So you’ve got a business, a brand, or maybe just a dream of what you want to have, and you’re ready to get started on your marketing efforts, which is fantastic – it’s really something that should be encouraged. The problem is that a lot of other people want to do exactly the same thing, and they’re all shouting about their business and products at the same time and in the same direction as you – everyone’s just hoping that their voice carries further than the rest and that they’ll be the ones who are noticed first. 

In the end, that kind of marketing just gets exhausting and people stop listening because it’s all a bit much – it’s just not really that effective. If you actually want to stand out when it comes to marketing, you’ve got to get creative, clever, and do something unusual, and then you’ll actually get somewhere. With that in mind, here are some upgrades that will take your marketing to the next level, because why should you settle for ordinary when you can go so much further? Read on to find out more. 

Create A Podcast 

The first thing we’ll talk about is one of the most exciting yet still underused marketing tools of the modern day; the podcast. In the past podcasts were something true crime fans or people who specifically wanted to learn a lot about a particular subject listened to, and they weren’t especially well-known or understood, but that’s changing, and today many people love to listen to good podcasts – they might even choose that over music, at least at times. 

For a business owner, it’s vital to know that podcasts are a hugely effective way to connect with your audience because they build trust, offer value, and let your knowledge shine through – plus, you can show off your personality and get people to know you and your business better as a result. 

Of course, everyone thinks it’s easy to start a podcast with just a microphone and a good script, but that’s not all you need if you want to be successful, so it’s worth getting to grips with all the information you need before you get started so that your first episode is one that really does get people hooked. 

One thing you’ll definitely need if you want your podcast to sound amazing is a 12g-SDI distribution amplifier. That might sound really technical, but it’s a gadget that ensures crystal-clear video (and great video feeds if you’re recording visuals as well, which can be an added bonus for podcast listeners), and it means that people will enjoy listening a lot more. And that’s the kind of thing an audience is sure to notice, and they’ll start to want to know what you’ve got to say, which is clearly going to boost your marketing efforts massively. 

Make Yourself A Meme

Memes are everywhere, and it’s likely you’ve forwarded at least one to a friend or loved one recently – it’s something we all do. So if people are doing it, why not create some memes based around your business that other people will want to pass around? It’s an easy way to get noticed, and even if you don’t technically go viral, it’s still going to widen your audience without you having to do all that much (once you’ve created the meme and published it, that is). 

If you’re not sure what to do or your design skills aren’t as good as your business skills, then you can hire a designer who understands memes (and perhaps one that specializes in them), and who can turn your brand content into a clever, funny, relatable piece of content that people like and want to share with others. Just make sure you’ve got your business details on there, otherwise the message can get lost, especially if it keeps getting passed around – after a while the original information can go missing. If you can create something that people enjoy, share, and follow up on, you’ll have unlocked a lot of new customers who will want to see what else you’ve got to offer, so why not try it out? 

Improve Your Video Content 

You may have heard that videos are the future – it’s a message that’s been going around for a while now. Well, the fact is that the message has been around for such a long time that we’ve essentially reached the future, and videos are the present, which means it’s time to focus on them more and improve what you’re doing. 

In the past, a few shaky, handheld phone videos were enough – it was different, and people didn’t really care about the quality because the video itself was novel enough not to make it a problem. Today, of course, everyone’s making videos and they can upload them to social media or their website within seconds, possibly beating you to the punch at times, and definitely capturing people’s attention. 

That’s why it’s vital to stop thinking of videos as a quick and easy thing to do that you don’t have to put a lot of effort into, and instead think of them as an ideal and important marketing tool and invest in creating them. Buy (or rent) a proper video setup with good cameras, effective lighting, and amplifier like we mentioned above, green screens, and anything else that’s going to make your video look slick and well-produced, and you’ll get noticed for the right reasons. 

And don’t forget about the editing part of making a video either – you can add captions, use sound effects, have some fun transitions, and so on. Whatever it is you put in, the goal is to make something really engaging that people don’t just scroll past but pay attention to – that’s when you’ll notice your sales improve. 

Create Cool Merch

Merch – short for merchandise – has always been an important part of marketing. A business owner pays to have the merch created and delivered, they sell it (or give it away), and the customer then uses that merch and does some free advertising at the same time – that’s why merchandise is an investment. If you’ve ever used a pen, mug, hat, or t-shirt with a brand name on it, for example, you’re advertising that brand without even thinking about it, and you can get your customers to do the same for you. 

Of course, the standard merch is great, but if you really want to stand out, it’s a good idea to try something a little more unique as well as the usual pens and car stickers. You could have socks with your brand on, a fun tote bag people can use for shopping, or perhaps some limited edition items because scarcity drives demand, after all. If you’ve got some interesting, quirky, one-of-a-kind merch for sale, people will definitely want it (no one wants to miss out), and just the idea of it could go viral which is even more free advertising. 

If you’re going to offer merch, the key is to make sure it’s decent quality. No matter how much fun the stuff is, if it breaks, fades, or doesn’t work as it’s meant to, people aren’t going to be impressed, and it’s going to reflect badly on your business. Make sure you do some research before choosing a merchandising company and you should be fine – or more than fine if you hit on the right items at the right time. 

Make It All A Game 

People really love games, and you probably play some yourself – there are things like Candy Crush or perhaps sudoku, for example, that can be fantastic ways to de-stress, have some fun, and perhaps even sharpen (or learn) some skills you can use elsewhere in life, so although playing these things (and plenty of others – there are thousands of games to choose from) shouldn’t something you do all the time, once in a while is actually potentially quite beneficial. 

And if that’s the case, why not turn your own marketing into a game as well? You could create challenges on your social media platforms and offer prizes like discounts or some of your merch, for example – and you’ll also be able to collect leads at the same time, so it’s really good for business. Or you could take things a step further and create (or get someone to create) an app where people can play games that link to your business. There are so many options, and using gaming to entice people to buy from you is a clever and unusual idea that’s going to make people remember you at the very least, and potentially increase your sales – plus, it’s just fun! 

Final Thoughts 

Marketing doesn’t have to be the same old thing every time, and it shouldn’t be predictable either – people have had enough of all that, and it’s not going to get you very far. Instead, your marketing needs to be different and bold if you want to get it to the next level, so don’t play it safe and try something new – the results should speak for themselves.