Innovative, unique, and inspiring marketing strategies for 2014
While working on my marketing initiatives for 2014, I started to contemplate other ways to spend our marketing dollars besides traditional advertising. We are going through a rebrand this year and I vowed to not spend a dollar on “product-based” marketing and spend every penny on brand engagement, community relations, and social good/cause marketing. Sure, a name change and rebrand has a lot to do with these recent changes in marketing strategy, but think about it…by focusing on all of the points above, your return on investment will grow indefinitely – unlike a short term product promotion which fizzles out once the promo is over.
- Guerilla Tactics:
Don’t just talk about it, be about it. We see in news publications what other organizations are doing to generate word of mouth buzz, but have you actually tried it yourself? Most of these ideas cost very little to execute:- Visit a local gas station with a few “pay it forward” logo cards and paying for people’s gas unexpectedly. Ask them for nothing except to pay it forward someday.
- Start a cash mob for a local business
- Rent ad space on someone else’s Facebook page
- Do something “Word of mouth worthy” (i.e. Elevations Credit Union surprises people on Valentine’s Day) – because people don’t repeat marketing slogans, they repeat a good story.
- Sponsor something local – and then participate in the event! (i.e. cheer on a sponsored little league game and chat it up with parents.)
- Create your own award and allow community voting (Business of the year, best of, non-profit award, Teacher’s lounge makeover, etc.)
