It’s not rare to see companies advertising in strange ways. People want to get their name out there and sometimes the usual ways aren’t enough—or aren’t affordable.
I always ask the CEO’s that I coach these questions:
- What are you doing to thank your top clients?
- How are you getting creative with your advertising?
Here are some unique and unconventional ways companies have gone about advertising.
The Technology of People in Power
In 2010, John Ruhlin, CEO of the Ruhlin Group and top salesperson at Cutco, was looking to grab one of the five advertising spots on my MacBook Pro. Upon learning that all five of those spots were taken, John had a new offer. In exchange for one year of advertisement on the back of my iPhone, John traded me $2500 worth of high end, personally engraved Cutco Chef’s knives.
“A few select people have risen to the top of Cutco’s sales force. But out of the 1.5 million sales reps in Cutco’s 68-year history, there is one person who has sold more knives than anyone else: John Ruhlin.” – Inc
These knives are also one of the product lines he helps companies use to reward their top clients in unique ways, and also to get into the doors of the CEOs they are targeting. That brings us into the next unique way of advertising.
Using Gifts to Spread Your Company’s Name
Giving promotional corporate gifts can be an easy and fun way to get your company’s name out there. It’s affordable, too. By giving your employees, potential clients, and people at corporate events a useful gift with your company logo on it it benefits you both. The receiver gets a gift and you get free advertisement—just make sure the gift is something they’d actually use, like pens, mugs, or phone accessories.
“When the gift is right, whether it’s for a client, employee, or a different organisation entirely, the company’s image can be boosted in the market. If the recipient is happy with the gift, they could start spreading positive comments and advertising will work really well for the company. These personal referrals will be better for the company’s branding than any generic advertising could be.” – Wide Info
John Ruhlin, as mentioned before, also uses a gift giving strategy. That’s what his company, the Ruhlin Group, is all about—knowing how to give gifts. Gifts in all sorts of aspects of business can go a long way, but especially in advertising.
Explore Influencer Marketing
We can’t forget about advertising in the digital age. One of the most noticeable and cost effective ways of advertising on social media is influencer marketing—paying influencers to endorse your product or service.
“Using social media influencers to increase brand recognition and appeal to potential new customers is a great way to grow your business—just make sure you’ve done your research and approach it the right way” – Cameron Herold
Influencer marketing can work way better than paying Instagram for an ad that pops up in the middle of people’s feeds. This way, you get people engaged first. If the ad is coming from a person someone follows they are way less likely to scroll past it without looking than a pop up ad.
Advertising doesn’t—and shouldn’t—only be done in the basic, conventional ways. It takes something unique for your company’s name to trule stick, so why not try out some of these unique ways of advertising? What’s the worst that can happen—you get more business?
If you have questions or would like more information, I’d be happy to help. Please send an email, and my team will get in touch with you!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March 2010 and has been edited for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
