The following ten examples are unexpected marketing ideas that leave your customers with an emotional connection to you and your brand. They have a modest connection to what you sell. They have everything to do with how your customer will feel.
- A bookstore that won’t allow you to buy a book unless you promise to give someone you know a hug within one hour.
- The barbershop that invites you to bring in someone who has a job interview but can’t afford a haircut.
- The supermarket clerk who walks you over to the section where they keep the gluten-free crackers you want but can’t find on the shelf. Even if it means coming down from a ladder and walking to the other side of the store. The clerk is trained to do this as a requirement of her job.
- The clothing brand that encourages you not to buy too many things from them so that you don’t waste resources.
- An online coffee retailer who offers to ship your subscription for free if you check the box that says you are a veteran.
- The Korean barbeque restaurant that asks that you sit with other customers you don’t know at their dessert table so that you can make a new friend.
- The florist who will send your mother a special bouquet of flowers if she is over 90 years old on her birthday for half price.
- The doctor who creates a mobile clinic to help bring healthcare to one street in the inner city one day per month.
- The company that donates 5% of its profits to charity but doesn’t tell anyone outside of the company about their effort.
- The lighting store that brings free Xmas lights to families in need in December to bring a little joy to their lives.
Your Brand’s Story
You can tell prospective clients what makes you special. You can create an amazing pitch about your business in a creative video or brochure.
But most consumers observe how you behave and what you do. Websites, words, brochures, ads, and content can help but are never the same as your action. It isn’t what you say you do – it is what you do.
Your customers are watching.
What is the brand story your customers will tell about your business? How will you make them feel when they engage with your brand today?
Brands need to market themselves beyond the transactional. I can help you develop innovative ideas that can help create deeper connections. Email me at jeffslater@themarketingsage.com or call me at 919 720 0995 to begin the conversation.
Photo courtesy of dimitar-belchev-251680 on Unsplash
