5 Creative Marketing Ideas You Can Implement Immediately

As a business, you’re always on the lookout for different marketing strategies and campaigns that you can integrate to get a competitive advantage.

The only problem is that in the corporate world, your competitors always have their eyes on you. If you find success with a particular marketing tactic, others will follow. Consider it a form of flattery.

Now the struggle becomes finding tactics that are creative and unheard of, yet still provide the promise of delivering measurable results. Here are five creative ideas you can integrate into your business strategy today.

1. Make use of branded links

Considering 91 percent of consumers prefer buying from an authentic brand, you need to focus on branding to win the trust of consumers.

Branded links are fun, creative, and highly-efficient. They’re a fantastic way to brand your business and content in a tiny real estate.

You may have come across cryptic short links such as bit.ly/AbC123 or ow.ly/QWe781 on Facebook or Twitter or even on YouTube (in the video descriptions). These awkward, unbranded, and hard to remember short links make for a major branding opportunity that often goes unutilized.

A recent study by Rebrandly revealed that branded links can increase CTR by up to 39%. In fact, these short links make for a great call to action in your social media messages. Using new domain extensions such as .online, .site, .space, .tech, .store, and others can also be used for memorable branding and allow you to share content online in a smart and evocative way.

For example, If you are a social media influencer, you could use a domain name such as jeff.online.

You can even use generic domains such as cookingblog.online or cookingblog.site.

2. Take it to the streets

It’s easy to get lost in the ever-growing online marketing industry to grab the attention of online users.

However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for innovative offline marketing tactics in your business. In fact, 40 percent of online searchers purchase after being influenced by an offline channel.

Of course, there are the obvious signboard campaigns, drive-by appointments, and newspaper adverts, but how about something different?

Grab some street chalk at the local store and place the contact information of your company on the concrete walkways in your community.

Youthfulness and out-of-the-box thinking will inspire people. They’ll definitely check out what creative company is behind the artsy campaign.

Write down things such as your Twitter handle, Instagram profile, Facebook Page, website, mission statement, or simply draw your company’s logo.

You can also try things such as pointing to your office from the sidewalk right outside of it to gain more walk-in appointments.

3. Create a customer referral rewards program

Every business since the dawn of time has asked their current customers for referrals, but how are those customers getting rewarded? Most of the time they aren’t and so there’s no incentive for them to do so.

Devise creative ways of rewarding your referrals as well as referrers.

How can you properly appreciate them and encourage them to give you new business? Incentivizing referrers for bringing in a new business can be in the form of:

• Instant discounts on future purchases
• Fixed cashback on future purchases
• Gifts on every purchase made by referrals

Also, try unique concepts such as investing in season tickets to a local professional sports team and gifting them to the referrer who offers you a converted referral.

4. Try doing a photo contest

Looking for ways to make your social media platforms more enticing and lively for the users that follow you? Try getting more interactive with them through a photo contest.

Running a contest, such as a photo contest, is a form of viral marketing that can prove to be a game-changer for your business.

For example, if you operate a business selling pet products, you can ask people to take pictures with their pets and your product, share them on social media using your hashtag and tag any of their three friends.

The prize can be anything from a month’s worth of pet supplies to a gift card. They’d be more than happy to participate.

5. Host a networking event

What better way to go off the wall with your marketing than by showing the community some love as well?

Did you know around 40 percent of the prospects become customers after in-person meetings?

To promote your local business, team up with the local Chamber of Commerce to throw a networking event that will bring the prospects to you.

If you can’t host it at your office headquarters, then try renting out a local venue. It’s never a bad idea to rent out space at a local brewery or restaurant. They’ll love the exposure as well.

You’ll get people interested in the event by offering raffle prizes, free food and drinks, and an opportunity to spread their business cards around town.

The networking event will provide exposure for your brand, as well as help you and your employees to get your names out there and pitch to your prospects.

At the end of the event, you’ll have several warm leads that you can start to build business relationships with.

Conclusion

The most successful companies are the ones that can find a healthy balance between digital and offline marketing tactics. Look for a healthy balance between your online and offline marketing activities. While online platforms can be a great way to engage your users and get them familiar with your brand, offline marketing can help strengthen that relationship by offering a personal touch.