How many times have you thought, “If we just had more money to spend on marketing, it would solve our problems”?
While marketing will probably never solve all your problems, in many cases (provided the brand/product/appeal are properly aligned) the right marketing can work wonders. We’ve recommended marketing campaigns as part of strategic research plans over the years, and plenty of radio stations have seen tangible results from utilizing other traditional media such as television, billboards and direct mail.
Many companies today are also finding success by marketing in a decidedly non-traditional way that sounds counter-intuitive: by “giving away” their product.
Meet Roger Wakefield, President of Texas Green Plumbing in Dallas.
When Roger’s business started slowing down a couple of years ago, he started a YouTube channel. He created videos that provide free plumbing advice (see this link to find more information about plumbing).
Tank vs. Tankless Water Heater. 193K views.
Are Water Heaters Supposed to Make Noise? 77K views.
But the real kickers are the videos in which he instructs viewers how to do the things…well, that plumbers do.
How to Unclog a Kitchen Sink. 89K views.
How to Replace a Gas Control Valve on a Gas Water Heater. 41K views.
How to Fix a Running Toilet, Guaranteed. 709K views!
Roger knows that by giving away advice and establishing credibility with these small DIY things, he’s creating potential customers that will contact him when they need help with the big things.
It’s not unlike the reason we started our Tuesdays With Coleman blogs nearly three years ago. We’re happy to share tidbits on content, research and branding strategy and hope you’ll think of us when you need help with the big things, too.
What extra value can you give to your customers? What can you do to “pull back the curtain” of your audio brand for your listeners? What tips and advice can your sales teams provide to build credibility?
Outbound Marketing will always be necessary to build brand awareness. But think about how your Inbound Marketing–content creation, problem solving and loyalty building–can play a role in your overall brand strategy.
