Certainly, there are times when you run out of inspiration for advertising your own business. There are plenty of methods, and for your company, find the advertising method that best suits your identity.
You want to be seen and recognized. You want stories about you to spread in the corridors about how you're the best, how your products are top-notch, and how you have super-fast and efficient delivery. But you've run out of inspiration or simply don't know where to go next with your advertising strategy.
Advertising on the Internet doesn't have to be daunting, but it does need to be consistent. Actually, we'd say nothing is a must, but it presents an opportunity for you. So, now you have a chance for new ideas to advertise, and if you remix some of your old campaigns and add something new, we doubt success will elude you.
There are plenty of different methods, tactics, and ideas for online advertising, not to mention advertising on social media. So, what's left for you to do is borrow one of these ideas, tailor it to your business vision, and launch your marketing campaign with vigor.
One of the more interesting advertising methods is product placement, also known as covert advertising, as it has been aptly translated here. As an example of covert advertising, you can take any movie, feel free to pick one of the big Hollywood blockbusters, and voilà, advertisements and products are everywhere.
For instance, imagine a movie where Ryan Reynolds and The Rock are sitting in a bar, each drinking a beverage they actually produce and promote – that's covert advertising at its strongest. Or, for instance, you're watching a movie or a series, and they're eating Bajaderas and opening Croatian refrigerators. Croatian manufacturers have managed to sneak in through the back door, but slow and patient marketing is also crucial. Some things don't happen overnight.
Do you think this can't happen here in Croatia? You're wrong. Have you even tried to think of some of these methods, because "abroad," such advertising is quite normal practice? There are rules and guidelines for this type of advertising, which is not coincidental because big brands certainly want to promote their products in a way that aligns with their values. If you've watched the movie "The Truman Show," everything should become clearer.
And it's also entertainment for the whole family. Try to spot as many products as possible that are featured in covert advertising.
However, maybe covert advertising seems like an impossible mission for you because entering the world of production isn't that simple. So, you can try something similar on a smaller scale.
Your local community surely has events or associations in need of sponsorship, and that's where your opportunity lies. To start, find something that suits you best and that you'd like to sponsor. Later on, it will pay off, and you'll become known for it, and others will contact you. Getting involved in activist or charitable movements wouldn't hurt either. You don't need to look far; there are probably several in your own environment that you didn't even know about.
Be an example to others and promote what Philip Kotler, one of the people who created the marketing we know today, advocates. Kotler believes that every strong brand has an opportunity and a certain duty to participate in today's burning issues. So, he thinks that marketing should expand its purpose to help those who need it most, and companies must contribute to improving the world we live in. Can you be one of those brands?
Perhaps a person won't pick up something you've given them and think how nice it is that you chose them, but print advertising in all its forms still produces results. Although it can't be measured in the same way as digital advertising, the results won't be lacking. Let your flyers be original and eye-catching, and your billboards if you choose to have them.
If this seems excessive to you or you're not yet ready for such a form of advertising, you can always create original and eye-catching business cards. Of course, a multitude of other content is also suitable, and you can view them as your own advertising but in a smaller format. Just go to a nearby print shop, and there you will see the vast selection they have.
All promotional materials you can use for your business are excellent form of advertising, and your audience will express their loyalty to your brand by using them. All of this does indeed cost some nice money, but you need to invest in your advertising, one way or another.
If you look around, ads are everywhere, but you just need to know how to look closely. There is no better inspiration for your business than sitting in a car and driving around the city or taking a leisurely walk and seeing what is offered in terms of traditional, let's call it print advertising. Do you want your ad on the wall of a building? No problem. At least in our area, you have the opportunity to put your name on a billboard."
The advertising options are indeed plentiful; just close your eyes, point your finger, and choose one. Okay, it's not quite that simple. You should select the advertising method that best meets your company's needs and doesn't exceed your own capabilities. Don't sign up for TikTok if you struggle with creating content typical of that platform.
What you should pay attention to in internet advertising is targeting the emotions of your users and potential customers. After all, what is advertising if not a desire to evoke an emotional response to your company and ad?
Of course, Google advertising is the best example with which you can achieve a lot with a little education. Things to watch for in Google advertising include keywords, which you should research carefully. It's also important to have several ad variations to test their effectiveness. Google constantly changes and improves its ads, so don't miss the opportunity to try everything it offers, as you never know what might be a hit for your company in your specific niche.
Advertising on Facebook and Instagram is straightforward. You just need to follow the steps and rules, choose the format you want (video, image, slideshow, etc.), and target your audience demographically. You need to have a business profile on Facebook or Instagram to advertise, set your budget, and schedule the time you want your ads to appear. Of course, you can also test ads that will be the best and then optimize your campaign accordingly.
LinkedIn is fundamentally different from the previous two platforms, but the advertising principle is similar. Choose your audience, ad type, and a few other parameters, and you're ready to set up your ad. LinkedIn is excellent for hiring and recruiting potential candidates, making it a must for advertising. LinkedIn is an excellent business platform and is on almost all lists as a platform where you simply must do advertising. It can also be a great place to establish your brand since it has over 750 million business professionals.
If you stay in your own world, huddled in your box, and are afraid to look at what's happening around you, it won't be good for you. You don't need to wonder why. First and foremost, it's essential to be creative and different from others, but it's also important to know what your customers want.
So why not ask them? Have you ever sent a survey or questionnaire of any kind to people on your email list? If you haven't, here's an opportunity, or ask them directly in your next campaign. Something like, 'What do you expect from the vacation you've always dreamed of?' And variations on that topic, because let's be honest, 80% of Croatians are involved in tourism, and everyone can't wait to go on vacation or at least has a strong desire to do so. In case you need ideas and slogans, feel free to borrow this one too.
To get to know your customers' desires as best as possible, don't hesitate to ask them. If you think you've missed something, it's better to find out this way than to wander and try various methods. This also means that you'll better understand your customers' needs. It will be an excellent springboard for preparing your next marketing campaign.
You can definitely use questions in your advertising because why not? Ask your clients, customers, and users things like, 'Are you familiar with how (insert your company or product/service name) can change your life?' What's essential here is asking the right question, and the answer is simple: you are always the ultimate solution to all problems.
A customer doesn't need yet another company to tell them that their product is top-notch, super, and the best of all. They want to know why it's so, who it has helped, in what way, and why precisely they need it. They don't want to feel like just another number or an insignificant part of your business.
So, 'be relatable,' let the customers feel that connection with you as a company and a relationship with your services or products. For example, you have two identical shoe stores. One makes you feel welcome, and the employees are ready to assist you, while in the other, employees barely acknowledge your presence when you walk in, and they can't wait for you to leave.
Once you've experienced the difference in service firsthand, use that experience in your business. You want your customers to feel welcomed, that you're ready to help them and that you value them, and they will surely come back.
Let them see everything from your experience, even those small moments that make your business. Share some moments from your business on your social media, funny or interesting events, and there you have some free marketing.
A solid tactic is the so-called "bandwagon advertising", where you make the customer think that something is great and popular because everyone has it. So they must have it too, because you have it, your neighbor has it, that famous person has it, and little by little, suddenly, everyone is using it.
Now that we've explained it to you like this, you can't go wrong at all, but we hope we've conveyed to you what it actually looks like.
This type of advertising has its reasons for success, and it tells you everything by itself because its essence is to show customers that they must not miss an opportunity, that many others are satisfied and overjoyed, so they will be too. Look around your surroundings a bit; everyone wants to be involved in something and be part of something, whatever it may be. An individual doesn't want to feel lonely or left out.
.png)
It is not necessary to be a big or strong company to do something good and be remembered for it. Sometimes, just one thing is enough to stand out from the crowd, and it's uncertain whether Volvo had a top-notch marketing move in mind when it made its patent available to the public. Still, it's true that they did a good thing for humanity in general.
You may not know who Nils Bohlin is, but you've surely heard of Volvo and know it as the safest car in the world. We believe that numerous tests of their vehicles have proven that, but what permanently positioned this car manufacturer at the top is the fact that Mr. Bohlin invented the three-point seatbelt for Volvo.
Volvo publicly released the patent plans for the vehicle safety belt for free. They explained that they cared more about saving lives than the potential profit they could have made from the patent. Most cars today use this type of seatbelt, and the fact remains that Volvo is still considered the safest vehicle globally. Its move is a historic example in marketing.
If you want the biggest and best advertising in the world and to remain memorable, you can do what Andre Citroen did, who lit up the name Citroen on the Eiffel Tower with 250,000 light bulbs. His feat was also counted as the first-ever illuminated billboard, and for a time, it was the largest ad in the Guinness World Records.
If you want to know, the largest advertising poster ever recorded covered an area of 28,922.10 square meters, and a fast-food chain placed it in a town in the United States with only one resident. If your desire is to become famous and recognized quickly, you can always try to break one of these records.