In today's competitive world of business, it takes moxie and pizazz to sell a great product, idea, or service. This list will provide you with ten unusual and creative marketing strategies which will help you to stand apart from the competition and to increase your visibility.
1. Celebrate the Wacky World Holidays with your Clients and/or Customers.
Did you know that August 17 is Number 2 pencil day? Send your clients Number 2 pencils with your name and logo embossed on the pencils. What about Homemade Pudding Day on September 19? Send your clients and customers your favorite pudding recipe, and invite them to your business to sample a "taste." If you are the owner of a toy store or a children's clothing company, you may want to set aside November 18 to celebrate Micky Mouse's Birthday. Creative marketing is the future of big business, and celebrating offbeat holidays will allow your customers and clients to experience something unusual and will set you apart from your competition. For a list of non-traditional holidays, visit www.earthcalendar.net.
2. Add a Company Mascot to your Business.
With the help of a few very clever cows, Chick-fil-A's unaided brand awareness has grown 81 percent, and its sales have increased nearly 120 percent since the mascot was added to the team in 1995. This attention-grabbing ploy, encouraging folks to "Eat Mor Chikin" has helped make this Atlanta-based company the third largest quick-service chicken restaurant company in the United States.
3. Throw a Gala for Hair Stylists in your Community.
What do hair stylists do while they are working their magic? They TALK! By throwing a memorable event for the hair stylists in your community, you can reach thousands of potential clients through fantastic word of mouth. Host a breakfast, lunch, or dinner and roll out the red carpet for this crowd, and watch new customers and clients flock to your place of business.
4. Host a Game Night.
Are you an investment advisor? Host a game night using the game "Cash Flow." Are you a Life Coach? Throw a party and play the game LIFE. Are you a cat groomer? How about a Cat-Opoly Night? For travel agents, try the game Route 66, taking your guests on a road trip across the country. Playing board games can create a rich and wonderful opportunity for interaction with potential customers, which can allow them to get to know you in a fun and non-threatening way and can create an opportunity for building rock solid strategic alliances.
5. Host a "Big Brain" Week-End.
Want to learn from the experts? Borrow experts one time per year to develop a cutting-edge marketing plan for your company by hosting a "Big Brain" Week-End. If you cannot afford a full marketing staff, you can borrow key experts for a quarterly brainstorming session which can enhance product and service ideas for your company quickly. You can pay a small per diem and travel expenses and pick the brains of 6-8 people who really know their stuff.
6. Sponsor a Night Light Golf Tournament (a golf tournament held in the evening after the sun sets.)
This grassroots approach can land you accounts, customers, and an amazing amount of visibility. Short on funds? Invite ten strategic alliance partners to help cover the costs. This collaborative effort will triple your visibility.
7. Put Yourself in the Dunking Booth!
Carnivals and festivals are great fun for the entire family, and one of the hottest attractions at these events is The Dunking Booth. By volunteering to be the person "dunked," you will have all eyes on you, and folks will be talking about you for weeks, creating "buzz" around your name, your products, and your services.
8. Fly a Kite!
Your company name, logo, and contact information on a wild and brightly colored kite can send your business to new "heights." Spend a windy day at the beach or in the park, and give away free kites to visitors. This approach can be valuable and can quickly expand your visibility.
9. Send Unusual Gifts and Freebies.
Giving unusual gifts and freebies is another way to set yourself apart from the crowd. Are you in the middle of an ice storm? Send leis to your customers to brighten up their day. Do you have a customer who is recuperating from a broken leg? Send a movie on video, a box of popcorn, and a pack of M & M's. Do you have a customer with a new baby? Send a basket with bubble bath, herbal tea, a cooling eye mask, and a set of ear plugs (humor works!)
10. Design Two or Three Marketing Goals with No Purpose in Mind Other than to Amuse Yourself and Your Friends.
Two of the biggest goals of marketing are to appear larger or more well known than you are at this moment and to have great fun! Gather your friends, and throw a Hula Hoop party, dress up for Halloween, or stand on the corner of town and interview folks with a question such as "If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends?" Sound strange? You bet it does! Strange and mischievous approaches to marketing work, and people will stand up and take notice of what you have to offer. Cheers!
About The Author
Bea Fields, Southern Pines, NC, USA
Bea Fields is an Executive Coach and a Certified Guerrilla Marketing Coach. She is also a Consultant, Trainer, Public Speaker and author of the Five Star Leader e-course. Her area of expertise is that of Leadership Development and Marketing for Executives, Managers, Small Business Owners, and Political Leaders.
Whether it's a downloadable report available from your website, a... Read More
When you want to win and woo new clients with... Read More
1) They don't fully understand it.Perception: Marketing is advertising. Reality:... Read More
"We don't have any competition. We're a truly a one-of-a-kind... Read More
Here are 9 low-cost but highly effective marketing tips to... Read More
Many business owners do not understand the authenticity and validation... Read More
So you've made a sale. Great!Now what? You're not just... Read More
I am a great believer in the keeping to the... Read More
Today I've decided to share with you a new word... Read More
My 6 year old daughter Emily knows exactly what she... Read More
Direct Marketing works!Why? It works because it's personal. It carries... Read More
Even the world's best marketing strategy won't work for you... Read More
For years now we have been inundated with offers of... Read More
This is a devastatingly powerful way to extend your marketing... Read More
No doubt you started this year with some big ideas... Read More
Pre-note: In this article, teleclass is an example used to... Read More
It's no secret that using a job site sign can... Read More
In "Developing a Marketing Plan", we covered the first steps... Read More
If anyone was to ask me what my greatest strength... Read More
Are you looking to erase your debt, buy that new... Read More
How to Create Strategies That Work In Today's Markets. Of... Read More
In a recent marketing workshop I attended, I discovered that... Read More
Brochure printing can be easy if you first identify your... Read More
A brochure can be a wonderful promotional tool for a... Read More
Most professional copywriters would say that headlines account for 80%... Read More
Sounds pretty harsh, doesn't it? Well, I can tell you... Read More
If you're just dipping your toes into the waters of... Read More
Looking for a great way to drive traffic to your... Read More
New Year's is a good time for strategic planning or... Read More
I have been designing Yellow Page ads for the past... Read More
An accountant once told me that he never met anyone... Read More
Same old same old just doesn't sell anymore. To... Read More
I would like to introduce you to one of my... Read More
For generations people have been saying that laughter is good... Read More
There are many Web sites I visit every day and... Read More
Motivating strangers to give their money away is one of... Read More
Special Requirements for Reprint: we ask only that... Read More
Donors read postscripts. This is a sad but important reality... Read More
HOW YOUR LIST AFFECTS POSTAGE COSTS AND WHAT YOU CAN... Read More
Now that you have had a chance to create a... Read More
Here is a powerful tip on how to substantially increase... Read More
Altruism. Corporate responsibility. Philanthropy. These are often used to describe... Read More
We all know the importance of marketing to increase sales... Read More
A person or business that might buy from you is... Read More
Q: My partner and I are having a hard time... Read More
Everywhere you go on the Internet you find the words,... Read More
There are a number of difficulties a beginning entrepreneur may... Read More
Marketing is something that we do to let people know... Read More
As a self-employed professional, you have two basic strategies for... Read More
Do you have Communication breakdown?How are you communicating with your... Read More
With the increase in number of tradeshows being held across... Read More
New Year's is a good time for strategic planning or... Read More
As you have probably experienced there is a lot of... Read More
Qualitative research, whether individual interviews, in-homes, focus groups, ethnographies and... Read More
Generation Y--The second-largest crop of young people in America's history,... Read More
Turning a modest $100,000 annual turnover into $1,191,817 may sound... Read More
Whatever business you are in, either online or offline, you've... Read More
Marketing results should be measured in only one way ?... Read More
Will postcards be an advantage for you?The latest craze these... Read More
There is a simple but almost mystical law which governs... Read More
Things have to change. Cross selling is not going to... Read More
This is a pretty tough global economy and it is... Read More
A powerful consumer market with annual spending power exceeding $350... Read More
Recently, a client asked what he could do to help... Read More
"There are those who get things done and those who... Read More
With the continued proliferation of the Internet, the meaning of... Read More
Marketing |