Are you a small business owner looking to boost customer awareness and brand recall? We have some practical promotional marketing tips to help!
Promotional marketing campaigns are an excellent way for small businesses and start-ups to build brand awareness, increase sales, and boost revenue.
There are many marketing channels you can delve into to grow your brand. But your promotional strategy is what’s going to help you develop a solid reputation with customers and clients in your target audience.
So what exactly is a promotional marketing campaign, and how can it work for your business?
What Is Promotional Marketing?
While the term “promotional” refers to the act of publicising something to raise customer awareness, marketing is how it’s done. Marketing is about researching and determining what promotional opportunities suit your business best.
It could be shouting about your brand from the rooftops, handing out flyers while dressed as a mad sports fan, hosting fundraisers for a good cause, or sponsoring your daughter’s dance school.
When you do market research, the right promotional marketing channels that spread knowledge about your products and/or services will follow.
Goals Of Promotional Marketing
Here is what promotional marketing can do for your business:
- Raise awareness of your product/service
- Enhance business reputation
- Maintain customer loyalty
- Help you learn more about your customers
- Share extensive knowledge with your target audience
- Showcase your strength
- Define what sets your business apart
- Convert leads
- Increase sales and ROI
If these goals sound right for what you’re trying to achieve, then promotional marketing is for you!
Types Of Promotional Marketing
Not all types of marketing campaigns will work for your business. That’s why it’s essential to research and find the best ways to attract your target audience.
For example, a brick-and-mortar local business might use different marketing methods to an online-only business. Local businesses might favour promotional marketing techniques on a localised scale, such as handing out flyers, posting on bulletin boards or advertising in local newspapers. Online businesses might focus primarily on digital marketing methods.
Here are some types of promotional marketing that we believe work best for small businesses and start-ups:
Direct Marketing
Via email campaigns and cold calling, direct marketing is used by businesses that already know who their target market is and how or where to find them. Send direct emails about your product or service, make informative phone calls, and always start with a great pitch that potential customers will find interesting.
Targeting a specific audience with specialised content is a highly cost-effective marketing strategy.
Promotional Products
Promotional products are a fun way to showcase your brand Australia-wide! Choose a product that represents your brand, such as promotional pens, mugs, tote bags or drink bottles. Get your logo printed on your merchandise, hand them out or sell them to staff members and existing customers or new customers, and reap the benefits of free advertising!
Digital Promotions
Digital promotions are the most effective form of promotional marketing strategy. These include social media channels, search engine optimization (SEO), websites, blogs, online advertising such as Google Ads, paid advertisements on the television and radio, and much more.
Digital marketing allows you to compete with more brands and bigger brands. Did you know that:
- Over 14.5 million Australians have access to television,
- Over 16 million Australians listen to more than 14 hours of radio a week, and
- Over 14.7 million Australians have access to the internet.
Depending on how well you utilise technology and digital platforms, that’s a lot of Australians that can gain access to information about your brand through digital promotions.
Public Relations
Public relations agencies and workers will tell you that PR is not the same as marketing. While it’s not a lie, it’s not entirely the truth either. PR representatives focus on telling the story of your brand and business. Rather than focusing on a product or service, they gain traction for your reputation and cause.
Good PR reps connect with reputable journalistic platforms like Entrepreneur, Forbes, and Urban List. They work to build customer loyalty and brand awareness by sharing your story to the platform that your target audience consumes the most.
How To Do Promotional Marketing
Suppose promotional marketing isn’t your strong suit; that’s okay! We have a general guide for you below with five main steps to follow to get you on the right track.
Here’s a guide on where to start:
- Define your promotional marketing goals
- Determine your budget
- Research your target audience
- Try different promotional marketing avenues
- Analyse the results
Some great promotional marketing ideas that have been proven to work well for small businesses include:
- Fundraising events
- Contests on social media platforms
- Digital e-books and newsletters
- Giveaways and sales
- Upselling with any purchase
If you’re still not confident with your promotional marketing plan, trained experts specialising in the field of promotional marketing (and, more specifically, small business marketing) can help.
Give Consumers A Constant Craving For Your Business
With a robust promotional marketing strategy, you can expect paying customers to respond well to your business commerce. You should see positive results in your ROI and find that promotional marketing done right will have your business thriving!
Engaging and effective marketing promotions will generate a constant craving in your audience to want more of what you’re selling.
