Marketing Strategy: Creative Solutions for a Non-Sexy Business
On the surface, some businesses have way more appeal than others. This isn’t a bad thing; not every product or service can appeal to a broad audience.
I used to think my business wasn’t sexy.
There was not a high search volume online, and social media engagement was minimal. That was before I realized this perceived “weakness” was our greatest strength. If you do marketing for a business that isn’t sexy (think cardboard boxes, water testing, or waste removal), this doesn’t put you at a disadvantage. In fact, you may have a dedicated niche you can capitalize on.
If you think your business isn’t sexy, your competitors probably don’t either. This means you can likely dominate keywords for your area. Whether you choose to build an organic presence through SEO, a targeted PPC ads campaign, or both, the rule remains the same: The less competition you have, the higher your campaign can perform. (This also means you save money).
The goal is to maximize your online presence, present relevant information regularly, and network with local industries and publications. You may not dominate the national market, but you can certainly capitalize on your products/services in your area. Look into getting blogs featured in local publications, observing similar industries’ tactics, and building an online following from local consumers.
A big part of your strategy is informing the audience about WHAT you do, WHERE you do it, and HOW they can take advantage of what you offer. Visual content is king on all platforms, so create beautiful infographics, engaging offers and discounts, and informative videos; so your audience becomes more educated about your industry. If your industry is small, you’ll likely have fewer constraints or expectations from consumers. This gives you the freedom to be creative and develop an authentic communication style.
Lacking inspiration? Most businesses can take advantage of user-generated content. This not only offers symbiotic visibility but can also help you forge relationships with consumers and other businesses in your community.
Every marketing team should perform competitor research. Even if you don’t have local competitors, getting new ideas from similar businesses is key to ensuring your long-term success. I encourage you to join relevant social media groups, local online communities, and other forums dedicated to your industry. Worst-case scenario, you realize that your business is the most forward-thinking (giving you a significant leg up on competition). Remember, a lack of content means pioneering opportunities! Occupy the vacuum that exists for your industry.
Breathe some life into “boring” products and services.
As I mentioned earlier, most consumers will not have many expectations about your industry, so stun them with incredible visuals for your products and services. Just because you don’t think your industry isn’t “sexy” doesn’t mean you can’t present it that way. This will require some intense brainstorming and creative juices from your designers and writers, but you can likely afford to take risks and try new ideas. When something does work, analyze the data to understand WHY it worked and how you can replicate that success in the future.
As a closing tip, I recommend recording and documenting EVERY campaign or piece of content you market online. Performance tracking is the absolute best way to plan your content and see what styles, colors, CTA’s, and media types make for engaging content. Don’t resign to lukewarm content; bring your industry into the limelight!
