In almost every big, successful campaign I’ve worked on, there was one thing in common – strategic partnerships. The client had a message to get out, but did not try to go it alone.
The thing is, people are bombarded with information and advertisements almost everywhere they turn – commercials on the radio, billboards on the streets, TV ads, flyers, Google ads, Facebook promotions, banner ads, and more! Chances are, if you’re a small business with a message to get out, it’s going to be pretty hard to break through that noise – unless you’ve got a million-dollar budget to hire the Biebs to sing at your new store opening, or whatever it is you’ve got going on.
Well, where do we get our most trusted and valuable information? Word of mouth. So let’s think of people we know who are loud, and give them something to talk about. I should note, when I say “loud,” I don’t mean obnoxious or speaking at a high volume. I am referring to the influencers of society – the people with large networks who trust them and wait for their next recommendation (kind of like Oprah’s Favorite Things…what I wouldn’t give to have gone to one of those shows!)
Find someone who is loud, who cares about your message. Make them an ambassador of your brand, of your message. Help them help you. And then do it again. And again. And again. Maybe the loud friend in this case is not a single person, but another business, or five other businesses.
Check out the Fiskar’s story from Brains on Fire for my favorite case study of brand ambassadors, but here’s another example: If you are a frozen yogurt shop and you’re rolling out a line of healthy sorbets, why not throw a party? Why not invite health bloggers, and create a competition or event benefitting a cause worth caring about, like children’s diabetes? Why not invite similar businesses, like gyms, bike stores, athletic
stores, and others to come out and partake in the fun? Maybe they will all agree to give something away in a raffle. Now, that’s a lot to talk about. It’s a good cause, everybody benefits, and it has the potential to be a lasting movement rather than a one-time campaign. If you’ve created sorbets to help people make healthy
choices, let that be your business mission. Let that be your way of life. It will make your business more than just a business, to both you and your customers.
So, think about it. Who are your “superfriends?” What are the neighboring businesses or groups with which you have a good relationship that you can build on? Who are the customers or friends that talk about your business on social media, or recommend you to others? Who are the bloggers or reporters who are looking for your industry news?
If you look around, I bet you will find you have more ‘superfriends’ than you thought!
IndieGirl PR 