When it comes to Internet marketing, there are a ton of different options. However, most businesses tend to stick to the more popular ones – just barely scratching the surface of what’s possible online. There are also a lot of less conventional ways to market your company online that, depending on the business you’re in, could be a gold mine of new prospects. The trick to finding them is to look in places most people overlook.
Below, I’ve compiled a list of unconventional ways to market your business online. I’m calling these methods unconventional from the perspective that they delve into a deeper level of Internet marketing than most small business owners ever consider. So without further "ado," here they are…
Webinar Marketing
Webinars are nothing new when it comes to Internet marketing. However, very few small businesses seem to take full advantage of this very effective marketing tool. Many of you are probably familiar with the concept of seminar marketing where you put on a live, offline event at your lock hotel or conference center and teach prospective customers about what you do (positioning yourself as an expert). Webinar marketing is the same thing, but done online. The beauty of webinars is that they are much less costly to do than in-person seminars. Plus, they can be recorded and posted on your website for people to watch on demand. By creating a series of webinars that help your customers and showcase your expertise, you position yourself as an expert in your field and an important resource to your customers.
Mobile Advertising (Apple iAds)
I’ve included mobile advertising here because, as of this writing, it’s a relatively new opportunity. Specifically, with the newly available "iAds" from Apple, you can place banner ads that will show up within applications on peoples’ iPhone. Basically, this puts your message in front of people right on the cell phone they carry with them at all times. Again, as of this writing, this method of advertising is only a few days old, but you can get more information about it at Apple’s website.
Virtual Worlds
This is where Internet marketing can really get creative. Imagine being able to build a virtual, 3-dimensional store that people can literally walk through online just like a video game. Or perhaps building an entire campus or even an entire planet dedicated to helping customers experience your brand. Believe it or not it IS possible, and is NOT as expensive as you may think. There are several MMORPG (that stands for massively multiplayer online role-playing game for you non-geeks out there) gaming sites out there that allow people to create a virtual version of themselves, then use that character to navigate through virtual worlds. Several companies have used this unique media to build their own virtual businesses and let people experience their brand or order from their business online, yet in-person. It’s an extremely unique approach to marketing that is effective across many age groups. For example, Pontiac built a virtual brand experience in SecondLife, and national organizations like the American Cancer Society have also built public-awareness campuses there as well. Many colleges are also using this technique as a way to attract new students. For more information on this, check out SecondLife or Entropia Universe.
Streaming Online "Events"
With some technology and a little ingenuity you can take a local event and bring it to an online audience. For example, if you’re having a grand opening event, or are participating in a "Taste of Your City" event, you can record the video and stream it live online as the event happens so people who can’t be there can still feel like they’re participating. This is especially powerful if you combine this technique with Twitter so people online can submit questions or comments and you respond to the live on the video feed. This is also great for conventions, and conferences. For example, Apple uses this to great effect every year for their WWDC and Product Launch keynote addresses.
Video Blogging (called "vlogging")
How about giving your customers a "behind the scenes" look at what you do? This is actually one of the easiest ways to connect with clients in a unique way since all it takes is an in-expensive video camera that connects to your computer, and a little imagination. It’s also very easy to do – just carry your little video camera around with you behind the scenes filming what you do, and then post short video clips of it online (no more than 5 minutes long each). This is a great way for customers to learn more about what you do AND who you are – and gives them the feeling that they "know" you which builds trust. For a great example of this technique, check out Les Stroud’s video blog. ( http://lesstroud.ca/videoblog )
Game & App Marketing
With the popularity of the iPhone (and to a lesser extent the Android), mobile apps and games can be a great way to promote what you sell. Just take a good look at your business and see if there’s an element of it that could be turned into a useful application or a fun game. For example, a home improvement store could offer customers a free iPhone app that helps them calculate how much lumber, paint, or concrete they need to finish a project. Or maybe a daycare that offers a game that’s like the old arcade classic "Beer Tapper" but instead of beer it’s bottles of milk you have to get to the kids to keep them from crying. The possibilities are endless, and the cost for the programming isn’t as expensive as you might think. These days you can outsource the programming work through sites like Elance and Guru.com. These projects can start as low as a few hundred dollars and go up from there based on the complexity of your app. Then once the programming is complete, simply submit it to the iTunes App store for customers to download. You can even charge for the app if you like and might even make money off it!
Online Activist Marketing
What if your customers developed the product they wanted to buy, designed the packaging, and built all the marketing for you? That’s exactly what the folks over at Mt Dew did with their "Dewmocracy" campaign – and had HUGE success with it. They let the fans suggest flavors, design the packaging, create the marketing, build blogs, and spread the word – and then had them vote on which flavor they would add to their soda line-up. Getting customers involved in the process if always a good idea. But when you can take these customers from just being involved to actively promoting what you sell – you’ve got a formula for explosive success.
These are just a few of the ways you can be creative with your Internet marketing to draw more attention to what you sell. There are lots of other ideas out there as well. So don’t be afraid to think outside the box and do something creative.