Shoppers are exposed to a lot of advertising every day. From online ads to logos and TV commercials, it's hard to avoid getting bombarded with the marketing efforts of thousands of unique brands. In fact, Red Crow Marketing estimates that the average American sees 4,000 ads per day.
New and veteran retailers may find it challenging to give their brands the attention they deserve. Non-traditional marketing strategies can help retailers expose their brands to a wider audience of interested shoppers. Here are five tactics to consider:
1. Online Q&A sessions
If you want to increase audience engagement with your brand, try a form of marketing that is wholly interactive. Using a social media platform such as Facebook or Instagram, you can host real-time question and answer sessions. These mini events can give shoppers a chance to learn more about your brand and the products and services you offer. If you use live video, this tactic can also give your brand a more relatable personality.
2. Give away freebies
Sometimes, you need to give something away for free before people will take an interest in your brand offerings. This doesn't mean you need to give away your best-selling products, however. Consider finding a small, low-cost item you can send to customers. Alternatively, you could hold a contest to give away a more substantial prize. Doing so can help you gain more followers on social media, as well as in-store shoppers.
3. Start a blog
When shoppers are looking for specific products or services, they often turn to Google first. Shoppers want to know where to find the best deals on the best products. When you conduct a search for the products you sell, does your brand appear on the first page of results? If not, you could be missing out on substantial internet traffic. A blog is the perfect way to increase your chances of appearing in search results. Consider writing how-to articles and inspirational posts about potential uses for your products.
4. Establish a pop-up shop
If your brand is strictly an ecommerce business, you may want to consider moving your operations to a physical location for a short period of time. A pop-up shop is a great way to help shoppers interact with your brand in a more personal way. Though many people prefer and enjoy online shopping, there will always be a set of consumers that want to see and feel merchandise before they make a purchase. A pop-up shop will not only attract new shoppers, but also will convert some consumers into loyal customers.
5. Become a brand influencer
Have you seen people talking about brands within their personal Instagram posts? These are social media influencers – people who have developed an online following by posting engaging content on a particular platform. Many of these individuals have established partnerships with brands to promote their products within their content. Retailers should try to emulate this tactic themselves. Become your own influencer by posting fun content online and engaging with the broader online community.
For more tips on how to optimize your retail brand's marketing strategy, check out our resource center today.
