Developing a unique approach to marketing that stands out from the crowd

Are you confident in the marketing strategy employed by your business? Is it unique? Is it relevant to your target audience? Does it help you stand out from your competitors?

Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy when it comes to advertising and marketing, and with the proliferation of technology making multiple mediums more accessible, we are suffering from information overload.

If you are looking to invest in the development of unique marketing strategies, it is vital that you receive a return on your investment. Here are our top 10 tips for unique marketing strategies that get your business noticed!

The commonalities of unique marketing strategies

• Marketing that’s personal – A hand-stamped and addressed envelope can make all the difference if you want your mail marketing to get noticed! We’re not saying go all-out and hand-write every piece of communication to your customers – we need to be smart about our approach! – but adding a little personal note from you can be the difference between having your marketing read or being thrown in the bin!

• Marketing that’s professional – Your mum might think you’re great at everything, but this isn’t always the case. A professionally-designed letterhead, email template or email signature can make a huge first impression, giving you a disctinct edge over your competitors.

• Marketing that’s purposeful – What is your objective? From the very beginning you need to know what you want your marketing to achieve and strategise accordingly. If your marketing is haphazard, customers will end up confused, your message wont resonate and your business won’t stand out.

• Marketing that’s pretty – No-one likes ugly marketing – and it’s not just ugly, it’s also ineffective! Poor design can have a detrimental impact on your company brand. If you have to hire a graphic designer, do it! Having them design a template can be a cost-effective method of ensuring a professional, quality output. Poorly-designed marketing hurts not only your eyes, but also your business!

• Marketing that’s prompt – A welcome letter sent months after your first contact is going to have much less of an impact than one sent shortly after your exchange – timeliness is key!

• Marketing that’s promising – Offer your clients something of value! Whether it’s helpful information or an exclusive offer, you want to ensure that your marketing is valued as a credible, relevant and useful.

• Marketing that’s persuasive – ‘Persuasive’ sounds like a dirty word when it comes to marketing, but it isn’t! You want your marketing to persuade the customer to take action. Whether it’s popping your magnet up on their fridge or giving you a call for a quote, your marketing should be persuasive enough to get your clients to do something other than reading and forgetting (and deleting!).

• Marketing that’s profitable – While the age-old saying “you have to spend money to make money” can be true, be selective with what you spend money on and how you use it. A thousand branded pens might seem like a good idea, but they’re not going to do much sitting in a box under your desk.

• Marketing that’s provocative – Remember, you’re not only competing against other businesses like yours, but you’re also in competition with other businesses marketing to your target audience. Don’t do boring – even in the most dry and unexciting of industries, your marketing should excite!

• Marketing that’s precise – Don’t bombard your customers with vague and ambiguous messages. Be clear and concise, and use headlines to your advantage to ensure your message is clear and immediately understood.

Developing unique marketing strategies that are relevant and meet the needs of your target audience is key. But in addition, your marketing strategies need to be unique – ensuring your marketing gets noticed is absolutely essential, but it’s only the first step. Conversion… that’s a whole other story!

Share your marketing challenges and wins – what has been your biggest failure, and what has been your biggest win?