Marketing ideas to really turn heads

Stop playing it safe!

Six radical marketing ideas

It’s great running your own business. No more jumping through hoops to get new ideas off the ground. No endless sign-offs to get approval for your creative idea. In fact, there’s nothing to stop you from doing something different.

So why aren’t more small businesses taking advantage of this freedom?

Stop playing it safe. As a small business, you have the agility to do things quickly and the power to execute some unconventional marketing ideas that will really turn heads. And what better time to put your new resolution into action than with the new financial year?

Stop playing it safe. As a small business, you have the agility to do things quickly and the power to execute some unconventional marketing ideas that will really turn heads.

 To get your creative juices flowing, our experts have gathered some innovative ideas and examples.

1. Act fast

Speed is one of your greatest advantages over big companies. You may not have their big budget, but you can be nimble! Jump onto Twitter hashtags to make things happen quickly. A great example of this is Oreo’s amazingly successful ‘Dunk in the Dark‘ tweet that shot out at the speed of light when the power failed during the 2013 Super Bowl. Just one tweet resulted in 525 million worldwide impressions!

Twitter is a great place to start a marketing initiative. It’s even better if you can link it to your other marketing campaigns, both online and offline.

2. Go over the top

Can you remember any of the shop window displays from your local high street? Your window display is one of your greatest marketing assets, so plan something special to stand out. We’re not just talking about the usual holidays like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas – why not create an eye-catching display to grab people’s attention when they least expect it?

And even if you can’t afford the fantastic smashed window effect recently seen in Apple stores, you could ask the local visual merchandising college, fashion design students or local artists to help you out. It certainly works for Melbourne eyewear retailer, Fokus, which features work from local designers and artists in its laneway shop window.

3. Exude an air of mystery

There’s something about a good mystery that attracts people. Take Mystery Hotels by Wotif. The hotels can fill their unsold rooms, while the traveller gets a great price, with the added excitement of not knowing where they will be sleeping until the last minute! Think about mystery deals you can offer. Invite them to an anniversary celebration with a surprise guest. Or offer great-value mystery gift packs, which will also help you sell last season’s stock!

4. Join forces

Ever wondered how businesses get their crazy ideas? Here’s a hint – two heads are better than one! Join forces with other local small businesses and brainstorm your ideas together. Doing everything yourself on a limited budget isn’t easy, so together, you can bring the idea to life. A clever but simple collaboration between IKEA and Airbnb generated heaps of publicity. In their competition, three lucky Australian families won the chance to sleep over at – yep, you’ve guessed it – IKEA. Genius.

5. Create surprise where it’s least expected

People like surprises. Well, most people. When NAB launched its ‘bank break-up’ campaign, aimed at differentiating them from other banks, they paid a pianist to play break-up songs outside a rival bank’s head office. And while we’re not suggesting you play music outside a competitor’s premises, a little creative experimentation at a trade show or local community event can create some serious buzz.

6. Get creative with your letterbox flyers

The letterbox may be regarded as one of the most traditional advertising channels, but that doesn’t mean you have to be boring. A creative duo from Zoo Republic recently fought off teams from some of Australia’s best advertising agencies to win the first ‘i wish i’d thought of that‘ Salmat Showdown for letterbox advertising.

With the goal to raise awareness and support for the Fred Hollows Foundation, their brilliant letterbox idea contains a mask, paper and pencil, and instructs recipients to draw a loved one while blindfolded. They are then invited to share their drawing on social media, spreading the word about the foundation in the process. It just goes to show that some of the best ideas are those that get people involved.

What unconventional ideas will you explore in the new financial year?

Michelle Cross, General Manager, Local Direct Network, the small-business marketing arm of Salmat