It’s a pretty busy, crowded marketplace out there, and getting your business noticed can feel a little like shouting into a wind tunnel. When you know you’ve got a great product, this can be immensely frustrating. The good news is that with a little outside the box thinking, you can get your brand noticed for all the right reasons.
Get your customers involved
People love to know that their voices are heard and their opinions count – so give them a platform to have their say. Ask for their feedback on your social platforms, run a contest or competition, and involve them wherever you can.A great way to inspire engagement and show your commitment to doing good as a company in one fell swoop is asking them to nominate a cause or charity for your business to support. Speaking of which…
Align with the cause-oriented generation with the biggest purchasing power
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Millennials have more spending power than any other generation – amounting to around $600 billion in sales each year in the US alone. There’s no bigger market to tap into, and understanding what they're looking for in a brand is the first step in getting them to notice yours. Luckily for you, they're pretty outspoken about what they want!They want the things they buy to support causes they believe in, they want companies to be transparent about how their products are made and sourced, they want companies to give back to society and promote sustainable and ethical practices – and they're happy to pay more (even a lot more) for products and services which tick those boxes.
All this despite the fact that your average working millennial earns about $10,000 a year less than their counterparts did in 1989, and carries a lot more student debt. That’s how much they care about these issues – and if you can get your brand values to align with theirs, they won’t just support you, they’ll help promote you.
Create a retail or office space that stands out
Have you heard of scent marketing? We hadn’t! While you might not be familiar with the science, we’ve all experienced the power of a familiar smell to bring back strong memories and emotions – and realtors have been using this strategy to make homes more attractive to buyers for decades.This is just one of the techniques you can use to create a unique experience for those who walk into your store or office space. Visual displays and enticing graphics, impressive digital signage, and even white noise soundscaping can all work together to create the kind of atmosphere you want customers to associate with your brand.
Providing an awesome in-store experience is also a great way to attract positive online reviews from your existing customers – another excellent way to get all the right kinds of attention for your brand.
Partner with an influencer
Many of us have become so used to ignoring banner ads, paid links and sponsored content everywhere we click (or making use of ad-blocking software) that we don’t even really see it anymore. Younger Gen Z consumers are even more averse to any kind of content that tries to ‘speak at them’.What people do pay attention to are what their favorite celebrities, industry experts, sports stars, activists and role models are sharing and talking about. And while influencer marketing isn’t exactly new, many companies consider themselves too small to get in on the trend. This is not necessarily the case, as micro influencers may well be within your budget.
Another option is to become an influencer yourself! While you might not feel you have the kind of personality for the job, there are lots of ways to become ‘influential’ in your field. Giving great advice on industry forums or sites like Quora, writing and posting useful articles or white papers, or hosting webinars or creating video tutorials are all good ways to grow your reputation – and therefore, your influence.
Let customers see your silly side
In the age of Twitter and Instagram, consumers are looking for more personal, informal interaction with brands – and sprinkling a little humor in your social media posts, ad campaigns, or on your website is a great way to show your human side.Some brands do this particularly well, and are worth following just to pick up a few tips. Outside of social media, there are plenty of ways to lighten the mood. You could create a cute digital mascot with a big personality to act as your company’s ‘spokesperson’, include some quirky staff photos on your ‘about us’ page, or include a clever pun or joke in your email campaigns.
With so many brands competing for your customers’ attention, making them LOL – or at least crack a smile – is one of the best ways to stand out.
