As a company it is important to distinguish yourself from the competition. Because why should people buy products and services from your company and not from your competitor? That starts with building brand awareness, which we have written more about in the article about the importance of brand awareness. You build recognisability, trust and credibility. How do you do that in a way that is creative and effective? In this article we provide some creative marketing tips.
Use the right channels based on target audience
The first important step is getting to know your target group. It seems so obvious, but it is a step that not every company pays enough attention to. Create an extensive profile description, also called ‘buyer personas’ in the marketing world, with details such as age, position, interests, challenges, goals and preferred channels. Are you not clear on those details? Then it can help to interview a number of people from the target group. If you know who your target group is and on which channels your target group is active, you can use that information for your marketing and communication.
Combine online with offline marketing
We cannot ignore online marketing. When we are looking for products or services, we quickly pick up our laptop or telephone and use the search engine to conduct comparative research. But that does not alter the fact that offline marketing no longer plays a role at all. It still works very well, especially for increasing brand awareness. And an important marketing tip is to see where you can combine online and offline marketing in a smart way. For example, have nice gadgets printed and hand them out in places where your target group comes, including a flyer that refers to a campaign page with a unique URL. This makes it possible to measure what your offline campaign delivers.
Use QR codes
A smart method to combine online and offline marketing is to use QR codes in your campaign. It is a very easy way to convey information and a very effective tool for sharing promotional videos, discount vouchers, exclusive offers or simply a link to your website or social media channel. Add a QR code to a flyer or have it printed on products. Make sure that the code is clearly visible. We will help you with tips for printing a QR code as a print.
Planning a brainstorm
A brainstorm is extremely valuable for coming up with a creative campaign. And such a brainstorming session does not have to take long at all. Plan a meeting with a number of people within your company, preferably as broad as possible: from sales to customer service. Then you write the theme for the campaign on a board and come up with as many ideas as possible around the topic in 10 or 20 minutes. No idea is too crazy, because something can always be eliminated. A brainstorm stimulates out-of-the-box thinking and increases the chance that you will come up with a truly original campaign. Because several people within your company participate in the brainstorming, you immediately have support for the idea.
Smart collaborations
Look for collaborations with other companies. And you don’t have to think about companies that offer the same products or services, but that are complementary. Or a very striking collaboration that no one sees coming. Smart collaboration increases your reach, gives you access to new markets, saves costs and brings new insights for original campaigns. A number of marketing and branding examples of smart collaborations;
- Nike & Apple: developed the Nike+ iPod Sports kit, innovative products for the sports and fitness world.
- McDonald’s & Coca-Cola: as the exclusive soft drink supplier for the fast food chain, the brands benefit from each other’s fame.
- Philadelphia & Milka: Philadelphia released a product with Milka chocolate.
Also consider collaborating with influencers who have a similar audience to your target group. If they promote your product or service, it will appeal to an even larger and relevant audience.
The power of guerrilla marketing
You have probably heard the term guerrilla marketing before. This marketing strategy focuses on the unexpected, surprising effect of attracting the attention of a large audience. The goal is to ensure maximum impact with limited resources. Because it is unexpected and surprising, it often sticks well. A smart way to ensure more brand awareness. Good examples of guerrilla marketing include flash mobs, street art, handing out free samples with a twist, viral videos or placing products in unexpected locations.
Types of creative marketing campaigns
Try to think carefully about what types of creative marketing campaigns you can use. For example, think of:
- Social media challenge
- Contest
- Polls
- User-generated content
- Product review & unboxing
- Customer feedback survey
- Photo competition
- Hashtag campaign
- Influencer takeover
- Pop-up event
- Referral campaign
- Loyalty campaign
What works best for your company? On the one hand, this depends on your target group, but it is also a matter of testing. Try out different types of campaigns and see how it resonates with the target group. Doesn’t it work? Then next time you use a different remedy.
With the help of these marketing tips, you will have plenty of ideas to get started with a creative marketing campaign. Do you need help selecting the right promotional products to support the campaign? Please contact IGO Promo. Thanks to more than 75 years of experience, we know which products you can use to make an impact.
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