The New Year is fast approaching, and marketing opportunities are around every corner, from traditional advertisements in the newspaper to infomercials on television. It’s time to begin planning for new product launches for the first quarter of 2020.
As a business owner, you need to think outside the box when it comes to getting your share of attention amid everyone else trying to get consumers’ attention.
Cision.com offers some tips for being a little more creative with your PR and marketing strategy for your new products or services.
Don’t Overlook the Impact of a Trade Show.
Yes, you will be surrounded by other people with similar ideas. Still, it is the quickest way to get the attention of the most significant number of people in one place without investing your entire advertising budget. Your audience will consist of reporters, bloggers, consumers, critics, buyers for large retailers, buyers for online marketplaces, and a whole host of other curiosity-seekers who may see your product and spread the word.
Create Something Consumers Didn’t Know They Needed Until They Saw It.
This comes with some trepidation as you don’t want to be the product that ends up in the closeouts section of some store a year from now; however, if you can think of something so ingenious that people will wonder why they didn’t think of it, you have a foot in the door. You can create some buzz, some anticipation. People will be curious to try it out, and you’ll get some valuable PR and advertising. If you can give away some free samples of the product and have product testers provide reviews of the item, you can feature real-world feedback about the usefulness of the product.
Something Old. Something New.
Maybe you are not in a position to develop a brand-new risky product, hire testers, and then collect feedback data. Perhaps your business isn’t in the business to take a chance on risky, innovative things. You can breathe new life into something that already exists. Maybe your business is selling men’s fashion ties. You may think that there is no way to re-launch that and get some new interest. Ties are ties. People either buy them, or they don’t. But… what if you found another use for those ties in fashion? What if you featured a different demographic? What if you jazzed up your patterns and styles? Then, you could have a contest for the most creative non-tie use of the tie as a fashion accessory. Buzz created. Minimal risk and effort on your part.
Take Advantage of the Consumer’s Interest in Videos.
Short, impactful, creative. People spend hours trending and hashtagging their favorite videos, which could be as short as a few seconds or as long as a few minutes, as long as you have something to say. Once upon a time, people waited until the Superbowl to see innovative commercials, but now, thanks to YouTube and other video hosting sites, you can search for new product videos all the time. People share fun videos. Aside from the production cost of the video, your advertising dollar can be stretched in ways you probably hadn’t thought of.
Think About Rebranding.
If the reaction to your products and services aren’t catching the eye of the consumer, perhaps it’s time for a little bit of tweaking. A new logo. New colors. Updated website. Value-added content on your website. A virtual storefront for your products. This can be a time-consuming endeavor and may require some capital, but if done right, the rewards in buzzworthy public relations and marketing will be worth it. “Have you seen the new site for XYZ? Amazing!”
Whether you’re a business owner or financial professional, the tools you need to get started are within reach. Contact me or schedule a call, and I’ll be happy to discuss your marketing needs with you.
