Every year businesses and corporations look to find the best solutions to meet quarterly and yearly sales goals. As they look at their playbooks, they begin to wonder which favorite is going to be the winner this year.
Creative Displays
One marketing strategy is using colorful custom POP displays. These are corrugated cardboard floor displays that use eye-catching graphics and structural creativity. As people are walking by in the store, they cannot help but see the display and the product right next to them. It really brings a product front and center to the consumer. The displays can hold almost anything: beer, batteries, cookies, video games, books, and so much more. Almost anything can be placed in a custom-made display. Contact creativedisplaysnow.com for more information.
Learning From AOL
We all remember when dial-up internet was the hottest thing going. Many households even installed secondary phone lines in order to not lose their ability to talk and check email at the same time. One of the fastest-growing companies of that time was America Online (AOL). While not as wildly popular as it once was, dial-up service still has more than 1 million customers.
However, at its height, AOL had more than 2.5 million active users and even a part of the largest merger in US history at the time. The secret behind their success was there marketing and advertising strategy. Almost every big-box store across the country has at least one display box that was filled with AOL discs. The discs were completely free, all a customer had to do was pick it up and install the program.
Their strategy played on the fact that people liked free and it worked. The more discs a person picked up the better, as dial-up service allowed a house to have as many accounts as has people. The usable giveaway works like a charm.
Dual Purpose Mascot
Practically every business has a mascot, either official or otherwise. Most times the mascot is only visible during commercials or special company functions. However, a mascot can serve as more than just a spokesperson for the company.
The most recognizable mascot is Ronald McDonald. Some people may even remember some of the other characters such as Grimace or the Hamburglar. There were many other characters and they made their appearances in commercials as every spokes-character should. Moreover, they made appearances as toys in the kids’ meals, and on cartoon movies sold or given away at certain stores.
This strategy involved putting the advertising in front of those who control or influence the decision-maker. In this case, the child. Toys and cartoon characters are attention grabbers for little ones, and advertisers never fail to use their influence. As the child watches the cartoon and plays with their toy, they are hit by the urge for another toy. The only place to get another toy is where you got the first one.
Mascots can do more than play their parts as spokespeople, they can help influence sales. Even a plumber can be turned into a game. Mario Bros anyone?
Embrace Novelty
Some things are just a fad, a little something that people find enjoyable right now. One of the best examples is fidget spinners. One moment they were everywhere and the next, practically nowhere. However, while they were big, holidays and companies alike took the best advantage they could.
Nationally-themed fidget spinners materialized during July 4th. Vendors were selling them on the streets right alongside American flags. Then came the fidget cube, a handheld cube that was used to occupy the senses of the holder. With its popularity on the rise, many varieties of fidget spinners and cubes appeared all over. Many stores carried versions that glowed in the dark, were different neon colors and various other varieties.
Businesses climbed on board and used them as a way to market their companies. After all, it was not just children running around with them. They were given out with company literature at job fairs and used to promote various company functions. For a while, it was very common to walk into an office and hear the familiar clicking of a spinner in someone’s hands.
Relying on just a promotion is not the best tactic for meeting long-term marketing goals. However, many of these objects were passed through children, they will do the job of promoting with little to no effort.
Regardless of which method of advertising a company uses, there are going to be a few hits and misses. Moreover, there will be something to learn from every technique. Following a fad might be a solid idea one year and a lousy one the next. Consequently, it is important to review marketing plans every so often to ensure they are still being effective.
