Afraid your signal is disappearing in the noise?
The number of brands using the internet to advertise has exploded in the last decade. Now, it’s almost a given that a brand will have an online presence.
So how can you get noticed in such a noisy environment? The key is smart brand advertising.
That’s why we’ve put together 7 foolproofs hacks you can use today.
Two to Tango
One-way brand advertising is on the way out.
Traditional advertising basically amounts to shouting at customers for their attention. Although effective in its own way, it struggles to overcome the trust barrier between customer and brand.
Opening up your brand to a two-way campaign creates a more intimate connection with customers. This is why most major brands now rely heavily on their social media presence and activities which engage their customers in the brand.
Brands need to be flexible to work with two-way marketing. But those who manage it reap the benefits of an engaged customer base.
Try running Q&A sessions or public polls. Take suggestions on your product range, or run a competition. Turn your brand advertising into a dialogue instead of a monologue.
Have Fun
There might be no quicker way to catch the eye than a good sense of fun.
The roaring success of the Share A Coke campaign tells us everything we need to know about fun brand advertising. It’s simple, it’s accessible, and it lands well with customers.
Take some time to think up a fun campaign that really speaks to your customer. If you get it right, they’ll go out of their way to see more of your marketing, which flips the traditional relationship around.
You’ll have to consider if this is right for the tone of your brand, but most can get away with at least some tongue-in-cheek humor.
Fun branding can transform you from a generic company to a friendly face in the minds of your customers.
Make Friends
Alright, we’re not saying to help the competition. But linking up with another brand can boost you both.
This works great for smaller brands. The internet ensures there’s an audience for everything, but one of the key issues brands face is discoverability.
By linking arms with a brand related to your own, you can both increase your brand signal.
The ideal brands for this are ones linked to your industry but not in your particular niche. If you’re a sports news outlet, for example, you could join forces with a sporting goods retailer.
There are many ways to link up. Sponsorship, cross-promotional marketing, and guest content are all great ways to double the reach of your two brands.
Offer It Up
Everybody loves a good deal.
Appeal to human nature by promoting your brand with offers. You’ll need to tailor the offer to fit your brand, but discount coupons and free sign-up are both great examples of tempting offers.
Although offers will lose you some initial profit, there’s a lot to be gained from bringing more customers on board. With a smart offer strategy, you can easily offset any losses you’d make.
Customers also love to tell each other about discounts, so it’s a great way to get noticed online.
Enough Negativity
We’re surrounded by negativity every day. On top of that, ads like to tell us about all the problems in our lives that only their products can fix.
Forget that. Flip the script! Promote your brand with positive messages, not negative ones.
Words like “help”, “you”, and “pleasure” build positive associations with your brand. They’re soothing and friendly. Become a force of positivity, and your customers will want to spend time with your brand.
Promoting positive messages through your social media is another good way to build this association. Try to avoid sharing depressing stories and facts, and instead focus on powerful good news.
Loud and Clear
Perhaps our attention spans are going the way of the goldfish. Or maybe our ability to filter huge amounts of information is getting better. Either way, we’re in an age of instant gratification.
That makes your brand message more vital than ever. It needs to be delivered with all the speed and purpose of an arrow from a bow. There’s no time for muddy messaging.
Get your facts in order before you begin an ad campaign. Decide what your message is and how you’ll deliver it. Make a note of what tone you’re shooting for before you loose that arrow.
Now make sure that every aspect of your brand advertising matches that message. Leave people confused, and they’ll drift toward the nearest competitor.
Brand Ambassadors – For Free
The social internet has opened so many opportunities for brands, but some are less obvious than others.
Turning your customers into free brand ambassadors is one of these secret social superpowers. It goes like this: build a strong reputation, interact with your customers online, and then let them carry your brand forward.
Social media models itself around sharing content. So your satisfied customers will naturally share and create positive messages about your brand. Bingo: brand advertising without spending a cent.
This will happen as a natural part of a happy customer base. But you should also take the time to remind your customers how much sharing helps you. That way, you get the benefits and they’ll get to feel they’ve done a good deed.
If you’re big enough, approaching influencers could take you even further. Although they may need an initial cost, they’ll quickly convert their followers into active customers for you. Once you have those extra customers, you also have new brand ambassadors.
It’s amazing how quickly a strong customer base will start your brand snowballing in reach.
Achieve Success in Brand Advertising
With these 7 simple hacks, you can achieve success in brand advertising. But marketing is evolving all the time, so the most important thing of all is to stay engaged and change with the times. Stay in touch with your customers to gauge their feelings and inform your future campaigns.
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