Marketing is a tricky business. For new brands just beginning to walk the long road of customer retention and corporate identity, the whole industry can feel overrun with insider concepts and head-spinning mumbo jumbo. Sometimes, however, the most important lessons can get overlooked.
The minute you get into the marketing world, your brand is no longer exactly about the product. It turns into a piece of media and like any media, its success depends on the emotional connections you forge. Think of it as a movie. People don’t want to sit through a two hours movie without a plot. Similarly, no one wants to engage with a brand that doesn’t give them a reason to care. You don’t want to assume that an amazing product will speak for itself.
To give your brand the voice it needs to succeed, you need to focus on the story only you can tell. What makes your product relatable to customers? How will they feel when they use your product? Think of your audience as your close friends, and give them a reason to invest.
Engaging stories start with solid brand identities, and solid brand identities start with writers and designers. For example. Suppose you were in the market for a new rug and decided to browse a few websites to find the best option. You’ve narrowed it down to two choices: Website A has an impressive logo, direct structure and simple but emotional tagline. Website B is filled with stock photography, poorly written text and a problematic browsing system. Even if both sites offered the same rug at the same price, most consumers would choose Website A. It feels credible, but the second feels homespun and even unreliable.
Professional writers and designers understand the DNA of creative impact. They know why customers react to certain words, images and even fonts. Speak with your connections and reach out to a creative staffing agency.
You will need to plan a budget for media buys. When it comes to marketing: You have to spend money to make money. However, how much money you spend is entirely up to you.
Today, the most result-driven pieces of marketing are often the least expensive to produce. This is where the ability to think outside the box becomes a great benefit. What engaging strategies can you use to get your name out into the public? Travel companies can send destination postcards to prospective customers. Real estate agencies can develop a campaign on YouTube. Marketing isn’t always about how much you’re willing to spend. It’s also about how creative you can be!
Social media is by far the most direct and the least expensive way to reach potential clients. It’s where your entire consumer base hangs out and interacts. It’s important to know that anyone can put their name on Twitter and Facebook and hope that someone notices. What really counts is how you use the tools. You need to regularly provide content that’s valuable, shareable and appealing Show behind-the-scenes images of your company at work. Ask a question about something relevant to your industry. Anything goes, as long as your posts are authentic and tightly focused on your brand image.
As cell phones become smarter and people get busier, mobile will become the single best place to capture a customer’s attention. Consider the possibility of adding a useful and engaging app to your brand’s marketing plan. The retail loyalty benefits are incredible too. Not only will you be seen as an expert in a specific field, but you’ll also give customers a reason to interact daily with your brand. It’s worth its weight in gold if your app somehow makes life easier for people.
To create content that’s both memorable and appealing, you have to understand who you’re reaching and what they want. It can be tough to gauge your audience in the beginning. Social media and focus groups are great ways of learning more. Also, surveys attached to an exclusive offer to integrate information gathering with customer retention.
You don’t ever want to forget about your old customers. New marketers are often so focused on snaring new customers that they forget about their old ones. Just as you have to give that new customer a reason to engage, you have to give the old customer a reason to stay around. Bounce back offers and loyalty programs are among the best ways to achieve this. Your audience’s level of excitement is directly equal to how unique the offer is.
Anyone can launch a marketing campaign but seasoned marketers know that testing your concepts is crucial to getting the best results. First, consider running a smaller, localized launch to see how things go. If the launch doesn’t go as expected, take a deep look at what’s missing the mark before you go full scale. It’s also possible to measure engagement with deals and discounts. Promotional codes can provide insight into which types of offers get the most action. You can even send email messages, segment your sends into two creative concepts, and see which one snags the highest open rates.
While you don’t want to steal another brand’s campaign, inspiration is crucial to creative thinking. Spend some time inspecting the strategies of your favourite brands. Anything that sparks an idea is fair game. Some of the most effective concepts come from unlikely sources. Talk to people. It’s important to listen.
It all starts with fun and ends with fun. Many new businesses assume that all marketing is only about selling, but that isn’t the case. If you’re not engaged with your work, your customers won’t be either. Approach everything with a sense of playfulness and curiosity and you’ll find that the results are more approachable than if you’d stuck to the standard route. Be passionate about your campaign and you’ll always have fun.
These are 10 top crucial tips for every new marketer. Take these ideas to heart. They are the keys to transforming your brand.
