When it comes to marketing, most people think that you need an army of promoters, designers, and developers to launch a successful marketing campaign. But that’s not true.
All marketing is, is about creating a strategy, identifying your target audience and then executing it in a way that resonates with them, and that is no different than with out-of-home advertising such as billboards.
It can be a difficult process to get right but one of the best things about it is the opportunity for creativity and innovation along the way.
So, if you’re looking for some inspiration on how to do just that, we can help! We have put together this list of our favorite out-of-the-box marketing ideas that will help you stand out from the crowd and win customers over before they even know what hit them.
What is An Out-of-Box Marketing Strategy?
Out of the box marketing comes down to one thing – data-driven marketing with emerging strategies.
For instance, if you choose to buy a placement on a billboard, using data technologies that measure traffic and the prospective reach is one thing, but merging that with custom URLs, hashtags, or QR codes creates an ecosystem that propels brand awareness and experience.
Below are ten out of the box marketing ideas that can help benefit you and your business.
Offer a Trade
If you have a product that has value and your customers don’t want it, they’ll probably be willing to trade something else instead. This is a great way to get rid of products that are too expensive to distribute or not selling well.
There are many ways you can offer trades:
- Trade-in credit: Offer customers the option of trading in their old product for store credit toward future purchases. This can be especially useful when selling electronics or other expensive items that require replacement parts or repairs regularly.
- Gift card swap: You could give out gift cards at the checkout counter when someone makes a purchase, but then offer them the option of also receiving an extra gift card for every item they trade in as well! This could double or triple your return on investment (ROI) from these discounted sales because people will actually buy another item with their first credit rather than just leaving empty handed—which happens more often than not when companies only offer one type of payment option during checkout processes like this one does.
Use Digital Signage
Digital signage is the use of digital technology to promote products, services, events and brand messages on large displays in public locations – such as stadiums, shopping malls and terminals.
Digital signage serves a number of purposes including:
- Promoting your business
- Providing information to customers on where they can find what they’re looking for or what is happening in the area
Create a Scavenger Hunt
This is a great way to get your team or clients involved and increase brand awareness/loyalty.
Create a list of items, then take pictures or video of them in your office and store it online or across social media so your participants can see them.
On the day that you launch your scavenger hunt, send out an email with instructions for how to participate (you can also post on social media if you have room for more exposure). The instructions should include what image(s) are needed from each location, how participants will know when they’ve found the item(s) needed and other details like this one: “The first person who finds [an item] at [location] wins!”.
Make sure the prizes are worth winning! It’s always good to give away something that has value because it shows appreciation towards those who took time out of their busy days in order to participate. The prize doesn’t have to be big though; it just needs something special about it so people feel good about themselves after receiving one as opposed to feeling like they’re just some dumb loser who couldn’t find anything cool enough.
Use the Mail
- Use the mail to send coupons, information about your business or products, and thank you cards.
- Send holiday cards to customers, friends, and family that have expressed interest in your business.
- Send birthday cards for every employee, including yourself! It’s important for employees to feel connected to the company beyond just working together on projects.
Go Mobile With Mobile Coupons or QR Codes
Using billboards or fuel pump advertising allows the use of QR codes.
QR codes saw a resurgence during the 2020 COVID lockdowns, and the momentum has not stopped.
QR codes can offer mobile coupons that are a great way to reach your audience and get them into your store. They can also be used in many ways. For example, you could offer free shipping on a certain day or time period, or coupons for discounts on items in your store. Mobile coupons are also helpful for getting people to try new things, like offering free samples at checkout counters.
Create a Viral Marketing Campaign
When you think of your content, don’t limit yourself to what’s on the paper in front of you.
Think about how you can add value to that content. For example, in a recent film “Smile”, the marketing team sent paid actors to baseball games to ‘Smile’ for the duration. The goal was to raise awareness but also to creatively expand the audience in a viral marketing effort.
Viral marketing combines out of home marketing with digital marketing and PR to produce word of mouth awareness.
Host an Event at Your Place of Business
Hosting an event at your business is a great way to get your brand in front of your customers. For example, if you’re a barber shop or salon, you can host an event where people come in for discounted haircuts. This is also a great way to build brand loyalty and engage with customers on a deeper level.
You don’t have to hold the event at your place of business either! You could host it off site and encourage people from all over town or even around the world to attend. This gives them something fun and entertaining while also bringing more traffic into your store or office space.
Give Away Swag
Gifting swag is a great way to get your name out there. The trick is to give away something that’s relevant to your business, useful for the customer, and not too expensive. A good example of this is offering an in-store coupon when people bring their pets in for grooming.
You should also try gifting things that will get people talking about your brand and put you at the forefront of their minds — like branded water bottles or reusable totes!
Go ‘Live’ on Social Media Platforms
Live video is a great way to connect with your audience. It’s a great way to show off your products, new or old. You can use live video to promote a new product or service, share information about your company, and even answer questions from people who are interested in what you have to offer.
Get Local Businesses Involved in a Larger Campaign
- Think about how you can work with other businesses in your area.
- Get them involved in a larger campaign, and ask them to promote your business for free.
- Offer them a free service in return for their support.
- Offer them a discount on one of your services or products if they agree to help promote it through their own channels (e.g., website, social media).
- Give away free gifts to people who attend events at another business’s location (e.g., restaurant) as part of an event of yours that’s happening nearby—this could be tickets or gift certificates that they can use on their next visit!
Think Outside the Box for Creative Marketing Ideas
The best way to get creative marketing ideas is to think outside the box. If you are getting stuck on a project and need some inspiration, here are some ways to help you come up with unique ideas for your business:
- Get on the internet! There are so many websites out there that provide excellent resources when it comes to searching for creative marketing ideas. There are also plenty of blogs and articles written by successful entrepreneurs who have used these techniques before.
- Use what works! If an idea worked well in the past, there’s no reason why it won’t work again! Don’t be afraid of trying something again if enough time has passed since its initial success; after all, nothing beats experience when it comes down to figuring out how effective certain techniques can be at generating interest among potential customers.
- Survey your audience! Go right to the source and ask what they want to see more of from your business or brand.
bMedia and Out-of-the-Box Marketing Ideas
Out of the box marketing ideas come in many shapes and sizes. While viral marketing worked for the team promoting a film, it’s best to consider your options, keep an open mind, and find a partner that can help you achieve your KPIs.
As a local leading media promotion company, our goal is to provide advertising avenues that make your message get through to your target market in order to solidify your brand image and / or increase your sales through impact, quality, innovation, and distinct services. We’re
Contact bMedia and learn more about our services and how we can help promote your business.
