Spreading ideas is one of the most challenging tasks for most businesses. You’ve probably heard about businesses that have spent so much in advertising only to have the strategy fail. So, how do you make sure yours works? Here are what experts suggest:
Traditional marketing still works
Although digital marketing is in, Forbes advises against forgetting traditional marketing completely. Offline marketing has a lot to offer that digital marketing cannot give. For one, customers want offline points of contact. So, what you need to do is implement both online and offline marketing strategies.
For offline marketing, one of the strategies you can have is giving away flyers or brochures. But it should not be just any run-of-the-mill type. The message, the design, and even the presentation should be carefully planned. Part of the presentation is folding. The way a card is folded should complement the message. For example, if you’re printing a Z fold card, make sure the message has a big impact. It should be interesting enough that the readers would want to read the rest of the flyer.
One way to do that is to put big texts or images that are incomplete. Start the message on the cover panel and wrap the rest of it to the inside.
Your products say a lot
People these days have more options but less time to go through their options. If your product is plain vanilla, chances are it won’t get noticed. The worst part is no one will talk about it. So, what Seth Godin suggests is to first look for a market. Understand the market and determine what they need.
Never mind the other people who don’t need your product; just focus on your target market. Keep in mind that not everyone would like your product, but do it for those who do anyway.
After finding the right audience, create a remarkable product. Some of the examples are the yo-yo that sleeps for 12 minutes, the picture frame that you have to plug into an outlet, and the diamonds made from the ashes of your loved ones. Once you’ve created a sensational product, your customers will be the one to spread the word.
Your reputation is crucial
In a Ted talk presented by Dan Cobley, he said that more data couldn’t prove hypothesis, but it can disprove it. He took the earth and its rotation as an example. A long time ago, people believed that the other planets rotate around the earth. Ptolemy had plenty of data supporting this theory, but a single observation by Copernicus shoot down this theory. Another example he cited is Tiger Woods. For a long time, he was the perfect endorser. But one scandal changed everything.
What this means is that although you have plenty of data that says your product is good, a single mistake can change all those perceptions. In business, you have to be careful not to screw things up and blow all your good work. In other words, don’t get too invested in your product and marketing alone. Take care of your reputation as well. A good and bad reputation can make or break your business.
In a highly competitive world of business, you need to learn how to survive. Some ways to do this include marketing properly, taking care of your business name, and creating products people are going to talk about.
