7 Little-Known Marketing and Advertising Tricks to Increase Sales

Every business needs an edge, check out these 7 little-known marketing tricks to help sharpen yours in order to increase sales and beat the competition.

7 Little-Known Marketing and Advertising Tricks to Increase Sales

Photo by Firmbee.com on Unsplash

 

 

Running a business is tough. Making your brand stand out in a very crowded marketplace might be the hardest aspect of all.

Everyone is trying to get ahead and using the same marketing strategies. Because of that, any brand can just blur right into the information overload their consumers experience every day. 

 

To beat the competition, you need to do things others don’t. This is especially true when it comes to advertising. You can find uncommon and little-known ways to draw in customers and build sales, while your competitors are left scratching their heads.

Here are 7 little-known marketing tricks you can try for your business. 

1. Beta Versions

You’ve probably seen, and even partaken in, free samples at your local grocery store. There’s no reason why you can’t use the same technique with your products. If you are a digital startup, then offer your beta version to prospects to try out for free. If your product is good, it will sell itself. Not only that, but when you put out a beta version, make sure that there is a limited amount to go around. This will develop a feeling of exclusivity around your brand. 

 

If your products are “real-world” based, you can still use this concept. Offer free versions of your products in exchange for help with marketing. It could be that they put up posts on social media, or provide you with referrals to prospects. Whatever the incentive is, you can get your customers working for you. 

2. Social Causes

Investing in social causes is the right thing to do. However, it’s also a profitable thing to do if you can do it right. Find a cause you believe in, and work with that charity to raise money for them. You can do this in several ways, including a promotion where a portion of your proceeds go to the charity. Customers will appreciate the opportunity to help out a worthy cause and also buy your products. 

 

Being involved in your community has other benefits as well. You can support local fun runs and other charity events. If there is a community gathering, make sure that you are visible. Have some bright, beautiful signs made up and display them with portable high-quality acrylic sign holders. By making yourself visible, you will not just get your brand out there, but you will associate it with the feeling of helping others, and build trust with potential customers. 

3. Partner With Other Brands

They say that two heads are better than one. Well, two brands can be better than one as well. A partnership with another brand can help both of you. For example, by purchasing one of your products, customers can get a gift card for your partner business, and vice versa. This helps each of you to combine your marketing powers for that campaign, and bring in new customers for each other. It’s a bonus if the two brands would not be traditionally seen as compatible, but have an overlap with customer demographics. 

4. Virtual Contests

Many brands run contests. It’s a common tactic to offer up free gifts for entering drawings or buying products. However, with social media, you can run a contest virtually and offer a popular prize; it can also serve as a great advertising opportunity. Your contests can even involve people doing something on social media to put their name into a drawing. They can like or share a post, submit pics with brand-related hashtags, they can even write you a jingle if you want. This type of contest will engage customers because it is fun, and gets extra eyeballs on your brand through people sharing their posts. 

5. Be Active on Social Media

While just about every brand is on social media, it’s an entirely different thing to be active on social media. Do not just post sales and menus. Make sure that you offer your followers engaging content to read, comment on, and like. They will share your posts and give them more authority with social media algorithms. 

 

You’ll also want to be available to answer questions and concerns, and thank your followers for commenting. This will not just get your brand noticed, but it will build up trust with your customers. When they have the feeling that there are real people behind your social media and your brand, they will be more willing to part with their hard-earned money to buy your product. 

6. Customer Service Training

This isn’t exactly advertising, but it is crucial nonetheless. One of the best ways to set yourself apart is with strong customer service. Too many customer interactions nowadays are over digital platforms and may seem impersonal. By working on your in-store and telephone customer service skills, clients will have a better experience and be more willing to come back again and again. Any staff can be trained to be good at customer service. It just takes an investment on your part to make it happen.

7. Bring a Fun Mind Set

You might wonder what “fun” has to do with your business or brand. It could mean everything. Having fun when planning out your marketing and advertising strategy will help get your creative juices flowing. 

 

Humor can be powerful in advertising, and customers respond to brands that are serious but don’t come off as taking themselves too seriously. When brainstorming, think of elements in your brand that could be a little more playful to help you appeal to your audience. Even if humor doesn’t fit your brand, by approaching your marketing tasks with fun in mind, you will feel free to create and come up with ideas that can work.

 

Don’t get left behind! Stand out from the crowd with these uncommon, but very effective, marketing and advertising tricks.