In a consumer driven world buzzing with messages and promotions, brands vie for our affection every minute of every day. But how many of them are bothered about making personal connections with people?
The power of word of mouth recommendations is no secret – so why so many of us guilty of over-complicating communication pathways?
8 Top outreach marketing tactics you can start using today
1. It’s natural to trust a third party recommendation more than any blurb that comes straight from the horses’ mouth. Bring bloggers closer to your brand by sending them a freebie with no string attached. Chances are they’ll give you a mention to say thanks.
2. Talk to the right people at the right time and they will inevitably say good things about your brand. Identify and keep in touch with the people who are already sold on your brand, as happy customers have an infectious enthusiasm for spreading a good word. Invest some time keeping them on-side with the occasional freebie, or a birthday gift.
3. PR efforts try to get the message out en masse. Instead of deploying one-way street tactics to get your message heard, reach out to a few likely brand candidates and nurture new relationships. They are far more likely to listen to you.
4. Since social growth is organic, it is a pretty good indicator of an individual’s authenticity and relevance. Be sure to check-up on engagement and post authenticity when identifying new individuals to connect with.
5. Your brand story can be told by anyone who has a personal connection to it. Get creative to find the best perspectives, and let your customers see the real human being that sit behind your brand.
6. Real life relationships are built on trust and two-way communication. Treat your very best customers as you would a friend. Don’t be afraid to thank them, incentivise them and reward them when they help you out.
7. It’s easy to forget that we still have conversations about things we like, experiences that have made an impression and brands that we wouldn’t be without. Outreach marketing methods can still fit into a digital strategy, but work best if you leverage the power of key individuals to have a conversation about you on your behalf.
8. In any marketing strategy there has to be an element of flexibility to account for the unexpected scenarios. Outreach marketing doesn’t limit you to a set of rules, so if you think you should run with something, then you probably should.
Article originally written as part of Nuance & Fathom’s portfolio.