Promoting Your Products & Building Your Brand
Let’s say you have come up with a great product, you’ve secured a manufacturer and they are set to start production. A great product doesn’t always mean success in the marketplace.
Marketing is Crucial
The success of most businesses is dependent upon mastering the art of marketing. Marketing is of the utmost importance to reach potential customers and your target demographic.
Marketing is Tactical
It is the marketing that brings out and activates your buyers. Within marketing you will find the development of your product. The price is determined, the distribution channel to reach your customers are decided as well as the implementation of your promotional strategy.
Marketing is Unique
Marketing campaigns may vary between business and even among products too. It’s something to consider as what works for one product or business to promote it may not work for another as well. Choose promotional tactics that will match your brand and your product. Consider the competitive tactics, but don’t be afraid to use your own unique strategy fit for your business. “Tailor” your marketing for your product and brand.
Passive Marketing
A passive marketing technique is something that continues to give you a return on your investment without you having to actively push marketing materials (active marketing). With it you promote your products in seemingly small and subtle ways that doesn’t inconvenience or overwhelm your customers. It consists of using marketing to reach people whether they know it or not. Anything branded that is created for your company and put on display is passive marketing.
If you are a small business or a new start up you should be spending some of your marketing budget on passive marketing.
Advantages of Passive Marketing:
- passive marketing is more cost-effective
- effective when trying to target certain demographics
- Often more accepted than active marketing campaigns
A Few Passive Marketing Techniques
– Website & Search Engine Optimization(SEO)
Your website is one form of passive marketing were your logo is presented your products are sold. It is one of the most common and effective forms of passive marketing but it must be done correctly. Building a professional website is very important but you must consider the strategy to growth the site traffic, in addition to the marketing of your products from it.
For websites one of the most important tactics is search engine optimization. If your page ranks higher in the search results then you will get more potential customers on your website. Using content strategies and passive marketing to grow your brand and sell your products from your site.
– Social Media
Another great passive marketing tool to be used is social media. In only a few seconds or minutes it is possible to create a post that will draw in a large number of people to your website. While viral content is tough to achieve, somewhat like winning the lottery, using consistent promotion can build your followership and audience to market to from social channels. Building your following over time will allow more aggressive promotions with your products, like contests, giveaways and professional product reviews. All of which will help promote your product and passively build you brand.
Also consider your audience when choosing ‘which’ social channels you will be marketing too, with the many options it’s best to focus on the most effective channels for your business and your product to be most effective.
– Business Cards & Networking Opportunities
Many people think that business cards with your logo are old fashioned, but they are a great passive marketing tool. You should always have some on you to pass out. They can be left in places visited by potential customers to promote your company or product. Networking is important. If you’re making good connections with people, make sure that they can contact you easily by handing them a business card.
While considering which passive technique is right for your target audience and which option will be best to promote your products and brand. It’s also important to understand that marketing campaigns often work together to product a customer result. Find the right fit for you to passively market and use multiple techniques to touch your audience multiple times.
About Our Guest Author
Thomas Neumann
We’re privileged to have Thomas Neumann of Global Trade Specialists Europe contributing to our blog this month. He’s an expert in product design, development and production. His experience with a variety of businesses and products gives him unique insight to help guide toward product success.