How to shoot beyond ads and create a lasting brand presence

Every business knows that ads are the bread and butter of their marketing efforts. Or are they?

The logic that you need to spend a lot of money on marketing is no longer as solid as it once was. Whereas companies previously had to dedicate enormous budgets to PPC, that simply isn’t the case anymore. New options are emerging all the time, both because of technology but also consumer demands. Polished, airbrushed banners and video commercials are no longer the most persuasive mediums if they ever were.

Furthermore, the concept of company marketing is shifting on a deeper level. It’s not just what companies are doing that’s changing, but also the theory behind great branding. Today, almost no marketing executive believes in quick hit-and-run campaigns. It’s all about the long game.

But what does this mean in practice for a business like yours? How can you grow beyond conventional ads and create a lasting brand presence with your audience? What tactics are out there?

Leverage UGC

Often, the first step is to go to the community and ask them to create content on your behalf. Their work is usually more authentic and provides a level of social proof that isn’t available in-house. When customers’ peers start talking about the quality and reliability of your products, it means more than statements you make on your website or even independent third-party testing.

UGC is becoming easier than ever to obtain. Previously, brands reached out to their customers via hashtag campaigns. But these days, you can simply pay platforms to provide all the content you need, whether that’s reviews for a new mouse mat or unboxings for a makeup set. You simply order what you need in the quantities required for your campaign.

Build a brand story

Alongside this, it helps to build a brand story. Giving consumers a narrative they can latch onto is essential in today’s market.

Building authentic brand stories is more challenging than you might think. The goal is to turn what you do into something that feels human and personal. You don’t just want to be a company that talks about the features and benefits of its products, you also need an underlying mission or philosophy that can mobilize your audience and get them to buy from you.

Part of building a brand story is often just being transparent. Starting the journey from where you are now is often the most authentic approach. Don’t pretend to be someone you’re not.

You can improve the situation by sharing the experiences of the people who make up your brand. Talking about what they do is often an excellent avenue into this type of marketing push.

You can also compare yourself to your rivals and show what you do differently. Apple did this rather magnificently when comparing its computers to PCs in the 1990s and 2000s. And you can do something similar if you feel brave.

Work with other companies

While it might sound strange, you can also work with other companies to build a brand with a lasting presence. Partnering with other businesses with pre-existing audiences can be an extraordinary way to boost your outreach and attract new people.

The trick here is to find aligned brands. You want to work with companies that can amplify your reach, not cannibalize your audience.

You can also work with influencers for a similar effect. Again, these help you connect with new audiences, particularly people who wouldn’t ordinarily sign up for your products and services.

Creators are helpful because people trust them. Getting their endorsement, particularly if heartfelt, is one of the best ways to go beyond ads and generate real leverage. Paid promotions are okay, but it is even better if you can convince the creator in question to support you without that.

Focus On Value

Creating a lasting brand presence also relies on focusing on value. The more you can improve people’s lives with what you do, the better.

Value-focused companies usually meet or exceed their customers’ expectations. Furthermore, they concentrate on the aspects of their operations that really help their clients. Firms that double down on these can reduce waste and do the things their audiences want.

Part of the value creation process means generating meaningful content. Making videos educational, entertaining, and inspiring is often the best way to convince audiences that your company has something to offer, increasing the likelihood they will purchase your products.

For example, you could provide content in the form of webinars or blogs. You could also provide practical workshops for prospects to introduce them to what you do and help them use your products better.

Many brands now use drones to create the highest-quality videos, particularly in the travel, outdoor pursuits, and building sectors. Devices, like the DJI Mini 4k, make it simple to take videos from a height, offering stunning shots that were only previously possible with a helicopter. These can then feed into cross-platform campaigns, providing audiences with more interesting video sequences.

Create a brand community

Another pro tactic used by many of the top companies is to create a community. These often become self-sustaining, with existing members attracting new ones.

One example is Lululemon. It organizes a community with events, workshops, and classes, providing a space where people feel like they belong.

Most of the best communities encourage participation of one kind or another. Getting people involved is a powerful technique and something that a lot of companies don’t focus on as much as they should.

You can get people involved in the following ways:

Ask them to share their experiences of using your products or services (or both)
Get them to create stories around your products, including how they used them, and post them online
Ask them to talk about how your products or services benefited them, and why other people should use them

To get the ball rolling, use incentives. Offer customers and leads something exclusive to encourage them to use your services, like entry into a contest or some kind of reward. Promising them a prize for their efforts is often an excellent way to motivate them.

Be open to feedback

Being open to feedback is also a way to create a lasting brand presence (even if it isn’t as well-known as some of the other strategies mentioned here). Asking your audience what they think allows you to refine your brand and adapt your offerings.

Dunkin’ is an excellent example of a brand like this. Previously, it focused on its donut business, believing it was the core of its operations. But it soon found that most of its customers saw that aspect as secondary to its coffee–the main reason for purchasing from it.

Another company, EA Entertainment, did the same. Players of its games complained that they lacked depth and that many were simply ways to help the brand earn extra income from in-game purchases. Because of this backlash, the company changed some of its stripes, only pushing out games when they were ready, and getting rid of pay-to-win mechanics (where players could buy items at the in-game shop with real money that gave them an advantage).

Once you become open to feedback, you also become more agile. Suddenly, you have a system in place that allows you to iterate on what you do and create better outcomes.

Be sustainable

Another lesser-known trick is to be sustainable. Adopting a business model that will allow you to thrive for decades is essential in a more environment-conscious world.

You can do this by:

Demonstrating various eco-friendly practices, or talking about them in your press releases
Being transparent in your supply chain operations
Making efforts to reduce the quantity of waste your firm creates
Encouraging customers to adjust their behaviors and use your products in an environmentally-responsible manner
Leveraging pricing models that encourage good behavior and environmental stewardship by all stakeholders

Many younger customers are particularly interested in the environment and want to preserve it for posterity. As such, companies demonstrating their support are the most likely to survive long-term.

Create something unique to uou

Finally, try to avoid the pressure to jump on every trend that comes along. While it might be tempting to take advantage of them, they can pollute your brand or make shoppers perceive you differently.

Instead, work intelligently with trends, using those that serve you, and ignoring the rest. Don’t feel like you have to launch a hashtag challenge, just because a rival brand is doing exactly that.

The best brands try to make themselves “timeless.” The idea here is to build a legacy. Even in ten years’ time, you want people today to remember what you did.

Let customers know that they can also be a part of the brand; they don’t have to stay on the sidelines. Including them increases loyalty and ensures they will stick with you, no matter what. Allowing them to use reviews, testimonials, and community involvement creates a self-sustaining system that is less likely to fade over time.

So there you have it: how to shoot beyond ads and create a lasting brand presence.