When it comes to marketing campaigns, most small businesses opt for the safer route. Maybe this means posting only once a week to a Twitter account or purchasing a limited number of promotional products. While you might fall into this category, it’s not too late to break your small business out of its marketing shell and try some new disruptive strategies to increase revenue.
Though you probably haven’t thought about “Opposite Day” since your time on the school playground, January 25 marks National Opposite Day. This whimsical day isn’t all about pranks and jokes, though – with a little creative work, you can turn National Opposite Day into the perfect chance to expand the reach and exposure of your brand.
You need to drive interest in your store to attract more customers.Think differently
If you want to get lost in the same noise that competing small businesses are cranking out on social media sites and email mailing lists every day, then taking advantage of National Opposite Day might not be for you. However, Entrepreneur magazine explained that such a unique day is the perfect opportunity for guerilla marketing techniques.
Author and advertising executive Jay Conrad Levinson told Entrepreneur that guerilla marketing is less about the revenue you pour into the campaign, and more about the time, energy and creativity invested in each individual tweet, email and promotional item you choose. Levinson also noted that guerilla marketing takes individual actions, such as a billboard or instructional pamphlet, and combines these disparate elements into a cohesive approach to customers. This usually results in campaigns that, while inexpensive and cost-effective, become newsworthy for their originality.
“Never aim to upset, scare or provoke people in a negative way.”
However, you need to be cautious with guerilla marketing campaigns – because of their high creativity, they also put businesses at a greater risk of upsetting customers and chipping away at established goodwill.
“Never aim to upset, scare or provoke people in a negative way,” Adam Salacuse, founder and president of guerilla marketing firm ALT TERRAIN, told Entrepreneur. “The goal should be to implement something that people will embrace, enjoy and share with friends. Guerrilla marketing is often the only way to implement a desired concept.”
Switch things up
If you think you can pull off an effective guerilla marketing campaign that emphasizes creativity to lower costs, take advantage of National Opposite Day to catch your customers off guard with quirky promotions.
Your customers expect to buy things when they walk into your store, but they might not expect you to turn the tables and offer something to them for free. Walk around and hand out coupons for discounts, but make sure to explain the connection to Opposite Day. According to a 2002 study conducted by researchers from Washington University, in-store promotional offers increased the overall size and variety of customers’ purchases, so start handing some discounts out to boost revenue.
You could also surprise customers at checkout with a free promotional giveaway. In keeping with the silly spirit of National Opposite Day, something like Myron’s Compact Umbrella with LED Flashlight Handle is useful enough for your customers to keep around for rainy days, but still off-kilter so it will stick in their minds for as long as possible. You could even customize the umbrellas with a silly take on your small business’ brand for an extra laugh.
National Opposite Day is all about fun, and guerilla marketing is focused on creativity. Once you figure out how to combine these in a way that benefits your business the most, you’ll be on the fast lane to bankruptcy this National Opposite Day.