The strategy can be half the battle. "The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself," Peter F. Drucker. But how can one achieve this? Exposure is key but creating your next sign, promotional piece or simple flyer can pose some problems. We've solved them in these 5 Steps...

1. Find What Makes You Different

The thing that is going to get you noticed is yes, I said it, “Your individuality!” Really sit down and think about what makes your company special among the others. Does it have a commitment to the environment? Is it committed to customer satisfaction? Then ask what do you love about your industry? These questions will give way to an answer that your customer will be attracted to. Believe it or not people like feeling understood and if your values are in line with theirs, then you’ve crossed the first threshold in keeping your business relevant.

2. Build A Brand

There is no formula to success in building a brand. Yet there are guidelines that can help in solidifying its presence in your customers mind. First, know who your customers are. Are you selling hats? People with heads will be your audience. Selling books? People who can read (and with eyes). All joking aside, knowing your customer is by far the key thing in building a brand. Taylor a logo and mantra if you will with that notion and make people remember. Create a positive association with your brand and stick to what is important to you.

3. Create a Unique Marketing Strategy

Content marketing is on the rise more so than social media marketing which has fallen far from effective within the past few years. Creating unique and consistent content and getting your name “out there” can bring your audience to you. Create an interactivity with your consumer. Create new and relative content in order to gain traction online as well in the minds of your clients. Advertising can all be fun if you make it, repeat steps one through five if you forget.  

Example: McDonald’s just launched a "food-transparency" marketing campaign geared at answering even the hardest questions posed by their customers. They answered over 10,000 questions on an online forum never before done by the company. They additionally employed street advertisements (and commercial) that collected questions from passerbys. They increased traffic as well as interactivity with their company that increased their sales as well as their image.

4. Get Personal

Get to know your audience! Find what is important to them and appeal to it, making a purchase of your product is a personal investment as well.

Example:  Coke launched the "share a coke" campaign placing over 250 common names on their bottles, appealing to a common notion that the most important word in a person's vocabulary is their name. They created a hashtag, a website and if you don't see your name? They offer mini-cans for purchase!

Coke created a positive association with their product as well as a sense of personal investment. Using this example, make a relationship with your clients. The extra time will go a long way and keep your name in their mind.

5. Promote the End Result

Customers do not want to be sold the product but what it will do for them after the buy it. When creating an advertising piece like a banner, billboard or flyer make sure to include how your product will benefit the consumer. Will it make them better at their job? Look better? Or increase their business identity? What is it most about your products that customers want?