We’re getting tired of marketing. We’re getting tired of being advertised to all the time.
The platforms that we go to in order to escape from our daily lives are selling our information to advertisers.
Now we get fancy advertising that’s targeted to us. As if we should be thankful for this “tailored” experience that the Meta gods instil upon us.
That’s why today’s sponsor is Nord VPN – just kidding.
However, as entrepreneurs or small businesses, marketing is an important part of our livelihoods. If we don’t sell ourselves – who will?
But there is a way to tackle marketing without the “ick” factor.
The solution?
🌟 Creative marketing. 🌟
Although…is creative marketing just another buzz word to try and cover up ordinary marketing?
In my opinion, no. It’s something more tangible than marketing.
There’s a beautiful output at the end of the process that inspires people and helps you to connect with your ideal clients or customers on a more personal and intimate level.
I believe that creative marketing is a bit more subjective than Marketing 4.0, and that each person may formulate their own beliefs or opinions about the concept.
To start with, what does creativity and marketing mean to you as an individual and how does it change when you put them together?
Creativity to me is transforming an idea or concept into something beautiful. Whether it’s the written word or a transfixing visual.
Marketing to me (yes I am being a negative Nancy about it) is more clinical. At this point in time I feel like it’s transformed so much that as a term on its own it doesn’t work anymore.
Hence the idea of “creative marketing” and how together these two words create a movement. Cue the violins.
Today I wanted to explore:
- What is creative marketing?
- How do you get started with marketing creatively?
- Where do you market creatively?
- Why choose creative marketing?
What is creative marketing?
According to the Harvard Business Review:
“Creativity in marketing requires working with customers right from the start to weave their experiences with your efforts to expand your company’s reach.”
On the other hand, marketing is defined by Dr Philip Kotler as:
“the science and art of exploring, creating, and delivering value to satisfy the needs of a target market at a profit. Marketing identifies unfulfilled needs and desires. It defines, measures and quantifies the size of the identified market and the profit potential. It pinpoints which segments the company is capable of serving best and it designs and promotes the appropriate products and services.”
See the difference?
Creative marketing is about working with customers on an experiential basis, while marketing on its own is more focused on profit.
Of course profit is important, but it doesn’t need to be at the expense of the customer’s unique experience.
This is maybe a bit of a high tech example, but this Lush augmented reality campaign created a fun experience for shoppers to learn more about the product.
It’s that out of the box thinking that engages and excites people. Can you think of any other examples?
To help you get started with out of the box thinking, learn more about the Jar Concept here to spark your creativity. It’s a super simple exercise to help you flex that creative muscle!
How do you get started with marketing creatively?
Okay so you have an idea about what creative marketing is, now what?
Marketing creatively and that out of the box thinking helps to future proof yourself and your business.
By being creative we’re “forced” to learn new skills and take a multidisciplinary approach to our businesses.
The more skills we have at our disposal, the better equipped we are to think of innovative solutions and ideas that span across a range of interests and topics.
What skills do you think will be in demand in the years to come?
The landscape is constantly changing and with NFTs, the metaverse, and whatever other buzzword of the month is hanging out there, there’s always something to learn.
Start learning and keep an open mind to what’s out there. Maybe it’s not your cup of tea but having an understanding of certain concepts can be beneficial.
You could look at taking some short courses or bookmarking a few helpful resources in your industry. Regardless of your industry, if you have an online business these resources may be worth checking out:
- Social Media Today
- Marketing Brew
- Social Media Examiner
- AppSumo (on top of software they have resources and courses too)
If you have particular entrepreneurs that you follow in your space, try signing up for their newsletter to get updates and news. Social media can be a pain and result in comparison paralysis but I find that newsletters hold a little less pressure to like or comment or share or save or – you get it.
Another way to start thinking creatively is to look at evoking the senses and getting that imagination churning again. This could be as simple as reading a book you like, journaling daily, or following a few creative writing prompts.
Where do you market creatively?
This can get a little complicated depending on your funnel as where you get creative with marketing may differ – for each entrepreneur and even each offer.
A few of the key places are your website, your email list, and social media – but don’t write off in person events or physical elements. Having a combination of online and offline channels can widen your reach and offer more flexibility too.
Keep your end goal in mind. What impact is it that you want to make and how can you connect with people to actually make that impact?
Let’s say you want people to visit your website to learn more about you and your services. What can you do to draw them in? What’s unique to you that people will resonate with and want to absorb more of?
Maybe you write engaging blog posts for people to read, learn from, and enjoy. From there you can take that content and repurpose it for your social media platforms.
Social media helps you to capture the attention of – and build relationships with – your ideal client.
But don’t get too reliant on social media. It’s not real estate you own and putting all of your eggs in one basket is not the best idea when it comes to the endless void that is the internet.
If you’re only on Instagram and your account gets hacked or deleted – how will you reach your followers?
It also limits your creativity focusing on only one platform. If you’re stuck on Instagram you’ll start creating content for the Instagram machine rather than keeping that creative mind going by exploring other avenues and other types of content.
I’m not saying you need to be everywhere but keep an open mind about what options are out there and what may suit you, your business, and your audience better.
Maybe deep down you’re actually a natural-born streamer ready to take Twitch by storm. You’ll only know if you try.
Why choose creative marketing?
People are tired. Life is hard. Entertainment and fun are becoming more important than ever.
We’re looking for an escape from the horrors of everyday life and that’s where creative marketing can come in.
People are getting tired of seeing the same shitty tactics and online shouting matches about whose brand is better and why.
Creative marketing is out of the box thinking that’s heart-led and authentic to you and your unique audience.
Keep an open and creative mind. Don’t get swept up in shiny object syndrome when it comes to different strategies. I know I certainly have and it’s a pretty big time-waster.
In the end it’s about what feels right for you and your business and what your ideal clients or customers look for in you. Remember, your audience is attracted to YOU based on YOUR values.
Why not show them by being creatively you?
