Wow, Apple spends a whopping $2 billion annually on advertising! For everyday companies, that’s an astronomical figure, hard to even fathom. And with your business relying heavily on visibility to boost recognition and sales, how can you even hold a candle to behemoths like Apple, Coca-Cola, and InBev, with their seemingly endless marketing budgets?
The truth is, straight-up competing is off the cards. What you can do, however, is use creativity to make your business stand out without burning a hole in your pocket. No, we’re not talking about shelling out millions for TV ads or buying the naming rights to a sports stadium. We just have some effective tips that won’t break the bank.
Here are a few affordable strategies you can adopt:
Make Yourself Seen by Your Audience
Did you know the average person is bombarded with over 1,300 brand visuals daily? This ranges from ad banners on city buses to phone logos and internet pop-ups. Amidst this deluge, making your brand stick without a hefty budget might sound impossible, but it isn’t.
One clever way to achieve this is by creating desk items people would keep and use daily. The usual promotional swag tends not to hang around too long before it’s lost in a drawer or trashed. But imagine a nice, oversized ceramic coffee mug instead of the usual travel mug. It would be used frequently, which equals repeated exposure to your brand – crucial for marketing.
Head Off the Beaten Path
Breaking away from the usual and predictable marketing strategies is crucial. You might have figured that USB drives in a technology exhibit or a bag bearing a logo at a retail store are a sure thing. But what about something unexpected?
Take the instance of a camping equipment company offering cups of water at popular hiking trail ends. Hikers relished the water and kept the cups, providing the company a cost-effective way to build their brand among a focused audience without an overt advertising feel.
Go Big or Go Home
Marketing materials tend to fade into oblivion due to their similarity. Websites, logos, everything begins to look alike after a while. However, it’s high time you broke free of that mold.
Choose a color palette and a font that sets you apart. Offer temporary tattoos that people would wear with pride. Limitations? None! It’s time to redefine your marketing strategy.
While it’s a tough task to go head-to-head with marketing giants when you’re a smaller enterprise, taking the traditional route isn’t mandatory. Entrepreneurs can put on their creative hats to identify unique, cost-effective methods to reach their target audiences. Remember, it’s about making the most impact without burning through your savings.