stand out from the crowd with content that’s as unique as you are.
2) Challenge the competitors
Everyone’s a little wary of stepping on each others’ toe, but in the big wide world of Google, anything beyond that first page is a jumbled mess anyway!
So, don’t be afraid to go toe-to-toe with your competitors over their own terms.
Perhaps it’s a versus post between your products and a competitor’s, a comparison of prices and features. As long as you remain (somewhat) impartial, it’ll be a great resource for those ready to throw down their cash.
What’s more, with a little promotion, you could start to rank for your competitor’s branded terms. How’s that for a quick win?!
3) Focus on the customer
People are far more likely to trust friends, family, or just about any random internet user over your own company’s marketing spiel. This may be cause for concern, but you can use it to your advantage.
Let your users take center stage with feedback that goes beyond a standard testimonial. Instead, harness the power of user-generated content and follow up with customers about how a product or service may have influenced their lives, revolutionized the way they do something and what your company has learned from the process.
People love reading a relatable story. They also love sharing it!
4) Be transparent with your audience
The Internet has a habit of spreading rumors. In fact, misinformation runs rife. Breaking this trend and being transparent with your audience is a great way to gain traction.
So weave a little honesty into your next marketing campaign. Perhaps it’s a behind-the-scenes look at a product’s journey from concept to virtual store shelves. Or, maybe it’s a break down of the costs behind a service you offer. It’s something that will make you more human and more approachable to your customers.
It shouldn’t be a novelty, but it is!
5) Answer to questions
Almost every site these days features a FAQ. And while they may be quite informative, they’re not really all that interesting. They’re also not going to help you gain much traction, either!
To liven things up, get your audience talking, and get your name out there, consider holding an AMA. An AMA (Ask Me Anything) session held via Twitter, Reddit, Instagram Live, or another platform of your choice is a great way to connect with your target audience, get your message out there and receive first-hand feedback from people who’ve bought your products or used your services.
6) (Appear to) be spontaneous
It sounds a little crazy – to launch a product or a service or a new feature, and not say a word about it to your audience, but hear us out.
The ‘hype’ cycle around products, services and entertainment is long and drawn out these days.
New things are announced months if not years in advance, kickstarting prolonged – and expensive – PR campaigns that often struggle just to keep something in the public discourse, let alone at the top of the most-wanted list.
While this trick won’t work for everyone, a stealth reveal or surprise launch may be just what Dr. Google ordered! While we’re not all EA – who has seen extraordinary success with their same-day reveal and launch of Apex Legends – a similarly stealthy strategy may be just what you need to get your message out there.
7) Don’t dread failure
Everyone is averse to failure. Just look at the sheer amount of stats and metrics that go into producing and releasing almost anything these days. And it works. In fact, most of the time these figures are what we use to ensure we’re on the right track.
But sometimes figures, stats and algorithms just can’t account for that gut feeling we all have once in a while. The one that says take a risk, take a chance and make a change to the way your market your products or get your message out there.
Will it always work? Of course not! Should you bet everything on it? Hell no! But taking a risk once in a while is often how we end up with better, more effective ideas and strategies in the future.
The absence of failure doesn’t automatically mean you’re succeeding!
But if you do want to succeed, contact TheIuvo today!
