When in doubt, act it out. Marketing is all about getting the word out there in whatever way possible. Especially when you’re a small business it pays to act big. The bigger companies can’t be as free and spontaneous as the little guys. And that’s where us small businesses have a huge advantage. So think big, act big, and oftentimes just do it all on a whim.
Just last night was one such whimsical occasion for us. With little advance notice, we rented a helium tank, bought some balloons, string and sharpie and made up a quick simplistic version of our business card. Since it was Yankee Homecoming weekend in Newburyport, we had no problem setting up shop on Inn Street and handing free balloons to eager little kids.
Now you might be asking yourself, “why little kids? They aren’t your target market!” Which is true. But in marketing, there’s a lot to be said about brand awareness and memorability. That’s why if you do something fun and memorable, it really can’t hurt you. Though kids aren’t our target market, successful business-people are. And not to stereotype or anything, but lots of successful business-people have kids. What a better, and more unique way, of advertising than through the one thing that means even more to them than their business – their family.
So the next time you’re trying to come up with some grand marketing campaign to solve this missing piece of your marketing mix, take a step back and think of cheap, creative ways to have fun with your marketing efforts. Not only did we have a blast, but we made some kids and parents very happy as well. Oh, and did we mention the cost? Under $100. Not bad for a night that’s already generated a couple of quality leads the next morning.
Of course, there is no substitute for carefully planned and executed marketing strategies. But every once in a while you’ve got to go out on a limb and have fun with it too. That’s what makes your brand stand out.
