5 Scrappy Marketing Hacks for Any-Size Business
By Heike Young
Marketers have more channels, platforms, devices, and networks to worry about than ever before, yet not always more budget.
Although the marketer’s to-do list and stress level has increased, team and budget size sure feel stagnant. At least, that’s how it feels for marketers at many small businesses—and bigger businesses, too.
On the latest episode of the Marketing Cloudcast, the marketing podcast from Salesforce, we hosted an expert on this very topic. Nick Westergaard is author of Get Scrappy, a digital marketing book for small and big business; chief brand strategist at Brand-Driven Digital; and host of On Brand Podcast.
Nick joins the Marketing Cloudcast to share some scrappy marketing hacks that companies of all sizes can use. Nick enlightens marketers on how they can do more with less in this podcast episode now available on iTunes. While geared toward smaller marketing teams, Nick’s guidance is truly useful for marketers of any stripe, because we could all use a few people or a few dollars more.
Listen to a preview of the episode here, or download the full episode on iTunes.
Here are five of Nick’s top tips from the episode.
1. Relentlessly repurpose.
When researching a purchase, consumers now seek out twice as many sources as they did a few years ago. It’s on marketers’ plates to provide more content. But Nick advises a simple shortcut: always repurpose your content so that, if you’re creating one thing (say, a big whitepaper), slice and dice it up into individual blog posts. (These can have a longer lifespan than you might think.) Take data points and make a few social graphics that can be shared via Facebook and Instagram. Nick recommends checking out how Pew Research does it.
2. Tap into user-generated content.
Seek ways for your customers to help you create word-of-mouth marketing. Nick applauds Moosejaw, who runs a weekly contest where fans submit photos of themselves with Moosejaw gear to become the brand’s weekly Facebook cover photo. From the brand’s POV, they get fresh new content. And it’s better than creative they spent time and money designing because it’s straight from the customer.
3. Stay focused on your brand story.
One way to save time and money? Don’t get overwhelmed by channels and networks that don’t make sense for your brand. For example, Nick says Snapchat or Periscope may not be for you. Lessen your load by focusing on what’s actually successful. A brand, according to Nick, sits squarely in the hearts and minds of the customer. Marketers can say everything they want, but the brand must be communicated across touchpoints that comprise a meaningful experience. If something isn’t resonating, take a step back.
4. Embrace your people power.
Historically, brands and organizations have been fearful of what customers might say, not wanting to give them a platform. But there’s a growing movement to give voice to customers, turning people into marketers that have a seat at the table with you instead of a problem you have to manage. Nick says especially for small businesses, leveraging customers as co-creators in your brand experience can be extremely valuable. Marketers may love new technology, but they shouldn’t miss out on the relationship impact it has. Technology puts marketers closer to their people than ever before.
5. Balance everything with humor and stay personable.
Nick loves the Ben & Jerry’s brand because they stand for serious things (like social responsibility in food) with humor and levity. It’s a big brand with lofty aspirations, but buying Ben & Jerry’s doesn’t feel like you’re being preached at. Staying personable is the key here. You can deliver better experiences on social and earn a lot of trust and forgiveness on the customer’s part if you stay human.
We talked about much more with Nick Westergaard in this episode of the Marketing Cloudcast. Get the episode now and figure out how to make scrappier, savvier marketing part of your strategy.
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Tweet @youngheike with marketing questions or topics you’d like to see covered next on the Marketing Cloudcast.
