Are you trying to keep up with hundreds of emails, dozens of news publications and blogs, and countless social media posts? Yeah, I feel your pain. As part of our marketing strategy, we don’t have the luxury of simply blending in with the crowd.
So how do you set yourself apart and break through the noise? By adding an element of surprise. And each time you do, you’ll be surprised how you can be not only seen but also remembered-for the better (but, if you’re not careful, sometimes for the worse, too).
So how do we add the element of surprise to our marketing efforts without tarnishing our brand or image?
Here are a six tactics you should consider, along with some real-world examples.
Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone
Push the boundaries with your message, and go beyond what might be expected of you. Start with something small to test the waters, and then when you’re ready to make the jump, go for it!
Spirit Airlines does an interesting job of using humor, although sometimes not always in the classiest of ways. But pushing boundaries with tongue-in-cheek marketing campaigns can certainly grab attention.
Bring Up Current Events
Even if a current event is not necessarily relevant to your industry, chime in and join the conversation, adding an opinion or something interesting to the mix.
Cookies have little to do with the Super Bowl, for example, but Oreo capitalized on a hot topic and took advantage of the opportunity when it smartly reacted to the lights out at the Super Bowl in 2012.
Build Suspense To Maximize Surprise
Think about TV shows or movies. They hook the viewer into a storyline and create suspense.
Apple has done so quite successfully with the release of new products and operating systems. The buzz and lead-up to the release is almost as exciting as when the new hardware or software comes out. So when you have a captive audience, take advantage of the moment to do something different.
Make Mistakes And Don’t Be Afraid To Fail
You are not always going to know how people will react unless you try to put yourself out there. People will either like it, or they won’t, and you will know about it either way… because they’ll tell you.
Gap learned the hard way that its new and improved logo wasn’t all it had been cracked up to be and immediately retracted it, reverting back to the old. The brand quickly accepted that it shouldn’t have changed a good thing and admitted that the new logo was a flop. If anything humanizes you… it’s mistakes, because as humans we all screw up every now and then!
Make It Personal
People love nothing more than a little personal touch. It shows your audience that you went out of your way to connect person to person versus person to business.
Coca-Cola’s bottles are an extremely successful example, putting names on their packaging to help people connect and “Share a Coke” with friends.
Create Something Lasting
Listening to your audience and going a little out of your way to do something small can go a long way. So pick up on the small things to make a real connection. Like when a flight attendant who overhears it’s a customer’s birthday and makes a public announcement, the extra effort shows both the subject and the entire world that you care.
When adding surprising elements into your marketing messaging, don’t think about it too much; trust your gut. Sometimes, you have to take risks, think big, and be bold with your ideas. And keep in mind that although there’s a higher risk, there’s also a higher reward if you take chances.
Thanks for spending some time with me today!
Katy Geary
Owner + Creative Director
Geary Graphic Design
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