When you hear the word “marketing,” what comes to mind? Do you think of the countless online ads of digital marketing? The newspapers and magazines filled with print advertisements? The logos and business cards that reflect your brand identity? While all of these are great marketing methods, I am willing to bet there are three major mediums that you have forgotten all about. After all, marketing is a fairly all-encompassing category that includes anything you do to promote your business. With so many types of marketing mediums used every day, it can be easy to overlook the ones that do not get a lot of attention. However, just because they tend to be overlooked doesn’t mean they aren’t extremely effective. In fact, these three forgotten types of marketing might just be the marketing solutions your business needs.
1. Customer Service
That’s right, you should include your customer service in your marketing strategy. Whether it takes place in-person, over the phone, or online, your company’s customer service processes have a huge impact on the way your customers remember your business. Your customer service team often acts as the face and voice of your business, and human-to-human interaction is always more memorable than any static advertisement. This means that they play an essential role, not only in communicating what your business offers, but also in creating positive customer experiences and inspiring customer loyalty, which is why it is crucial their actions align with the company’s brand.
If your customer service representatives do not follow procedures that match your branding and marketing message, it can easily and immediately discourage clients from seeking your products or services in the future. For example, if you were shopping at a business and the customer service rep dismisses you when you ask for their help, or is rude to you in any way, you may feel the need to stop shopping there permanently (and rightfully so!).
Ensure your customer service processes are helping you leave a positive impression with your customers, in a way that is consistent with your marketing efforts, not interfering with them. Not sure how to do this yourself? No worries, our marketing experts are here to help you develop strong and consistent branding for all aspects of your business, so your customers keep coming back for more.
2. Networking
You’ve likely heard that, in business, it’s “all about who you know” and your relationships with clients, vendors, and community members are essential, which is why networking is such a big part of business development. But were you aware that every time you go out to network, your efforts to strengthen business relationships count as marketing, too? Well, believe it because networking is entirely about marketing yourself and your business as a credible and trustworthy source for the products or services that you provide. After all, the people you meet are also your best bet for word-of-mouth referrals!
All in all, networking is one of the many types of marketing that builds brand awareness and helps your company stay top of mind. So, next time you are out networking, keep in mind that you are actively marketing your business and, just as you wouldn’t want a billboard to clash with your carefully constructed company image, you don’t want to either. Consider wearing your company colors with a branded nametag to best match your company’s image and help potential clients associate you with your business more easily.
3. Promotional Products (That Don’t Suck)
Promotional products can be a powerful marketing tool for encouraging brand recognition, especially if the product is picked intentionally with your client’s interests in mind. Yet, too often the opportunity to make an impact with these products gets wasted. While promotional products can be any piece of branded merchandise, to get the best results you will want to pick items that will pique interest, create a buzz, an hopefully be used! The more memorable the product is, the easier it will be for your current and potential customers to remember who they got it from every time they use it.
For example, if you went around collecting promotional products, you will likely receive a bucket-load of pens because they are cheap, practical items that are easy to carry with you. If you are given one that looks high-quality and writes well, you will probably keep that pen over the others. However, if you are given a unique and useful item that reflect your needs and their brand – such as some cool coaster-and-bottle-opener-in-one from a liquor store or a handy tape measure from a lumber company – you are way more likely to remember that company.
Now, promotional items are not limited to these examples. In fact, there are almost endless options of potential swag that you must strategically choose from in order to provide your clients with the most memorable experience possible. Let the experts simplify this search by helping you find the right product to reflect your brand, meet your client’s needs, and stand out from the piles of other promotional items.
Don’t keep letting your marketing solutions slip your mind like the various other types of marketing you may have overlooked. Connect with the experts at Tulip Tree Marketing today and learn how we can help you optimize your customer service processes, start networking at the next level, and pick the perfect promotional products so you can reach your marketing goals this (and every) year.
