Marketing Strategies That Actually Work
By
Lauren Williamson
There are just as many differing opinions about marketing strategies that do or don’t work as there are opinions about anything else. However, there are several time tested strategies that are always worth a second thought. These include effective ideas from marketing such as the use of promotional products and using social media in unique ways.
Viral Social Media Content
Most people don’t think of content they post on social media as possibly becoming viral, but viral content gains attention all the time. Some of the most popular videos and memes seen on social media sites had humble beginnings as content shared among friends. When you share content created for a business, it can go viral straight away with the right audience, especially if you provide an incentive for customers who choose to share or otherwise interact with your content.
Company Giveaways
Not everyone realizes how influential these products can be. Sometimes, larger companies might give out coffee mugs or other items to their best customers, often as appreciation gifts around the holidays. However, customers might just as easily remember your company when given items such as personalized pens or wallet calendars. A little bit of creativity can also help too. Some of the more creative promotional items to consider are bags and tech gadgets such as power banks and smartphone speakers.
Paid Online Advertising
Many marketeers are divided as to how effective traditional advertising that does not follow a pay-per-click model is. You might be pleasantly surprised to learn about the possible effectiveness of this type of advertising. Some companies cater to customers in search of more specialized products, and advertising websites that use a classified ad style might suit these customers. Also, many search engine optimisztion experts place a high value on organic search results.
Sites that utilize organic SEO methods can also be good for advertising purposes. Point-of-Purchase, or POP, is a popular form of marketing that encourages extra sales from customers who are ready to purchase. Although most commonly used in larger retail shops, this sort of marketing can also work well in online shopping settings. Most online shopping cart software allows you to utilize additional suggested products that your customers might wish to add to an existing order. In addition to online shopping, POP marketing can also work in smaller retail shops with a clever use of displays.
Affinity Marketing
Affinity marketing is very commonly used, but many are not aware of the full impact of this technique or can describe how it is used. In this type of marketing, two or more brands join forces to sell a product or service. Besides increasing the perceived value of the product, the joint effort requires fewer resources to be used in the product’s promotion. Another advantage is the fact that such efforts sometimes discourage competitors from copying the product.
Conclusion
These examples help emphasize how many methods there are to use that can influence your sales efforts for the better. Even though many of these methods date to before the rise of the Internet, they are useful for online businesses as well as physical business locations. By utilizing these methods and others, you might see a very good return.
Lauren Williamson is a marketing specialist with years of experience in the industry. At her workplace, she is looked up to for curating unique ideas on marketing using promotional products. Her articles provide a fresh new look on how marketing should be pursued.
