6 often overlooked marketing options for start-ups and new businesses

For any new business owner, it can be daunting to plan a marketing campaign in industries that are overflowing with numerous brands attempting to capture the attention of your audience. Whilst it can be tempting to simply pay for ads and call it a day, you’ll have to do more than this to successfully engage your audience. 

So how can you do it? Here are 6 marketing techniques that are typically overlooked, but you could be using for your business.

 

• Blogs

 

Blogs are a form of content marketing that are too easily neglected. It’s worth noting that blogs take time and effort in both its creation and its success, considering that a search engine optimisation (SEO) strategy should be in place to help your blogs rank high on search engine result pages (SERPs). In fact, LinkedIn reports that 67% of experiences online start with a search engine, so this is something to think about before writing blogs for your brand.

 

• Sponsoring events

 

You may want to start sponsoring events, especially any local or community ones, if you own a start-up or new business. Ensure that these are events that are relevant to your business and its products or services, however. By sponsoring local events, you’re able to connect with your local community and raise brand awareness through this. 

 

• Outdoor advertising

 

Also known as out-of-home (OOH) advertising, this advertising strategy utilises the offline world and is an effective way to reach the general public. Your ads could be shown on various outside spaces such as on billboards, kiosks, public transport, and anywhere that you’re able to exhibit an ad! If you’re interested in OOH advertising, but don’t want to do it alone, take your time to research the OOH advertising solutions out there to find something that best suits your needs. For example, the Clear Start product is designed specifically for start-ups and new businesses.

 

• Guerilla marketing

 

If you’re on a tight budget, a cost-effective way to increase brand exposure is guerilla marketing. This facilitates the factor of surprise or unconventional experiences to bring a unique ad to the public. This can help attract new customers by piquing their interest in your brand, growing via word-of-mouth. Guerilla marketing is the best way to allow your creative juices to flow. How about some graffiti or street art?

 

• Influencer marketing

 

In a society that is constantly active on social media, it would almost be an insult if you didn’t utilise one of the most efficient ways to reach an audience that emerged as a result of these platforms. Influencers! Partnering with influencers can truly help your business gain a competitive edge – as long as you do it appropriately. This means that your influencer’s values and content should be aligned with your own! Why would you partner with a meat-loving (who flaunts it) influencer when you’re a brand advocating vegan goods?

 

• Trade shows

 

Trade shows are great for networking with potential business partners, as well as gaining advice and a more nuanced understanding of the industry from leading experts. Journalists may also be present at these events – so, again, it can be a way to market your brand and possibly have it featured positively somewhere on an article to increase brand recognition and awareness.