1. Ruffle some feathers; have an opinion on what’s happening in your industry – people don’t have to like you, but they need to know you exist. Making a name for yourself is as simple as being an opinionated so-and-so.
2. Justin Bieber yourself! Let people become fans of you and your business, and treat them like royalty.
3. Give away the farm – shower gifts on your fans and those that have yet to see the light. Think eBooks, information, advance access to new products, even access to you!
4. Make customers feel special. Think limited or special editions, advance availability, invitations to product launches – the people following you on social media should feel special.
5. Court influential people (including the media) and get them onside as supporters – super fans if you like. Give them insider information and create stories about your company, and yourself, which they can spread.
6. Take a long, hard look at your organizational culture – it’s your brand. Do you like what you see? Is it visible to your customers?
7. Demonstrate you are trustworthy and reliable, everyday. Few businesses are both, and many are neither – dare to be different.
8. Grow green, orange and purple cauliflowers and see price resistance disappear.
9. Do something unique: under promise – over deliver.
10. Marketing is not about who has the most dollars, it’s about innovation and inspiration. Go viral and get a million dollars’ worth of advertising from a smartphone video.
11. Social media is here to stay. Embrace it like an overbearing old aunt trying to smother you with kisses.
12. If people aren’t talking, linking, liking, and tweeting about you, you are fading from the scene man.
13. Without a strong Internet and social media presence you will be invisible to many consumers. Social media is NOT a passing phase, whether you like it or not.
14. Write, speak, make news. Pontificate – tell the world what you know – be the expert the media want to contact when discussing your industry. Write a blog and make it damn well controversial.
15. Almost one-quarter of consumers post reviews about what they buy. Do you know what they are saying about you? Are you sweating yet?
16. Exceptional customer service is expected – raising the bar is optional, like paying taxes!
17. Stand out from the crowd – make random acts of kindness a part of your marketing strategy. By the way, these 20 tips are free!
18. Change is the only constant – keep up, or ship out.
19. Discover your voice – understand what you stand for and ensure your customers understand it too.
20. In today’s world, marketing success is gauged by the amount of chatter. If people aren’t talking about you then you have become yesterday’s news. In the words of Oscar Wilde, “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”

About Trenval

Trenval Business Development Corporation is Bay of Quinte’s Community Futures Business Specialist, financing business start-ups, expansions or successions in the Quinte region for 34 years. Trenval provides small business support by offering various small business loans to entrepreneurs to start, grow and thrive their business in our local communities.