Marketing teams have faced a tough balancing act over the last couple of years. Often one of the first departments to face redundancy or furlough, those who were left holding the fort had to tread a fine line between keeping their companies front of mind while being sensitive to the uncertainty and hardships facing their customers.

Now, as business begins to pick up, marketing teams need to be on top of their game to help their organisations generate demand and capitalise on opportunities. But after such a challenging period, finding those sparks of inspiration can be difficult.

 

Fear not. We’re here to help with our top 10 list of marketing inspirations….

 

1 Story time

It’s no secret that successful marketing is more about stories these days than the hard sell but finding those story nuggets can be easier said than done. Thinking like a reporter can help give a fresh perspective on the same old messaging. What are the people stories? What are the stories behind the business’s success? Do any team members have any unusual hobbies? Has your company been recognized by industry peers? Are you supporting any charities or going the extra mile for a cause you support?

Find more tips about unleashing your inner hack in our blog here.

 

2 Get personal

Hyper personalization is a continuing trend. Investing some time detailing your buyer personas and diving into customer data will help you understand buyer behaviours – what interests certain segments of your customer base? What will spark their attention? What problems do they have? What insights do you have to help solve them or at least make their day a little easier?

 

3 It’s OK to have fun

Despite what the LinkedIn Police might say it is OK to have fun with marketing – yes, even if you work in B2B. Is there a way to turn your customer’s problems into a fun campaign showing how your business or product can solve them?

Toaster manufacturer Revolution captured this perfectly when it launched its toaster that lets users set the exact toasting time. Their swatches of different shades of toast captured their unique selling point in one image.

 

4 Video

It’s no secret that most marketers prefer to stay behind the camera but with video becoming an ever more central strand of achieving marketing reach, companies are missing a trick by avoiding video. Videos are a great medium to showcase the company culture and benefits of what you provide, and they’re an easy way to get people excited.

In 2020, over 40% of global B2B marketers were using video as part of their social ad campaigns but a survey by Statista found that 43% of marketers felt they didn’t have sufficient skill to make the most of the medium.

Repurposing previous content such as blogs, articles and social media posts into video is a great way to start generating video-led content.

Here’s a breakdown of the most popular types of video content:

5 Go green

Businesses of all sizes are under pressure to become ever more sustainable and cut their carbon footprint. Identifying the steps your organisation is taking to meet your Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) commitments and packing these up into ‘snackable’ content will help position you as a responsible company that is future focused.

 

6 Audible feast

Much like video, audio is a key trend – particularly podcasts! There are more than 21 million podcast listeners in the UK alone. Creating a podcast takes a significant time investment and requires buy-in throughout your business but the effort can be worth it! Learn more about starting a podcast here.

 

7 Invest in Online Events
Although people are heading back to the office, the flexibility and ease of online events show little sign of going away, with hybrid and fully virtual events still going strong. It’s an effective way of engaging with existing and potential clients and sharing useful industry insights as well as networking opportunities to build your community.

 

8 Don’t go it alone

It’s OK not to have all the answers. In fact, inviting people from across your business to get involved with marketing campaigns can often lead to richer, more engaging storytelling. It also identifies ambassadors both within your organisation and the wider industry who can help amplify your message.

 

9 Get visual

People love statistics and easily digestible infographics that allow them to understand the story and message at a glance. Reach out to people in your business for help in working up the numbers behind what the company does – whether that’s growth statistics, team sizes, achieving efficiencies, reducing budgets, reaching people more quickly, or getting products to more people. Finding the numbers and presenting them in a visually engaging way will improve brand awareness and understanding. Explore a list of infographic tools here.

 

10 Connect the dots

Remember it’s more effective to tell one story well than tell many disparate and conflicting stories. Work with your business to find two of three really strong stories – that align with your core business aims and use the above tactics to explore these from different angles and through different channels.

Learn more in our Connecting the dots pocket guide here.

For help in rediscovering your marketing mojo get in touch with Korero’s team at hello@korero.co.uk

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