Marketing & Advertising

The market is saturated with comparable products, making it difficult for many businesses to stand out. It’s no longer a secret that a strong advertising campaign is essential to business survival in the face of intense competition. And using custom promotional products for business is one of the most popular ways to advertise.

When you opt for custom promotional products, you can have something that is not only different but also totally unique to you. It will leave a stronger impression on your customers than standard promotional goods. Check out the benefits of custom promotional products.

It Establishes Brand Presence through Repeated Marketing

Repeated brand marketing with promotional products increases brand presence. This means that when you give your audience a product that carries your name or brand, they’re still engaged with your company even when you are not actively talking to them about it.

Moreover, the marketing lifecycle for physical products is far longer than that of a social media campaign. Other forms of advertising, such as social media sponsored ads, may only be noticed once or twice before being forgotten the next day.

A promotional item, such as a pen or a cap, increases brand presence repeatedly because the user will see and use it frequently. Furthermore, your brand will be seen by more people every time the pen is used or the cap is worn. You only have to pay for the product once, but it will keep promoting your business for weeks, months, or even years.

It Builds Brand Loyalty

Custom promotional products that show that some effort was put into them are more likely to result in customer loyalty. Giving useful items as promotional giveaways demonstrates a business’s willingness to do more than just make money.

Increasing customer loyalty requires an understanding of your target market, not just in terms of WHO they are but also WHAT they are in terms of their wants and interests. You can build a large, devoted fan base if you put your energy into gathering data like this on your target demographic. When you know your customers, you can provide them with custom promotional products that fit their lifestyles.

It Increases Brand Recognition

People tend to have a positive reaction to and will remember a brand that gives them free items. Not only is it essential for your company to stand out from the crowd by differentiating itself in some way, but it also needs to be memorable to the people who are most likely to become customers. Customers, both existing and future, will have an increased level of confidence in the business when they receive a gift item bearing the company brand.

It Boosts Employee Morale

You can give customized promotional items to your employees too. If an employee completes a challenging task and is rewarded with a high-quality, meaningful product, it sends a message that the business values the person’s contribution.

If your employees tell their acquaintances, more people will learn about it. The reputation and credibility of your business will significantly benefit from this.

It Builds Company Culture

Providing custom promotional products to employees also helps foster a positive company culture in several ways, including but not limited to the following:

• It Welcomes New Hires: Employee handbooks, water bottles, mugs, and t-shirts are common goods included in onboarding kits. These kits provide new employees a glimpse into the company’s culture and go a long way toward relieving their worries.
• It Unifies Internal Teams: One of the goals of any company is to have a unified workforce that can communicate and collaborate effectively. Providing employees with company swag, such as office or project-specific items, hoodies, or stationary objects personalized with a DTF station film, can make employees feel more connected to the company.
• It Promotes Customer Values: Some businesses even went on to print their mission statements and principles onto swag distributed to employees in an effort to get them more invested in the company’s success. For instance, promotional t-shirts constantly remind employees of the company’s ideals.

The core values of your business provide a strong foundation for the company culture. It’s not just about marketing products; it’s about making employees happy and giving them something to look forward to.

Tips for Choosing the Right Promotional Products

Finding the ideal promotional gifts to advertise your business can be a difficult and time-consuming process. Try stress balls, hand sanitizer, or first aid packs if you’re in the medical industry. If your niche is travel, offer away passport cases, beach towels, or luggage. Tech businesses may try wireless chargers and USB drives. Choosing products that are relevant to your business is key. Regardless of your own preferences, you should also make sure the promotional products are high-quality and beneficial to the intended audience.

Conclusion

One of the most effective ways to advertise your brand and find new customers is through the use of custom promotional products. Use effective channels to reach your target audience. Workshops, concerts, and product launches are great opportunities to hand out promotional products. If you’re going to do it, do it well.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Every business starts off with good intentions for marketing but perhaps not the budget to see those things come to fruition. Whether you are a start-up company looking for booklet printing online to showcase your products and services, or a growing company seeking different ways to market your brand alongside online marketing, the traditional print marketing approach still has an important place in the modern business.

Here, we take a look at 5 of the best low budget marketing ideas that could help propel your business to the next level, keep an innovative edge that entices new customers, and keeps your costs low when compared with some of the big budget marketing techniques of today.

Print a Booklet

One of the best ways to improve your marketing with low budget ideas is to look to print a booklet using a professional printing service. There are some incredible benefits to printing booklets to market your business. They are easy to print and relatively easy to distribute in the way you see fit. In some cases, printed booklets can be left in strategic locations for potential customers to view, and they can be mailed to clients, and help to build trust with your brand.

The beauty of online booklet printing is that your business can be creative in how it showcases specific services and products in a cost-effective way. You can personalise your business and brand, including longer form content than you can in online marketing techniques. This helps to establish your business as an authority in the field. Printed booklets look and feel great, giving the reader something tangible they can hold in their hands and have to look back on. Booklets are a fantastic way to ensure your brand is never far from the thought of someone who has one.

Business Cards

Business cards don’t necessarily have to be a thing of the past. Because you know that most people don’t look at business cards for long or keep them lying around for long like they might have once in the past, you can use this to your advantage. Looking at business cards in a more creative way can bolster your print marketing techniques and wow the person you’re handing your business card to. Be innovative with how you create your business card, leaving behind the boring template business cards of the past.

You could include a QR code that links to a specific coupon code or more information about your business. It could also have a discount for that specific person – a unique treat and incentive. Be bold with the colour, the design, and the texture of the business card, and be completely different with how you approach things.

Social Media

Social media platforms have always offered a low-budget, effective way for new and growing businesses to market themselves online. Sign-up is free for most social media platforms, whether you are using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, or even Pinterest, to name just a few of the big hitters. Engage with users and build up an avid following over time. It is a slow burner to tackle social media on a free basis, but it can be hugely rewarding.

Be creative with posts, link to your website and blog posts, other sources, and direct sales channels without being too pushy. Social media channels build brands organically over time. Research competitors and other markets, using video, live feeds, and hashtags to connect with your audience on Instagram and TikTok, raising your brand profile with every post you create.

Coupons

One of the most effective, low-budget marketing ideas for your business is to attract new customers to your business through discounts and coupons. Everybody loves a coupon and a discount that they feel has been directed to them as a personal gift. A clever approach where you offer first-time buyers or even return customers a special discount through a coupon is a fantastic way to build rapport and retain customers over time.

Direct Marketing

Direct marketing still works. There is still a benefit to posting directly to existing and potential customers. Make creative business leaflets, printed booklets and other marketing materials and you can get them through letterboxes and into the hands of the people that matter. On top of this, you might consider handing out flyers in the street or at industry conventions.

Finding a supplier of online booklet printing that you trust to deliver is a big step in improving your marketing campaigns as a business in any industry. You want to ensure that even if you are looking for low budget marketing ideas for your business, and you need a service for printing booklets, finding new business cards, or any other low budget marketing technique, the quality is still high.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Digital marketing has been the secret sauce behind a brand’s success in the recent past. Dedicated agencies have surfaced to help businesses make the most of this media. They play a crucial role in promoting their brand on a wide range of platforms and boosting their revenue seamlessly.

However, only hiring a digital marketing agency will do no good as they can still be inexperienced in this field, eventually leading to a loss that you will have to suffer. Companies like Adroit marketing bring their years of experience to the table and help you leverage their proven strategies.

Choosing an appropriate digital marketing agency for your brand is not a cakewalk. One has to dig deep into the numerous options available, analyze their offerings and then land on the perfect one that seems fit. Here are some top-notch things you must consider before hiring a digital marketing agency!

Pricing

First and foremost comes the part of analyzing their pricing. How much can you afford to spend on digital marketing consultants from your budget? The best way is to explore all other consultants to find out which agency suits the best with your budget.

One essential thing you must remember is that being cheap doesn’t mean it’s always good. Agencies that ask for a low price may need to gain the required skills or experience for you to get desired results. Thus, it would help if you were open to investing in a trusted agency to get exceptional results in the longer run.

Services Offered

Another essential factor to consider while choosing a digital marketing agency is its services. One of the most critical requirements of brands from digital marketing agencies is to build high-traffic websites. This is why you must dig deep into their SEO practices and learn how efficiently they boost your sales.

While these are relatively basics of digital marketing, identify other fields in which they specialize, including social media, email campaigns, etc. Weigh up these agencies and spot the perfect one that goes better with your budget and provides all the required services.

Experience

This is one of the essential things to consider when hiring a digital marketing firm. Learn how long they have been in the business, their experience, and if they can help you with your specific industry.

For a successful business, a digital marketing agency must take time to understand you and your company’s marketing needs. It is also implied that they might have a dedicated consultation session before you crack a deal. In this session, they will determine your weaknesses and strengths and give you their recommendations and prices.

References and Reviews

This critical step ensures that the agency you choose is worth your money. Look into their previous cases, success rates, and figures. Check out their reviews and references on their websites and social media accounts.

Ask previous customers about their work to determine their credibility if not available. By exploring their previous clientele and analyzing their track records, it becomes easy to shortlist the potential firms that can be good for your brand.

Client Approach

Apart from having work experience, the firm must have a good client approach and effective communication. Agencies like Adroit marketing are influential powerful touchpoints that help you streamline your requirements.

You are likely to work with such companies for a long time, so make sure the firm you choose is easy to communicate with and has the confidence to represent your business most effectively. You will do better for your business by going through the points mentioned above since they help boost your overall business ROI.

Ayesha Saeed

Ayesha completed her Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry and started her career as a College Lecturer in 2013. Today, she’s a happy mom of 2 Kids in the field of digital marketing. She loves reading books, spending time with her family, and making delicious food for her husband.

While most companies nowadays seek digital media marketing strategies to reach customers, many still look for traditional modes to grab customers’ attention, for instance, something as simple as vinyl banners that are bold, cost-effective, and convenient enough to be placed anywhere.

Vinyl banners are the most recognizable form of signage that is often used by businesses for communicating important messages such as sales or event promotions. These are great for constant exposure. So, if you are looking for a low-budget but effective mode of advertising your products and brand, then cost-effective vinyl banners for business are ideal.

Listed below are a few affordable banners that are worth buying for long-term marketing and advertising:

Vinyl Posters

Attractive and durable, these posters are a perfect alternative to paper posters. Unlike paper posters, these are waterproof, scratch resistant, and can be pasted on walls or hung on windows. These are handy and can be carried anywhere. So, whether you want to promote your brand or promote the celebration of any special occasion at any indoor or outdoor location, such signs are perfect to use.

Vinyl Steps And Repeat Banners Backdrops

It is one of the most used types of vinyl banners these days. If you wish to highlight your brand and create a buzz among your target audience, then there’s no better option than using custom-printed steps and repeat banner backdrops. These are perfect for outdoor advertising, such as red carpets, award shows, media events, or press conferences. They offer bolder colors & high-resolution graphic backgrounds to the speakers to get picture-perfect clicks.

Outdoor Yard Sign

Lightweight and easy to install, these outdoor yard signs are perfect for outdoor yard advertising. These come with a double-sided exposure foldable frame that can be carried and fixed anywhere. Such signs often come with banners, bungee cords, and steel frames.

Adhesive Banners

These are primarily used on solid, flat surfaces. Flat, concrete surfaces such as glass, windows, vehicles, etc., where you can paste these signs very quickly and remove them without any residue left on the surface.

Mesh Banners

Made of breathable, strong mesh fabric, the Mesh signs are an excellent option for advertising in locations with windy weather conditions. Although these are slightly transparent, they highlight the text, graphics, and images beautifully. These are perfect for windy outdoor areas as they eliminate flapping, noise, and tearing compared to paper posters.

So, these are some of the most widely used, cost-effect vinyl banners for business purposes such as brand promotion, launch events, red carpets, and more.

Why Use Vinyl Banners?

Despite increasing demand for digital marketing strategies, companies still use the traditional method of print advertising, and vinyl signs are one of them. Today, these are the go-to modes of promotion/advertising. If you are still in a dilemma, then here are the top 3 primary reasons to use them:

Constant Brand Exposure

One of the primary reasons businesses need to invest in such signs is their ability to advertise/market brands constantly, be it night or day. These can provide constant exposure if well-placed in a high-traffic area.

Highly Durable & Easy To Install

Another significant advantage of vinyl banners is that they are highly durable and easy to install. Regarding durability, these can withstand temperature, windy conditions, sunlight, humidity, and so on. And when it comes to their installation, they are easy to carry and can be installed anywhere, anytime, without much hassle.

Customizable Solution

Yet another reason businesses use these nowadays is that they can be easily customized in the most cost-effective way. They do not just save you money in terms of design but also a time in terms of installation.

Summing Up

So, as a business owner, you must not overlook the advantages of vinyl banners, as they can be custom-made at the most affordable prices. And not just provide constant brand exposure but also save your time & effort.

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Since its inception, Instagram has proven itself as a definitive video and photo-sharing platform. More than 2 billion active users worldwide use the app, and it has been noted that they spend nearly 30 minutes on the app every day. Instagram has raised the bar for businesses and is responsible for the success of several thriving businesses. There is a plethora of influencers who have a large following trail, so why stay behind and not try becoming an influential brand on this massive social media platform?

Instagram is an excellent marketing platform, thanks to its colossal user base, of which approximately 60% are in the 18-34 age group. This is also fiercely competitive, with over 25 million registered business accounts. Instagram is bombarded with over 100 million photos and videos every day.

To become a part of the successful league of brands and businesses, you too need to follow trending and well-established marketing strategies on Instagram. Here we will discuss the most relevant Instagram marketing tips and techniques that will lead you to achieve real-world results.

What is Instagram Marketing?

Instagram marketing is promoting your business by posting different types of high-quality content, paid advertising, and general social media marketing techniques. Instagram offers brands the much-needed opportunity to showcase their business to millions of users, enhance their brand visibility, increase engagement, and improve the ROI of their business.

Instagram marketing is all about:

• Sharing details about your brand and products
• Posting engaging videos and images related to your business
• Associating with influencers and expanding your brand reach
• Sharing relevant content and promoting the business

Instagram Marketing Techniques to Get Real Results

Instagram marketing techniques target current subscribers while attracting new ones, thus elevating your business to the pinnacle of success. Let us look at the top tips that can help you get the best results:

Get Yourself an Instagram Business Profile

Before you get started with Instagram marketing, create an official business account so that users understand the brand they are interacting with. This special account will help you:

• Link your website, landing pages, and CTA to help your audience get in touch with you.
• Analyze metrics and check the success rate of your content.
• You can contact Instagram influencers effectively and post Instagram ads without relying on Facebook’s advertising tools.
• Your brand will reflect on your followers’ feeds which makes all the difference to your marketing.

Optimize Your Profile

After opening your official account, create an impressive profile for the homepage. Your profile should contain:

• 150 characters about your brand, website link, and call-to-action buttons to win leads
• A concise description of your business
• Your Category/Industry along with contact details
• Decorate your profile with the right aesthetics, color palette, font, and design that reminds your audience of your brand
• Profile photo that is relevant to your brand
• A tone that highlights your brand personality
• Create a solid company biography

Your Instagram Bio makes a tangible difference in how others perceive you.

Experiment with Various Types of Content

Content is king when it comes to social media marketing. You must explore a wide range of content for:

• Posting Videos and Images
• Instagram Reels and Stories

You can seek help from the algorithm to check which kind of content creates maximum interest based on likes, shares, and comments than other types of posts so that you know what your forte is. While curating content for Instagram, you can use Instagram Reels Maker, which will help you create and edit trending and most successful content ideas. You must ensure that:

• You keep up with the trends
• Have a clear idea of what to expect
• Pay attention to the editing
• Plan how and when to post it – timing is important

Take Advantage of Sponsored Instagram Posts/Ads

Monthly advertisers on Instagram have exceeded 2 million.

Instagram offers 5 types of ads that can increase conversions by more than 6%. It has been observed that ads posted on Instagram Stories are extremely popular, as several of them lead to a message from the viewer.

Instagram generates over $20 billion in ad revenue with 849.3 million users. So, it’s no surprise that you should be using Instagram Ads to reach your target audience profitably.

Collaborate with Targeted Influencers

Influencer marketing is expected to exceed $15 billion by 2022. It is imperative to partner with the right influencer who benefits from a good reputation and follows his target group. Rely on influencers who have worked hard to build their existing audience and who can effectively promote your brand. Their audience trusts their recommendations, and this can help you win their confidence as well.

Engage More on Instagram

To cultivate a loyal audience and to make them feel connected, you must be present on Instagram. Here is what you can do:

• Go live regularly, launch your products, and speak about your business
• Offer deals and organize competitions
• Conduct question and answer sessions
• Reply to DMs and keep the communication channel open with your followers

Cross-Promote on Other Social Media Channels

It is crucial to promote your Instagram page on other social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., to generate more exposure for your Instagram content. It also helps in enhancing your brand image and mitigating the cost and effort of creating new content.

Use an Effective CTA – Call-To-Action

Effective CTAs guide your followers on what they should do next. You can add relevant details about your business website, share your contact details, and ask them to subscribe to or follow your brand on social media platforms. Add one in the description area, and you can also subtly add it to the content you post.

Track the Right Metrics

Monitoring and supervising the result of your posts and their success is critical to your Instagram marketing success. Instead of posting blindly, you need to know how exactly you are doing on the platform using measurable results. To get greater clarity and efficiency, you must target metrics like:

• Follower growth rate
• Engagement rate including likes, shares, and comments
• Click-through rate of the URL to know how many people clicked on your URL

Maximize the Potential of Using Instagram Stories

Stories are an integral part of Instagram’s marketing strategy as 500 million users use Instagram Stories every day to post or view deals. Around 50% of companies on the platform publish at least one story per month, and about 33% of the most viewed stories are from businesses. You can effectively use Instagram story templates to post the best content on your official account for your followers. Stories usually appear for 24 hours, but you can save them on your Feed and create the right kind of hype around your brand.

Use Hashtags Strategically

70% of the hashtags on Instagram are branded. You must use hashtags strategically, along with captions. It has been observed that using hashtags can generate about 12.6% more engagement than posts without hashtags. Although you are permitted to use 30 hashtags on a single post, it is recommended to stick to 10-12 of them. You can use brand or campaign-specific hashtags or content hashtags to get more people to connect with your brand and increase overall reach.

Conclusion

Instagram is where millions of people visit every day, and you have a brilliant chance of attracting the attention of your target audience if you use the right marketing strategies. You must have a good experience with the app so that you can have your audience coming back for more.

The above-mentioned tips and techniques will help you promote your business professionally on the app. Use these inspirational ideas and combine them with your existing marketing strategy to get the most out of your Instagram marketing strategy specific to your business.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Guest posting is one of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your site and increase brand awareness. It’s also a great way to build relationships with other bloggers, which can lead to future collaborations. But it can be challenging to get quality content on a consistent basis. As a content marketer, you’ve probably been through the process of guest posting before. But if you’re like me, you’ve had some trouble getting your guest posts to be published on your target sites.

When it comes to guest posts, you’ve got to think about more than just what you can write about. You have to make sure that your post is accurate and informative, or else it won’t be useful. If you don’t know how to write a guest post that will be useful, then no one will read it, better hire the right SEO services in Melbourne by Impressive Digital.

So, here are 7 tips to improve the accuracy of your guest post:

Know when to Write your Guest Post

First and foremost, you need to know when your guest post will be published. It’s important that you schedule your posts so that they aren’t out of date when they go live. You don’t want people on social media wondering if the content was published already or not!

Write with your Audience in Mind

Before you even start writing for your audience, make sure you have their email address or phone number handy so that when the time comes you can send them an exclusive offer or coupon code for something they might like!

Write for a Specific Audience

When writing any article, it’s important to target your audience. Using keywords such as “how-to” or “how-to-use” will help you find more relevant results.

Use Action Words

As mentioned above, using action words such as “how-to,” “how-to-use,” “try,” etc., will help readers take action on what they read in the post. For example, if you’re writing about how to use social media effectively, you might use phrases like “I tried doing this myself and it worked!” or “I was able to do this!” This will make your article more interesting and engaging for readers so they want to learn more from it!

When writing a blog post, it’s important that you provide enough information for readers but not too much so that they get bored with reading your content.

Ask the Right Questions

The first tip is simple: ask the right questions. The best way to do this is by doing some research before writing the article. You need to find out what kind of reader will be reading your article and then answer their questions in a way that they can relate to.

For example, if you are writing about traveling abroad and want people to read your article, ask yourself questions like: “How many people have traveled abroad?” or “What makes traveling abroad so special?” The more specific you can get with these questions, the better off you’ll be when writing your guest post.

Know what your Guest Post is About

Before you write your guest post, make sure you know what it’s about. You don’t want to write a piece that doesn’t connect with your audience, or that they don’t care about (which means they won’t share). In order to do this, it’s important to do some follow link building strategies and do research on the topic and consider how your readers might feel about it. For example, if you’re writing about parenting, try talking to parents in your local area (or online) and see what kinds of topics interest them most.

Use a Research-Based Approach

Researching a topic before writing can help improve the accuracy of your piece. If you don’t know much about a topic, there’s no way that your article could be as good as it could be — so make sure that you find out everything possible before jumping into writing!

Jason Obrien

Jason is the Marketing Manager at a local advertising company in Australia. He moved to Australia 10 years back for his passion for advertising. Jason recently joined BFA as a volunteer writer and contributes by sharing his valuable experience and knowledge.

Digital marketing encompasses many different tools, tactics, and strategies used to promote products and services online. Marketing is crucial for businesses of every shape and size, regardless of how much money they have to spend. In fact, it’s easier to market digitally than ever before.

The key to successful marketing is finding the right mix of channels that work best for your type of product or service. This includes social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Snapchat. For, niche fields like interior design, one can visit an interior design review site like RenoNerds or Qanvast to reach out to specific homeowners. Alternatively, if you wish to sell physical goods and products, you can go to online marketplaces like Shopee or Lazada.

Digital Marketing for Startups with Personas

You know how it goes, you start off small and grow organically. Then you hire someone to help you out because you don’t know what you’re doing. And you think you’re ready to scale up? Well, you’re not. Not really. Because you’re still too focused on your business.

Your audience is growing exponentially every day. They’re getting smarter about what they like and dislike. If you keep focusing on your business, you won’t be able to adapt quickly enough. So you have to make sure you’re always thinking about your audience.

And that’s where persona marketing comes into play.

Persona marketing is a strategy that helps you understand your audience better. It helps you identify what makes them tick. What motivates them? How they prefer to interact with you. And how they respond to different messages.

This way, you can tailor your content to match their needs. You can anticipate their reactions. And you can even change your messaging based on their feedback.

So let’s say you run a startup. Or maybe you work for a large corporation. Either way, you’ve got people coming to your site. People who want something from you. Who trusts you? Who cares about you? These are people who are already interested in your product or service.

Now imagine you could figure out exactly why each of those people came to your site. Why do they click on certain buttons? Why do they leave without buying anything? Which products generated the highest conversions? Which ones didn’t generate any sales?

Optimize your Content for Search Engines

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is one of the most important things you’ll ever do for your business. But there’s no way around it — without good SEO, your site won’t rank well enough to attract traffic. And the truth is, even though you’ve spent hours writing great copy, optimized images, and built killer sites, you still don’t rank high enough to make money.

But what if I told you there was a simple solution to getting more traffic and making more sales? What if I told you that you could use the exact same techniques that the big guys like Amazon and eBay use to dominate their markets? You’d probably say “no thanks.” But that’s exactly why we created this guide. We want to show you how to optimize your content for search engines so that you can build a sustainable online presence and increase your revenue.

Have a Regularly Updated Blog

A study conducted by DemandGen Report showed that 47% of buyers view three to five pieces of information before engaging with a salesperson. In addition, it was discovered that the majority of consumers prefer to receive content via email rather than social media. This suggests that the most effective way to communicate with prospects and clients is to provide them with relevant content.

In fact, according to HubSpot, companies that post 16 articles each month see a lead generation rate of 4.5 times more than those with no to four posts. Therefore, it makes sense to invest some time into creating quality content that you can use to generate leads.

However, you need to keep in mind that writing a blog doesn’t mean that you are automatically publishing content every day. You still need to make sure that your audience gets what they want. If you don’t write about topics that interest them, they won’t come back. They might even forget why they signed up with your brand in the first place.

To avoid this scenario, you need to plan ahead. Create a list of topics that you want to cover and stick to it. Then, start posting regularly. When you do, you’ll notice that your traffic grows and your conversion rates increase.

Engage your Audience through Personalized Emails

Email marketing is still one of the most effective ways to communicate with customers and prospects. A recent survey conducted by Marketing Sherpa indicated that nearly half of marketers say they use email marketing for customer acquisition and retention. And according to HubSpot, the average cost per lead generated via email is $34. So while it might seem like a lot of money to spend on something that doesn’t directly result in revenue, you should remember that these leads will be much more likely to convert into paying customers.

If you have an e-commerce store, you can also send out promotional emails to your subscribers who haven’t made any purchases yet. These emails can include discounts or special offers just for people who haven’t bought anything from your website yet.

Invest in Social Media Marketing

Social media platforms are everywhere. More than half the world now accesses the Internet via one of these platforms. So how do you stand out among the crowd? You invest in social media marketing.

The average person spends about 7 hours per day on social media. This includes both personal use and work-related activities. If you’re thinking about investing in social media marketing, start small and build up slowly.

First, identify what type of audience you want to reach. Do you want to target people looking for jobs? Or those interested in buying a car? Then decide where they hang out online. Are they on LinkedIn? Twitter? Pinterest? Snapchat? Find out where your ideal customer goes online and look for ways to connect there.

Next, determine whether you want to focus on paid advertising or organic outreach. Paid ads cost money and take longer to generate results. Organic outreach requires consistent effort over time. Start slow and see how things progress.

Finally, set realistic goals. What do you hope to achieve? Will you simply post once a week? Once every few days? How much time should you spend each week? Think about the resources you have (time, budget) and how long it takes to produce quality content.

Build a Great Customer Service Program

Marketing departments often overlook customer service because it doesn’t fit into traditional marketing channels. But in the digital age, where customers are quick to spread information about brands online, providing excellent customer service is critical. And it’s one of the fastest ways to establish a positive brand image.

As we mentioned earlier, social media is a good place to start when looking at how customers perceive your brand. If you’re having trouble keeping up with customer complaints on social media, consider hiring a professional customer service team.

A recent study found that companies that offer a 24/7 phone number tend to receive fewer calls than those that don’t. While there are exceptions, most people prefer to use email over the phone. So make sure that your contact info is easily accessible, whether it’s listed on your website or on your mobile app.

If you want to really stand out among competitors, try offering free shipping or a reward program for returning customers. This way, you’ll build loyalty and encourage repeat purchases.

Conclusion

Digital marketing has become increasingly important as consumers continue to rely more heavily on technology to find products and services. In order to succeed in this competitive market, businesses need to be aware of the latest trends and technologies.

Ifama

Hi! This is Ifama. I am a student and giving my services in SEO. I have a lot of experience in digital marketing. Travelling is my hobby and I love visiting different hilly areas and doing adventures.

Although it is often quite subliminal, we have all probably seen in-film product advertising at some point. Maybe a character in a horror film picks up a mobile phone and it’s a silent call; as she puts it back down, you can clearly recognise its brand. Maybe the action hero stops for a moment and, whilst talking to his buddy, he gets a Pepsi from a vending machine. Sometimes it’s even more subtle than that; perhaps the main character happens to walk past a product on his kitchen shelf or maybe he runs by a billboard that’s advertising a known beverage. One thing is for certain, it happens a lot.

Sometimes product placements such as these go overlooked. Other times, they help catapult a product into the limelight. Think Pizza Hut, Pepsi and Reebok in Wayne’s World; Ray-Ban glasses in Top Gun or Risky Business.

Some films are almost wall-to-wall product placement—as proven by this Statista report. But such is the nature of this form of advertising, we can watch a film numerous times and still not get irritated by these hidden promotions.

When did in-film product advertising begin?

Considering how far-reaching a movie can be, it is no surprise that product placements have existed almost as long as the film industry itself.

One of the first cases of in-film product advertising was in a 1920’s film called The Garage. It was a comedy movie starring Buster Keaton and Fatty Arbuckle, and the products in question were Firestone Tires and Red Crown Gasoline. A sign advertising the tire company was visible on the garage wall, whilst Red Crown Gasoline was written on most of the equipment in the garage.

In 1927, a movie called Wings won an Oscar. During this film, Hershey’s chocolate is seen several times and there are even scenes where the actors are eating it. Many years later, Hershey’s would also become connected to the movie E.T. This time, some of the brand’s chocolate saw its sales more than double.

Once Hershey’s had proven that product placements in movies could really work, it became many a brand’s goal to secure their product in a movie. From Exxon spending $300,000 for their name to appear in Days of Thunder to Cuervo Gold investing $150,000 to have their product seen in Tequila Sunrise, getting a product in a film was an ultimate goal. This has also transferred onto the small screen, with many popular prime-time programmes now featuring in-film product advertising.

Beyond the realms of tradition

Over the last few decades, the digital revolution has increased exponentially.  During this time, we have found ourselves inundated with new ways to communicate. Some of these include video-sharing sites and addressable TV.

While many of these options may not have the same reach as a blockbuster movie, they can be more targeted in their topics. This means that any adverts that feature on them are more likely to be seen by relevant people.  In some cases, software can even be used that enables a company to detect a person’s viewing habits, ensuring the adverts they see are very specifically aimed at them.

The easiest route to getting your product shown on one of these outlets is by finding an AVOD advertising agency that is happy to represent you and your brand. Just ensure you have a good idea of what you hope to achieve by your product placement, and that your target market is going to be watching the programme or movie the product will feature in.

Ismail Khalid

Ismail is a freelance tech writer with a passion for lifestyle, gadgets, apps, and cars. My writings carry a huge amount of different social aspects that may help to improve your lifestyle. Find him by email.

Did you again overspend on the promotion budget this month?

Marketing and advertising are essential for a company to bring itself to the limelight. However, sometimes, businesses go overboard with promotions.

It is important to understand your marketing needs and their outcomes and set a budget accordingly. You may need to alter a few marketing strategies, but it is all about the best promotion in the right budget.

Here are the different approaches to promotion budgeting to make sure you spend within the limit.

Percentage Method

The budget for advertising is calculated per a percentage of the total sales. Most companies follow the percentage method to take out a budget for promotion. You may figure it according to current, previous, or anticipated sales.

It is not a scientific method, but many companies follow it successfully. You may increase or decrease the advertisement budget depending on the sales. For example, if you see a product performing outstanding, you can use a percentage of the revenue to highlight another product simultaneously. It is a preferred method of estimating the promotion budget because it is correlated to the company’s sales. You wouldn’t have to move anything else to accommodate promotional needs.

Objectives and Task Method

Unlike the percentage method, the objectives and task method is a scientific method to prepare a promotion budget. This method consists of defining goals and deriving the tasks to achieve them. The objectives and task method are customized per the company’s environment instead of sales. The objectives refer to the goals to be completed by advertising. The cost of performing the tasks to accomplish the goals or objectives is the estimated budget for advertisement. It does not offer financial parity like the percentage method. This method comprises four steps:

Selecting the Objectives for Promotion

• Dividing the goals in terms of profits, sales, stability, brand loyalty, etc.
• Determining the tasks that would lead to accomplishing the goals
• Estimating the cost of each task involved in the process to calculate the total budget required

Competitive Parity Method

Why is there a need to advertise your company?

The answer is competition.

Competition in the industry drives the need for marketing and advertisement to grow your business.

This approach of promotion budgeting considers the budget of competitors and creates a budget for the company accordingly. The promotion budget is based on the competitor’s advertising budget. This method helps understand current trends. However, you must not follow your competitors blindly. A company creates a promotion budget considering many other factors like their long-term goals, product life-cycle, company values, shareholder’s demands, leadership, financial conditions, etc.

Leaders following this kind of budget approach believe that rivals in the business are more or less right. They are doing their best, and there is no harm in trying the same for your company. Yet, ensure you do not copy their budget. Make sure to consider the situation of your company before making a decision.

Fund Availability Method

As the name suggests, the fund availability method refers to utilizing the available funds for advertisement. While it is not a scientific method, it is among the different approaches to promotion budgeting. Companies that think they cannot allow a specific percentage or amount to the marketing budget every year opt for this way.

The fund availability method emphasizes that a company should only spend according to its capacity. Let’s say it means to spend on marketing and advertisement after meeting all other expenses. So, a business that follows this approach might not spend anything on advertising if nothing is left for it. A large enterprise may spend more on promotion than a small business with fund availability.

While it may look like a suitable approach, it can damage your business in the long run. In the era of social media and multiple marketing options, ignoring the importance of promotion can be fatal for your reputation and sales.

Zero Method

Many companies do not believe you require proper marketing or advertising to sell your product. They believe in lowering the costs as much as possible. While some utilize the fund availability method, others resort to the zero method. The zero method for determining the promotion budget is not a favorite among experts. Businesses following the zero method try to keep the budget as close to zero as possible. It helps businesses cut costs on advertisements. Yet, let us not forget that killing the advertisement budget can also kill your business.

Sales Force Opinion Method

Salesforce is an essential part of any organization. They not only help increase sales but may also enable you to derive better marketing strategies. The sales force personnel help the business market in the right direction by pointing out areas for improvement. Salesforce has in-depth knowledge about their respective area sales. They can also predict the coming season or year.

The Bottom Line

Promotion budgets are critical to boosting your business and achieving your business mission. Different companies adopt specific approaches for marketing and advertising. Some of the commonly utilized approaches to promotion budgeting include the percentage method, objective and task, fund availability method, zero methods, and sales force opinion method. Some organizations also opt for expert opinion, co-op only, profit maximization, arbitrary allocation, and incremental methods. Promotion is essential to any business. Compromising the promotion budget may damage your business.

FAQs

What is a Promotional Budget?

The promotional budget refers to the amount allocated for marketing and advertising a business to grow sales. It also sometimes includes the cost of maintaining a brand name.

What is the Best Approach for Determining a Promotion Budget?

The percentage method is one of the widely followed promotion budgeting methods. You may determine a percentage of your budget for marketing considering the previous year’s budget, forecasted sales, or your competitors.

What are the Characteristics of Successful Promotions?

Successful promotion is convincing and persuasive. It utilizes the promotion budget in the best way to provide relevant, factual information to the consumer and present your product in the best way. Lastly, a successful promotion is repetitive until you achieve the objectives.

Methew Harbor

Matthew is a Co-Founder at BusinessFinanceArticles.org. Matthew was a floor manager at a local restaurant in Wales. He lost his job after the pandemic and took initiative to make a team and start the project.