So you’ve crafted the perfect design, made the products you’ve always dreamed of having, set up your store, and are ready for the first sales to roll in . . . what now? It’s time to tell the world about your product!
The hard work doesn’t stop when you’ve created a product and added it to your store (trust me, I know). Marketing a product is just as important as making one.
The author and inspirational speaker Simon Sinek said, “the hardest part is starting. Once you get that out of the way, you’ll find the rest of the journey much easier,” and he’s right.
To help you start your marketing journey, I’ll share several ways to market a product online and create a product marketing strategy. You can also find a downloadable checklist at the end of this article so you can use it whenever you plan to promote a product.
Let’s get started, shall we?
How to Market a Product?
Let’s be honest, when it comes to 21st-century marketing, there’s no better (and cost-efficient) place to promote your products than on the internet.
Statistics show that almost 60% of the global population are active internet users, but the billion-dollar question is, how do you turn these users into your customers?
Let’s go through some channels where you can promote your products, and I’ll share a few recommendations on what content works best on each channel.
Website marketing
Your website is the home of all your products and represents your brand the most. There are multiple ways to promote your products on the website, so let’s go through some of them.
Increase product discoverability
You’ve probably seen your homepage a thousand times and know it by heart, which is why switching things up and asking for advice from others can be useful. Change your product placement, highlight the new or most popular products, and ask your friends or family to give an honest review of your page layout.
It’ll help you understand how first-time visitors see the page and increase the discoverability of the products you want to promote. You can also create collections that’ll help your new page visitors find the products they’re more interested in. The collections can be permanent, such as your bestsellers or new products, or themed according to the season, for example, winter essentials.
Here’s an example of a homepage that informs about a free shipping offer, displays the collections, and has a bold video banner that invites you to check out the newest collect
Showcase the content created by your customers
UGC stands for user-generated content, which means that this content is created by your customers or other people who’ve tried the product. Buyers have more trust in purchasing products that others have tried and liked, so whenever you see your customer sharing a photo or video with your product, ask their permission to add it to your website!
Online reviews are another way to show your products in real life, so add an option to leave feedback below or next to your products. Remember that these reviews won’t always be positive, but that doesn’t mean you have to hide them. Use this feedback as a chance to interact with your customers and show that you care about their opinions.
Offer discounts
It’s no secret that people always love discounts, no matter the product or occasion. Use discounts to attract more customers, increase returning customers, and promote products that could be doing better.
Create a loyalty program
You can also use a loyalty program to promote your products. For example, you can create a point system that allows your customers to earn perks. For the perks, you can offer free shipping, discounts, a gift, or whatever comes to your mind.
Use the loyalty program to market your new products and set the points each purchased product can get. Here’s an example of a loyalty program that gives perks in exchange for points.
Have an SEO-friendly content
SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization, and its goal is to provide search engine users with the most relevant information possible. To ensure search engines recognize your products as relevant and show them to more people, you’ll have to consider the keywords you use in your product name and description.
When creating a product name and description, try to be as specific as possible and name the features that make your product stand out. For example, a notebook seller on Etsy has used the keywords “birth month” and “birth flower” to indicate how the notebook can be personalized.
Social media marketing
Social media is one of the most powerful marketing tools ever, and it’s beginner-friendly because it costs nothing to get started. Statistics show that more than half of the global population are active social media users, making social media platforms a perfect place to market your products, attract like-minded people, and build your audience.
Here’s how to market your products on the most popular social media platforms.
Create content that represents your brand
There are multiple social media platforms, and each will require slightly different content. The most popular ones currently are Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok, and most businesses use at least one of them to promote their products.
Collaborate with micro-influencers and brand ambassadors
Have you ever wondered why influencer marketing is so popular even among the most elite brands such as BMW, Chanel, or Hilton? That’s because finding the right spokesperson for your brand is almost a foolproof way of driving your discoverability and sales.
Micro-influencers are social media influencers with around 2,000 to 50,000 followers. Even though they have considerably small audiences, their followers are more loyal. Usually, they have more trust in the influencer’s product suggestions compared to, say, what they might read in an online review.
Run ad campaigns on Facebook and Instagram
If you’re willing to spend more money on product promotion, you can market products using paid Facebook and Instagram adverts.
Despite what you may have heard, Facebook is still the most popular social media platform, so your target customer is likely already using it regularly.
That’s why paid ads on the platform are a great way to raise your brand’s awareness and invite Facebook users to check out your products. The ads can be targeted directly to your ideal customer, and the results of an ad campaign can be easily measured.
Email marketing
Even if it might seem that our email inboxes are flooded with promos that no one ever reads, email marketing remains at the top of all marketing channels. The reason for it still outwinning the social media platforms is that almost everyone uses their email daily, and the number is still growing each year.
Run email campaigns
Whether it’s the holiday season or a new product launch—use it as the theme for an email campaign and send it out to your subscribers! Marketing emails are a great way to promote holiday discounts, offers, or any sale you’re having on the website.
Send out regular newsletters.
Another way to promote products via email is by sending regular newsletters to your email subscribers. Newsletters are usually less “salesy” than regular email campaigns and focus more on giving updates, inspiring, or educating the readers.
Send out your weekly, monthly, or even quarterly newsletters—whatever fits your customer base best. Add an eye-catching headline that gives an idea of what the email will be about and create quality content that your subscribers will enjoy and look forward to.
Other effective ways to market your product on social media can be.
1. Press Release for Something Newsworthy
If your product features a notable innovation, or has an unusual feature, write a press release or hire a PR agency to do it for you. Alternatively, stage an event to release your new product and write a news release about the event.
2. TV Advertising For Mass Appeal
Develop a creative TV ad and run it at a time when your target audience will most likely be watching. Low-cost versions include filming your ad, purchasing a pre-made ad and recording a voiceover or enlisting the help of a commercial production company. Just make sure it’s entertaining and looks professional.
3. Radio for Cost-Effective Advertising
Advertise on your local radio station or a larger station if your budget allows. Make sure your voice captures attention and presents the type of character you want people to associate with your business. Otherwise, enlist the help of a friend or professional.
4. Print is Not Dead
Magazines let you easily target a particular audience – pick the trade or consumer publication they read most. You’ll tend to reach a more affluent audience with magazines, too. Newspapers and regional magazines let you reach the audience in your area. Consider a full-page ad for maximum impact, choosing a design that entertains or makes people pause to think.
5. Interpersonal Networking
Always carry business cards and brochures for your product and be prepared to pitch your product to any receptive audience. Attend social events and talk about what you offer, giving each person you talk with a card and brochure.
6. Online Networking
Connect with other professionals who serve a similar customer base but aren’t competing with you. Agree to post their link on your website if they post yours. Connect with friends and acquaintances on social networks after developing a page for your business or a professional profile. Send notices about sales, your new product and responses to it.
7. Targeted Online Ads
Use online ad placement services such as Facebook Ads and Google AdSense, which target customers searching for a similar topic. Place ads on informational websites, such as online magazines, that feature topic related to your business.
8. Online Content Marketing
Develop easy-to-read content for your website, incorporating commonly searched terms in your writing. Known as search engine optimization, inserting key search phrases can help Google's robots find your content and rank it highly on page results.
Submit quality links to other sites so you’ll get higher ratings, too. Consider writing a blog or e-newsletter, doing a podcast or producing instructive YouTube videos.
9. Direct Mailing Campaigns
Start a direct-mailing campaign by sending letters to clients or potential customers. Consider sending coupons or highlighting the product feature your target audience finds most important.
Consider sending out letters emphasising different aspects of the product, such as price and quality, to find out what works. The U.S. Postal Service’s website provides tools for launching your campaign.
10. Attend Community Events
Attending local, regional and even national events will help you connect with many potential customers. Conduct demonstrations on how to use the product or perform a related task and talk with as many attendees as possible.
Ready to boost your sales and get your products flying off the shelves?
Make your audience stop scrolling and create more visually pleasing marketing strategies. Create effective strategies for all your platforms with all the free templates to master marketing in one place.
You can learn about some beautiful nits-bits of online business from the one & only Mayank Mittal. Buy his e-book "Art of Building Great Products" at 50% OFF only here.
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