Whatever the field or specialism of your business, you’re bound to come up against competition in one form or another. One of the best ways to stand head and shoulders above rival companies is to use clever, unique or innovative marketing and advertising techniques that the others may not have thought of. In this article, we explore a few of the approaches you might consider in order to stand out.
Watch Out for New Platforms
This first tip constitutes a bit of a gamble, as it’s hard to predict which new fads are here to last, and are therefore worth investing in. However, if you do a little research, you may be able to discover a few innovations that are tipped to be big in the coming year. Current examples include ad-breaks during podcasts (or even sponsoring a podcast), placing ads in internet games and even the use of virtual or augmented reality ads, where potential customers can try out your products, designs or services before they invest in them.
Invest in Intent SEO
A clever, straightforward and affordable marketing technique is to invest in intent search engine optimization (SEO). This involves researching the specific words and phrases used by potential customers when they look up businesses like yours online. You can use numerous free or low-cost digital resources to find these keywords, then distribute them organically throughout your website’s regularly updated content. The more specific you are able to be with your optimized content, the more likely you are to attract users who will spend money. This is a great way to consistently outrank competitors and multiply revenue.
Partner Up
In competitive fields, your marketing may work better with another name behind it. Why not find another business that complements yours and propose an arrangement whereby you promote one another? Say you run a craft beer shop and another business on the same street makes artisan pizzas. Why not come up with an offer that gets customers a discounted pizza when they buy a crate of beer from you? This will give them a taste of your partner company’s goods, making them more likely to return to either one of you.
Sponsor Events
A unique and exciting way to get your brand’s name out there is to help fund a festival, sporting event, fashion show or any other relevant happening. Your logos will be everywhere, you’ll be name checked on the event website and in other announcements, and, if the event is a success, people will automatically link your name to the great experience they had. Be sure to pick organizers that look trustworthy and events that are unlikely to fail, and you may see a significant boost to your brand’s reputation.
Show You Care
This option offers twofold benefits, with the first being that you’ll look great to potential customers, and the second is that you’ll be able to make a positive difference to the world. If you publicly donate money, goods or other resources to an important cause, or vocally campaign for positive change in a particular field, it will be recognized that your business is run by caring, thoughtful individuals and prioritizes giving back. This will give you a bigger platform and greater recognition, as well as being exceptionally rewarding in its own right. Just make sure that everything you do comes from a genuine place. The general public will see right through fake promises and the act of selfishly benefitting from a very real and pressing issue.
