Yousuf Rafi
What is the most under-rated pleasure? A question asked on Quora that got around 3,500 answers. But the most interesting one was: ‘Sitting in the toilet’.
I mean are you serious? Yes, in fact, Poop like Royalty is a tagline by a brand that manufactures devices which can help correct your toilet sitting posture. It is not about the product itself. It is about the way the brand is portraying the product.
Squatty Potty, dubbed “the stool for better stools,” capitalizes on its doey-eyed unicorn with active bowels, expelling rainbow soft-serve ice cream while sitting on a throne. The furry, fantastical character alone is credited with a 400 percent increase in retail sales and a 600 percent leap in online sales with a single video that will forever change the way you drop the deuce.
The adorably creative ad broke all boundaries and its absurdist fever-dream theme hooked viewers until the very end, groaning to see the end of this intensely persuasive and personal infomercial. How could such an innocuous product, a small plastic step to be more specific, that will “give you the best potty of your life” according to the princely narrator, glean sales exceeding over $15 million in one year, you may be wondering? The answer lies in stellar storytelling!
Brands of today are jumping on insane ways to leave an everlasting impression on their users. Marketing tactics that are way above our heads are going viral and gaining the attention that is due them.
For instance, MagicLeap – a brand working on augmented reality, managed to capture an audience of 32,000 Twitter followers and 60,000 Facebook fans even before they launch their first product. How is that even possible? Because it’s engaging, thought-provoking, and interactive content gives users a sneak-peak into what they can expect next, keeping them on their toes at all times. Through such captivating video content, the brand is getting the world ready for what it is about to debut: AR goggles which would make it difficult to discern much between digital and virtual or real objects, making all data integrate seamlessly in our surroundings.
The good news is that some brands are already using insane tactics to portray products on social media. The great news is, that after this blog, you’ll be drilled in a few tactics through which you can flaunt your product on social media without even worrying about your competition!
1. A teaser on Social Media
“Why is it that when one man builds a wall, the next man immediately needs to know what’s on the other side?” ~George R.R. Martin, Game of Thrones
The key is not to reveal what your product is going to be. When Microsoft Lumia was launched back in the year 2014, it was barely a small step in the ocean. A new product with a blank canvas.
There are several ways in which you can grab the attention of the users. You can either start a countdown. The countdown will serve two purposes. First, it will keep people engaged and serve as a reminder. Second, it will keep your audience curious about something.
The best approach is to start the countdown 4 days before the launch. You can launch the countdown on the homepage of your website and market it across all social media channels. You can even make a short video, leaving your audience excitedly guessing what you have in stock for them, rewarding those who can Venture the most accurate guess!
2. Blog about it
Are you looking to drool a river? All you have to do is to pop open the “bake happy blog” of Hershey’s to be bombarded by a mouthwatering treasure trove of recipes, promising all the goodness that chocolate has to offer. Even if you are not a baking aficionado, the simply pupil-dilating images would instill in you a passion to try your hands at a chocolate lava cake or perhaps a batch of chocolate fudge pecan pie bars. The best part: all these repertoire of recipes have a Hershey’s product or two at their core! Craving for a chocolate almond fudge? Better head to the grocery store to grab a bag of Hershey’s special dark Chocolate Chips!
You can take advantage of blogging to generate the right buzz around your product. Not just before pre- launch, but afterwards as well. You can start the blog by creating awareness. Why is your product important for people? What real-world problem is it promising to solve?
If you’re able to convince people to use your product because it is catering to a need, it will be easier for you to gain attention when the time comes. People will be excited, curious, and will invite their friends to test your product.
For instance, this highly creative startup, regrained, rescues the leftover nutritious grain from breweries, and recycles this mélange of fiber, protein, and a whole lot of micronutrients into super-grain flour which is incorporated into all their baked products. Since the concept is pretty novel, they leverage their blog to inculcate an awareness about what they do, including taking their audience on a behind-the-scenes tour of the refinery to make them comprehend the notion.
Related: 10 Characteristics of Highly Charismatic Blogs
Use the power of words to inspire people about your product. You can even create a series of blog posts that are centered on the how-to of your product or service.
An excellent example is that of TaskQue. A task management tool that can help managers better accomplish their resources by assigning automatic tasks to idle resources. If you see the TaskQue Blog, you’ll notice that all the blogs are themed around productivity, product features, and topics that are pertinent for project managers, with an aim on making their lives simpler.
3. Create a video
When DollarShaveClub.com wanted to stand out from the typical TVC war, they created this hilarious TVC which went viral in no-time. What makes this product video stand out is how well the company is acquainted with its audience and the real-world problem it is addressing; that of the exorbitant costs of store-bought razor cartridges. The company aspired to tap into a demographic of young, professional men who often purchase big-brand razors at local stores. The well-targeted, absurdist launch video catered well to their targeted end-users, and as a result, the video gleaned more than 11 million views.
If you have the right budget, you can even leverage a fun animated video announcing the new launch and letting the people get acquainted with your product. For instance, the animated product launch video of Soluto, an anti-frustration software that helps its patrons do new things with the services and devices they use based on their interests and behaviors, shows how the brand is empowering its customers to get the most out of their technology.
Similarly, you can share behind-the-scenes of the product, which usually intrigues consumers to establish a personal bond with the brand. Whatever it is, you have the opportunity to get creative and get your audience animated by creating a unique video that catches their eye.
4. Limit the quantity of the product
If you want to create the right hype about your product, the best way is to limit the quantity of the product. Or at least pretend that you have a limited quantity to create a sense of urgency around your offering. Not only does this make your product appear more valuable, but if you sell out you’ll create even more hype for your product for the next go round. It will also compel the users into impulsive buying decisions.
Related: 20 tips to start generating leads with your website
5. Ask influencers for help
Ring up the top 100 digital marketers of the year 2018, invite them over for a cup of coffee, and give them your product. Let them use it, and ask them to review the product on their social media pages. Once you’re able to sell a few influencers on your product, you’ll be able to create a momentum for your product. There are plenty of opportunities to get creative with this one, but don’t overlook the great opportunities that come from networking and putting together a community around your launch.
You can even offer incentives to influencers and help them build more networks around your customer database. You can even ask the influencers to become your brand advocates and pay them a small fortune for their troubles.
6. Unite your tribe with a cover photo
The great thing about social media is that it is addictive. You can start with baby steps, add people, and within no-time, you’ll be able to influence an even greater number. For instance, you can leverage your cover photo to flaunt some of your product, especially if you are designing for retail. An online stationary shop, NoteMaker, displays its key stock items neatly on their cover photo against a white background to direct the eye where it is supposed to be directed.
For brands in the food industry, they can jump on a host of stellar opportunities to grab attention using enticing photos of their mouth-watering offerings. Let your audience know what’s new on the menu, which of your flavors is becoming an eye candy, and what new promotions are on the way. Here, the melting cheese oozing out from the slice is sure to kick all your pizza cravings into action!
If your plan is to launch a website, a brand, or even a brick-and-mortar store, you can change your social media cover photo on every channel and ask your customers to do the same. Of course, you can offer them some incentive to do so.
But the thing is to create a tribe and let the people follow that tribe. You can even use the countdown to create engagement among the young souls. In this way, people will be curious about what is coming their way.
To wrap it all
Whether you take away one idea from this post or try to implement them all, you’ll be able to create a little more excitement around your new business launch. And the more excitement you can generate around your business, the greater chances you have of expanding your audience, engaging with your followers, and increasing your sales.
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