Marketing; the key ingredient to business success!
Good ideas and best intentions can often be just that if the right marketing strategy isn't applied and successfully executed! Whilst sitting comfortably in our bean bags in our brand new, Swansea city centre offices, the marketing team at Ouma have put their heads together and proudly present you with THIRTY ways to shout about your business. Enjoy a heady mix of marketing practices in both the digital domain and the real world...
1. Email marketing
Back from the dead this once annoyance of early noughties inboxes everywhere, email marketing is experiencing a true resurgence. Eye-catching, professional design and witty copy are a match made in heaven for reaching the minds of your target audience.
2. Events
Never underestimate the power of a good old fashion knees up! From a launch party to a business networking evening... attending and hosting events is a great way to meet new supporters of your business and share your passion with your ideal client.
3. Branded Promotional Items
Who doesn’t love a bit of merch?! Canvas bag? Yes please! Travel mug? Go on then! Think hard about what products would work for your business and how they add value to your customer's experience and lifestyle.
4. Google Key Word Ads
The mystery of Google Keywords is spread far and wide, but know how to use it and this is one of the most effective lead generators out there. It not only provides a great way to get seen by an audience actively searching for offerings such as yours, it also gives you multiple levels of feedback and data to analyse and up your game.
5. Publicity Stunt
Ready to grab people's attention? Ready to be talked about? A PR stunt might be just what the marketers ordered for your business! From a city centre flash mob to inflating a 23-foot long statue of Jeff Goldblum in front of Tower Bridge! The sky is literally the limit!
6. SEO
Have you heard these three little letters thrown around in conversation? Search Engine Optimisation is the process of improving and strengthening your website to increase its visibility to search engines like Google and Bing (side note... does anyone actually use Bing?). There are a myriad of ways to do this, one of which is to add blogs to your website with lots of relevant keywords in 😜
7. Direct Mail Marketing
This type of marketing can be great fun! Long gone are the days of boring letters in unmarked envelopes! If you have the addresses of your target clients (we won't ask how you got those) you can get really creative with what you post through their door! Gift boxes, confetti-filled cards, branded iced biscuits... you've got the budget, the world of direct mail is your oyster!
8. Podcasting
The recent global pandemic paved the way for the podcast craze to grip the UK. Since the beginning of 2020, Spotify recorded an unprecedented 69% increase in monthly active users. A podcast is a great way to build your personal brand, market your business and leverage your passion for success.
9. Influencers and Endorsements
The wonderful world of influencer marketing and celebrity endorsement is not as unobtainable as you might think. There are many different types of influencer across a variety of platforms and they can offer incredible results when the right working collaboration is created.
10. Instagram
With 28.81 billion users as of July 2021 and an audience primarily between the ages of 18 and 35, Instagram is a force to be reckoned with. As part of the Zuckerberg empire, this platform can be used in a variety of ways for marketing different styles of business but has its origins in being most effective for visual and creative industries.
11. Facebook
With its cacophony of business and community features, 2.89 billion monthly active users and its variety of paid advertising routes, it’s fair to say that Facebook is the king of social media marketing. From a simple business page to the wondrous world of Business Manager, Facebook remains THE social platform for business marketing success in 2021.
12. Linkedin
Born in 2002, Linkedin is a unique social platform that weaves people and businesses together like no other. It holds multiple networking opportunities and ways to reach decision-makers and leaders from hundreds of companies. If you’re serious about business development through social media, this is the tool for you.
13. Twitter
A fast-moving hotbed of quick wit, conversation and debate! Despite the changing social climate, Twitter has stuck to its guns and holds a tight character limit which makes every post count! This is by far the best platform to start a conversation and make your business voice heard!
14. Pinterest
The rising trend of image search made Pinterest the giant visual search engine you know today. It lends itself to creative and visual brands and has an incredibly unique audience: 77.1% of Pinterest users in 2021 are female. It offers both organic and paid advertising with a shop function for e-commerce businesses. The marketing potential of this platform is not to be underestimated!
15. TikTok
Born from a need for bingeable entertainment through a global pandemic, we all started 2020 learning bizarre dance routines and lip-syncing into our smartphones. But TikTok has evolved into something entirely new on the social media stratosphere. Its contagious escapism creates perfect pools of audiences ready to invest in new and different products!
16. Youtube
Owned by tech giant and search engine extraordinaire Google, this platform offers endless marketing opportunities including both paid and free advertising avenues. In the last 18 months, video has become one of the most effective forms of social media advertising and nowhere does it quite like the OG - Youtube. If you’re looking to scale your business and communicate directly with your audience, this could be the platform for you.
17. Radio Advertising
What’s the first thing you hear when you jump in your car? Your preferred radio station? We thought so! Radio advertising is still relevant and effective for the right kind of business. It has an incredible capacity to reach large scale audiences and improve not only brand awareness but also brand credibility.
18. Community Building
If the recent Covid-19 pandemic taught us anything it’s the value of human connection. Using online tools such as Facebook Groups, Zoom and Teams, businesses have found new and interesting ways to connect their customers and reach new audiences through community building.
19. Networking
Gone are the days of a room full of stiff, pinstripe suits and awkward conversations; networking today is a fun mix of getting to know new people and feeling confident about your business development. Building a community of like-minded supporters and fellow business owners can raise your marketing game entirely! Get out there, get inspired, get networking.
20. Leaflet Drops
'But it's 2021!' I hear you cry! Actually, leaflet drops are not as much a thing of the past as you might think! For the right business in the right area, a well-designed leaflet, strategically targeted can prove highly effective. Great for those with a fixed premises or reliant on local footfall!
21. Profile Building and Personal Brand
What's Tesla without Elon Musk? Where would Apple be without Steve Jobs? Or Pixar for that matter! Building your public presence as a leader in your industry is hugely important for the development of your business. Speaking engagements, networking opportunities, media features are all strategic marketing techniques, because you are your business.
22. Magazines
Yes, you read that right, we are really suggesting print media! There is, of course, the obvious route of paid advertising space but also consider building relationships with journalists that specialise in your industry; what others write about you speaks volumes for your business! Most newspaper and magazine also have an online offering (it is 2021 after all) so often you'll be featured in more than one place. Winning!
23. Sponsorship Often overlooked, this touchpoint for your target market can be highly effective. Prior research is key though! Get clear on where your ideal demographic are and what they come into contact with in their daily lives. Sport kits for your local rugby club? Yes! Headline sponsor for the village flower festival? If that’s your jam!
24. Google Display Ads
Ever wondered how certain adverts follow you around the internet? We're pretty sure it's not a conspiracy theory, it’s Google's second paid advertising option – Display Ads! This utilises a pre-set budget and banner ads to target audiences based on data collected about their general online behavioural patterns. It can be hugely effective and similar to Google's Keyword Ads provides you with a wealth of data to analyse and improve your marketing.
25. Website
Since its rise in the late 80's and early 90's, the internet has revolutionised businesses across the globe. A key ingredient to marketing success in the online domain is a good website. Consider it your virtual shop window! Potential customers WILL judge a book by its cover, so make sure yours correctly reflects your quality, values and services.
26. Microsoft Advertising
Formerly known as Bing Ads, Microsoft Advertising offers a service for businesses to appear first in response to certain search terms entered into Bing. A lot like Google Keyword Ads I hear you say? And you'd be right, but for Bing instead of Google. Microsoft Advertising also offers the potential for more unexpected touchpoints as well such as Outlook and Hotmail. It may not be your first port of call, but Microsoft Advertising is certainly something to consider.
27. App Advertising In-app advertising appears within a mobile app specifically to the user. It allows for some very particular targeted marketing and can be optimised in a few different formats; from a visual banner ad in a video game app to a full-screen take-over experience... it's an exciting route to market that works for many businesses!
28. Google My Business
Simple, free and very useful! Google my Business is a feature of Google that allows businesses to claim a business listing within the search engine. Images can be added, posts can be shared, reviews can be left by customers and information such as your website and address can be detailed. Get featured in one of the world's most used directories, for free!
29. Public Relations
If you’ve got a story to tell, there’s an audience ready to listen! The world of Public Relations is vast and colourful but building a PR strategy is a great way to accentuate your other marketing efforts, get noticed and reach new customers. To find out more about how and why PR is an important part of your marketing plan, click here.
30. Billboard Advertising
We love nothing more than a tongue-in-cheek billboard advert! The likes of Carlsberg Lager, Thursday Dating App and McDonald's come to mind. A great way of improving your brand awareness within a given area, an ideal route to market for businesses that have a physical offering and premises. Eye-catching design and clever wording will make you a local hot topic!
Now there's no excuse! Go forth and conquer the world of marketing and business development! As the queen of home organisation Marie Kondo says, keep what sparks joy and leave the rest; take away from this the ideas that are right for your business and that you feel excited about. Your trusty team of marketing professionals at Ouma are always on hand if you need support.
It's your business, it’s your passion - now let's get it to market!