🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
Marketing strategies that persist do so because time and time again they've been proven to lead to good results. And when something is successful, it's difficult to stop doing what everyone else is doing and step outside of your comfort zone to change things up. However, taking the road less traveled is a great way to make your business stand out from the crowd.
To help leaders embrace thinking outside of the box, 10 Newsweek Expert Forum members share unconventional promotions that did wonders for their business.
1. Highlight Execs on Social Media
Showcasing top executives on social channels as their authentic selves can truly reflect a culture of joy. We recently posted a spontaneous, fun picture of our CHRO in a dinosaur hat. A picture is worth a thousand words. - Britton Bloch, Navy Federal
2. Inject Fun Into Events
We recently attended an industry conference in Las Vegas. It was in early October, so we used a Halloween theme, and our head of marketing came up with an idea to create a "Haunted Cabana." We hired actors dressed in costumes to take pictures with guests. It was a fun way to draw in potential clients and get some one-on-one time with them during a busy conference. We had a lot of positive responses. - Jason Hennessey, Hennessey Digital
3. Create Podcasts
We found podcasting to be our secret weapon. If there's anything to be learned from creating 40-minute audio episodes, it's that people do want to sit in and listen; they just want something worthy of their time. - Jacob Mathison, Mathison Projects Inc.
4. Provide Free, Useful Swag
Everybody loves free stuff, especially if it is clever and useful. Choose something that has a future functional use, will be publicly visible and also has the right subtle balance of advertisement without overdoing it. An example might be a good quality, attractive conference tote bag with your company name and logo that can be taken home and reused as a grocery bag or just another tote bag. - Margie Kiesel, Avaneer Health
5. Offer Discounted Packaged Services
We did a promotion during the pandemic that yielded amazing results. We advertised retainer packages as low as $3,000 to brands we knew were spending a lot more than that at the time to "keep the PR lights on during this tumultuous time." It worked really well for us. - April White, Trust Relations
6. Lean Into Small Differences
Showcasing our accents in a diversity campaign was a huge success for our firm. We hoped for a good turnout, but it was actually one of our best campaigns ever. - Krisztina Veres, Veres Career Consulting
7. Leverage Personalized SMS Messages
I call it "text magic." My business entails consistent follow-up with my clients after the initial engagement. I've resorted to creating personalized messages, which are sent to multiple recipients in the form of SMS. This content either revolves around reminders or affirmations. - Dr. Kira Graves, Kira Graves Consulting
8. Do Pop-Up Shops
One promotion we've done that many would consider unorthodox is to have a pop-up shop at a local event, such as an art fair or community event. It's a chance for people to meet us, see our product and ask questions. We also offer brochures and information about our domain name for people to find us online on our social media accounts. Getting out in public is a great way to make your business feel real. - Baruch Labunski, Rank Secure
9. Offer Products Not Normally Stocked
The most insanely unorthodox promotion we've done is offer two small perennials that we don't normally have for 89 cents each. This was for orders placed within a specific day for total amounts over $19.99. Our conversions sky rocketed from 2.1 to 5.8 percent. - Tammy Sons, Tn Nursery
10. Provide Potential Clients With a No-Strings-Attached Favor
Borrowing from the book The Snowball System by Mo Bunnell, we started implementing a "give to get." This entails giving clients whom we felt were a fantastic fit for our business a bespoke, no-strings-attached favor. Although giving someone your work before they agree to pay for it is risky, it's paid us back in dividends. The goodwill created is unmatched, and the potential client gets a taste of your expertise. - Priscila Martinez, The Brand Agency
