In his book
Time
The 2009 documentary Beer Wars shows Rhonda Kallman promoting her idea of a beer infused with caffeine. Without the money to compete with the big brewers, she was out in the bars every night telling people about her beer, Moonshot. Getting face-to-face with potential customers and sharing your passion takes time.
Related: Nine Ways To Market On A Shoestring – Without The Internet!
Energy
Passion is contagious. Your energy, shared with potential customers, will spark them with energy too. Creating an environment where energy is amplified and shared will help to develop trusting relationships with product marketing.
Creativity
The famous, and even clichéd, definition of insanity is trying the same thing over and over and expecting different results. Taking out a classified ad or paying for a TV commercial is the same thing that everyone has seen. There’s nothing to differentiate your product from anyone else’s when you’re using the same methods to market. Instead, get creative and do something people have never seen before.
Related: If Your Company Or Brand Went Out Of Business, Would Anyone Really Notice Or Care?
Ideas
Ultimately, it’s your creativity, your energy, and your time that will make your marketing work. Don’t see this as a list of things you should try, but a list of idea sparkers. What’s best for your product and your budget can only be defined by you and your customers.
- Create a flash-mob to descend on a local park. Clean it up together and give out your product to the people that show up.
- Develop a complimentary relationship with a local business. For example, if you paint houses, connect with a local realtor who sells houses.
- Film a series of how-to videos featuring your product and post them to YouTube.
- Perform a random give-away on the streets of your town.
- Submit stories to the local paper featuring citizens that make the community better. Mention your business in the byline at the end of the article.
- Host a fund-raiser for a local charity.
- Provide a free class at the local community center. Show them how to use your product.
- Here’s two interesting innovative ways to market your brand or product.
Related: 10 Kick Ass Content Marketing Ideas
Maximize your contacts, both online and offline, to get the word out about your marketing. But if you aren’t creative and energetic, offering something that people actually want, your contacts won’t want to do the promoting for you. Spend the time developing marketing that engages people as real human beings and not just customers and they’ll reward you for it.
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