Are you looking for ways to grow your newly-founded business? Have you heard about sticker marketing but are not quite sure how to go about it? Or are you on the hunt for cost-effective alternatives to traditional advertising?
We have got you covered. In this article, we will discuss the most effective ways to generate exposure for your startup using custom stickers. All of our tips are hands-on and can be actioned immediately. So without further ado, let us jump right in.
Table of Contents
1. Add stickers to every order
Stickers are super cost-effective, often coming to as little as a few pennies per sticker. Through this, they can easily be added with every order or purchase without exceeding your budget.
Stickers are true marketing powerhouses. Given in the right moment, they are not even seen as a tool for advertising. Rather, they are perceived as a gift. Gift-giving has been a part of marketing for many decades due to the psychological reaction it evokes: the rule of reciprocity.
This rule is a concept rooted in social psychology and describes how when receiving a gift, we feel the subconscious need to return the favor. In this case, this can take the form of a purchase, a post on the social networks or a recommendation.
Including free stickers ignites positive associations with your brand in your customers’ minds. This positive emotion increases not only the likelihood of a repeat purchase, but also the chances that your customers will actually use your stickers. With your logo as a phone or laptop sticker, they become your personal brand ambassadors.
2. Giveaway stickers to influencers
You should, however, not restrict your marketing efforts to your existing customers. Instead, we recommend you use stickers to reach out to the influencers within your niche.
Small- to medium-sized influencers are perfect for this, as you want them to actually see the PR products you send in. The bigger the number of followers, the higher the chance that your parcel gets lost in the many packages they receive.
This follows a similar psychological rule as you are sending in a gift. All you are looking for in return is a post on social media to generate extra visibility for you and your brand.
Vinyl stickers are perfect for this as they are incredibly versatile. For special influencer collaborations, have a look at the many effect materials sticker printers offer, ranging from fluorescent to glitter – they look amazing in photos!
3. Brand your packaging with the right material
Since unboxing videos have become a trend, this experience is an essential part of the customer journey. With stickers, you can make this a brand experience that shows your customers you are willing to go the extra mile.
This is also a great opportunity to expand your branding as a business. Are you using compostable or recyclable materials in your product and for your packaging? Then you want to make sure you are using stickers made from similar materials.
Even though stickers are usually associated with plastic, sustainable sticker materials exist. There are paper as well as bio-plastic options that completely decompose within 12 weeks. Paper materials are ideal for short-term indoors uses whereas bio-plastics are a little more resistant.
Just look at the picture below. Who would have thought you can create a great transparent sticker with biodegradable materials? It is even worth including a biodegradable sticker with this information on to communicate your brand ethics to your customers.
4. Try Guerrilla strategies
You might have heard the term guerrilla in a different context: warfare. It is usually used to describe the advantages of small groups over the conventional military. These include flexibility, speed and the element of surprise.
We can find these characteristics in guerrilla marketing. Guerrilla marketing consists of unconventional advertising strategies used to expose potential customers to your brand in unexpected ways. They are all about igniting an emotional reaction in your customers and having them interact with your brand.
Instead of huge marketing budgets, guerrilla campaigns depend on time, creativity and energy, making them ideal for startups and small businesses.
There are really no limits to guerrilla marketing. However, using stickers is the easiest and quickest way to replicate a guerrilla-effect as they enable you to spread your message fast and in many different locations, creating multiple ways for potential customers to interact with your brand.