Marketing is one of the responsibilities you have to tackle as an entrepreneur. It’s always a part of your to-do list because you need to find ways to effectively sell your products, expand your market, and grow your business.
Whether a company has been here for only 6 months or half a decade, it will need to do marketing. Compared to startups, one advantage of enterprises is they usually have a million-dollar budget for their marketing and advertising. Older ones also have their own technique and found which one works best for them.
There is always something we can learn or pick up from how bigger, successful companies in the world do their marketing. Of course, it doesn’t mean you need to have the same resources they do or exactly apply the same strategy to your business. That’s why you don’t need their detailed strategy but just the main idea.
Here are some techniques you can learn and maybe find inspiration for your marketing strategies.
Paint a story and sell it – Warby Parker
Selling a story is more powerful than just selling a product or service.
Warby Parker is an online retail store for eyewear. Even if this e-commerce was just established in 2010, it has already become a billion-dollar company. One of the reasons they became successful is because they utilized brand-driven storytelling. Even if their catalog only contains eyeglasses and sunglasses, they were able to tell engrossing stories about them.
They first shared the reason why Warby Parker was created. Their objective was “to offer designer eyewear at a revolutionary price, while leading the way for socially conscious businesses.” This was followed by stories to explain what they meant and share how they’re doing it.
Warby Parker has a page on their site to show how they are making their eyewear. It features the design and manufacturing process for one pair of eyeglasses. You will also find information about their suppliers and supplies. This page paints a visual story of their design effort, the materials they use for their products, and their assembling process which is all done by hand. There’s no need for them to always mention that their product is made out of the best materials or they provide a personal touch because it’s shown here.
How do they show they are a socially-conscious business? If you purchase a pair, you’ll find out that they will also give a pair to another person in need, anywhere in the world. They partnered with charitable organizations and as of today, they’ve distributed more than 5 million pairs of glasses.
Telling a story also helps their brand sell products. To help get you started with your story, look for the most interesting facets of your business which your target market will be able to relate to. Share it on your website or social media, and to help them visualize your story, you can simply add behind the scenes and work in progress photos. This will give them a peek of the inside of your business which will also help you build a relationship with your customers. This type of indirect marketing also appeals and encourages them to follow your brand so that they can continue reading the story that you are painting.
Keep your promises, build trust and become reliable – FedEx
Instead of directly selling your products and services, it’s easier to sell once you gained their trust.
There are a few ways to promote trust in marketing. You can prove that your products work and how it benefits your past customers, educate them to show your expertise, or constantly live up to your promise.
The courier delivery company FedEx was able to gain the trust of millions of people by always achieving what they promise. They are consistently named one of the most trusted brands by magazines such as Fortune and Reader’s Digest.
Other than showing the efficiency of their operations and the reliability of their service, they have launched campaigns like “We Understand”. This initiative shows that FedEx doesn’t just move packages and boxes, but they deliver treasures, which is also how they will treat each package.
It gives you an edge to be the most trusted brand for a certain product or service. Consumers don’t have to think twice when they need to do business with you.
Find what works, keep it consistent – Coca-Cola
Having a consistent marketing and brand personality will help people remember your business and sometimes, even identify a certain emotion that draws them to it.
People across the globe can recognize this red and white logo. Coca-Cola is a company that sells non-alcoholic beverages and is also the name of the most popular soft drink in the world. Also called Coke, this product is sold in more than 200 countries.
Why is it one of the most well-known brands? Because they kept their product consistent (except for a brief period, more on this later) and they maintained the same brand image and identity for 133 years. They never made drastic changes on their logo and their slogans and taglines deliver a similar message. That’s why most people feel refreshed and good when seeing their logo or their product.
Even if Coca-Cola has a billion-dollar annual budget for marketing and advertising, they continue to promote the same message. They stick to what works and what has paid off, and never make a major change. They probably learned their lesson when they changed their product’s formula back in 1985, which was one year before the company turns one-century-old. Their consumers were not just upset, but angry about the New Coke that the public launched campaigns and protested. Coca-Cola eventually cracked under the pressure and brought back the old Coke that everyone loves.
It’s a common mistake for entrepreneurs and marketers to be inconsistent with their marketing. If you’re a new business, it would help if you consistently show one personality so that people will remember you. If you keep changing, then people will have a hard time recognizing your brand. Similar to your product or service, you can start by promoting your best products and services, instead of everything. So when they have a need, they’ll remember that certain offer you kept advertising. Once you have built your identity, you can start selling your other products or services.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t improve or experiment with your marketing or advertising. But it’s important to find out what works and maintain it. Of course, if it’s not working, then it’s time to change it.