Have you embarked on the task of generating more awareness, more leads and more advocates?
Need a plan to get you started?
How about we kick things off with these 3 Easy to implement Tips.
#TIP 1: Learn how to use the media as advocates of your brand and generate free publicity
Learn and understand general principles of working with different types of media, including skills for creating and distributing effective communications to achieve your goals.
Understanding the methods of how various media work as well as working processes. Knowing how important editorial submission deadlines will not only enhance your relationship with the media but increase the opportunities of quality media coverage. Building trust and credibility with the media is crucial for your brand to be portrayed in a positive manner in the eyes of the consumers through third party endorsement like the media.
Be transparent and upfront when providing the media any information or content about your brand and its products or services. Nothing worse than sabotaging a relationship that has been built with a lot of hard work and time investment; media can sniff out a spin!
When providing information through a press release or a media pitch be sure to highlight the unique selling points and the benefits to the general public upfront – this is called the human-interest angle, what a journalist looks to report on.
Having the media as your advocates are the best word-of-mouth for any business. So make the effort to understand your target media and you will reap the benefits in due course.
CASE STUDY 1
Through working with Affluence PR (part of the ENCE Marketing Group), media invite and press release efforts were carried out. Aroy Jing Jing, a new Thai restaurant, part of the well-known and much enjoyed Mookata chain in Singapore, received the attention of an online news site that featured an article on the restaurant’s April seafood buffet spread.
The review was shared 13,500 times via Facebook and this translated into overwhelming response for the restaurant, so much so that they became fully booked for the month and we had to take down the announcement of their promotion.
#TIP 2: Engage in on-the-ground guerilla marketing activities
Take the opportunity to get creative and clever with guerrilla marketing, which are ideas generally used as unconventional tactics to advertise on a small budget. Also known as below-the-line activities, these are direct mail campaigns which put your message in the hands of your potential customers.
Apart from the mainstream media like radio, television and print, every now and then it is good to shake things up a little by showing consumers a different side of your brand. It is good to showcase a brand in multi-faceted ways and give it a personality – it will then have a top-of-mind recall with consumers. Remember to keep these campaigns unique, somewhat outrageous and clever. It needs to create buzz!
#TIP 3:Use social media to create more buzz
Modern customers are both social media and tech-savvy. Consumers these days are likely to spend their money on businesses that have vibrant social media profiles. Social media platforms allow consumers to build trust and engage regularly with the business. In fact, social media enables brands to enjoy recognition and visibility quicker. In this aspect alone, implementation of a social media marketing plan is integral to the success and growth of a business.
It does not have to be complicated nevertheless needs to be managed and executed well like any other campaign – being sloppy with it can be detrimental to the brand and business. Communication through social media is ‘live’ so whether positive or negative the word hits the ground immediately.
The exciting advantage with social media is that these platforms allow you to get creative, as well as own and manage your very own media platform for the broadcast of your company promotions to targeted customers – with small budgets that all SMEs can afford. An effective way to promote new ideas, and … if your concept goes viral, you’ve succeeded AND cashed in – more ways than one!
CASE STUDY 2
Facebook campaign for Each a Cup garnered more than 200 entries in a day and 150 downloads of their Facebook coupons through ENCE Marketing promotion efforts for a limited time when customers could take $1 off their drinks when they presented their Facebook coupons.
This article is contributed by ENCE Marketing Group Pte Ltd, in the business of helping SMEs to raise their market awareness at SME prices. Broc Consulting and ENCE are project partners.