Noisy out there isn’t it? And because of that noise, it’s getting harder and harder to make your marketing stand out. But don’t worry, there are loads of great ways to cut through it. So while everyone else is scrambling to jump onboard the next fad, here are five tips to make your marketing campaigns stand out from the crowd.
Research
We know you’ve probably heard this one before. Well, that’s because it really is the most important part of the process. It’s like breakfast. Actually, it’s way more important than breakfast because it informs every decision you make.
Who’s your target audience? Why do they care about what you have to say? How are you going to solve their problems or appeal to their desires? How do you plan on resonating with this audience? What’s the best way of reaching this audience? What goal are you aiming for?
Once you have the answers to these sorts of questions and many others, everything falls into place like dominoes.
Be original
Being original is way easier said than done. But it could also be articulated as: stop checking what everyone else is doing.
The idea of being original intimidates people as if it’s an impossible thing to achieve. Or maybe we think it’ll cost too much time and money. It’s actually something that’s attainable without necessarily costing a fortune.
After all, originality always comes from an idea. And ideas are usually free. They’re just dreamt up concepts we formulate in our minds. Perhaps this is reflective of a wider problem in society where introspection is rarely encouraged but sometimes that’s all that is required to have an original idea; some time alone, with our own thoughts, wondering about how the world could be better than it currently is. Or, in marketing, wondering how you can convey your message in a witty and engaging way.
Wonder long enough, and you’re bound to have your eureka moment. It may appear in your mind’s eye during an evening walk or while you’re washing the dishes. When that aha-moment happens, be sure to jot it down.
Use images
It’s no secret that people engage with imagery more than they engage with text. Not only that, but people can process imagery much quicker too, which means you can convey your message quicker.
But using any old image won’t do. It’s got to be relevant and visually interesting.
You can keep your images relevant by using stock photo libraries. They’ll have a search bar so that you can find images based on keywords much like using Google. There are lots of great ways to find visually interesting images too.
Curated collections are great because you know they’ve been picked by researchers or editors who see a vast number of images every day. Curated images can be found on the ºÚ¹Ï³ÔÁÏFresh picks page. But if you want these delivered straight to your inbox, just . Category pages also offer a heap of options based on various topics.
However, we know these don’t help when you’re looking for something specific. In these cases, you’re reliant on the whims of your eye. The process is often seen as a subjective one, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be. There are very good, scientific reasons for why certain images look better than others, often based on the Gestalt principles of perception. If you want to learn more, we wrote an article about the psychology of great imagery where we explore this topic.
Be human
The idea of brands being human has almost become a cliché but it’s still something that audiences care deeply about. In fact, we care so much about personifying things that even technology can’t escape our desire for things to feel human.
People are tired of sales messages dressed up as friendly encounters and batting away insincere promises. Even mistakes are being celebrated because moments of vulnerability and authenticity make us human. We love relatable characters in TV, film and fiction. Well, it turns out, this can translate to brands too.
Upgrade your graphic design
This can be bit of a tricky one depending on whether you have your own designer or if you use a third party. And there isn’t any specific advice to give on this besides to consider it, because in many cases, we get things designed and then we just leave it like that. Before long, we realise the designs are out of date.
If you’ve not updated your graphic designs for a while, then it’s a good time to spruce it up. It’s something that your regular customers will notice immediately, and therefore might give a boost in their purchasing patterns. And it will attract new audiences too.
Who knows? Maybe the change is so dramatic that you start trending on Twitter or Instagram. Much like we said earlier, visuals are so important for any brand. So you can definitely stand out by making a splash and cultivating a visual identity that demands attention.
If you’re looking for more inspiration on images and other visuals, be sure to follow our social channels: , , , , and .