How to Generate Buzz Before Your Marketing Campaign Launches

At the foundation of every marketing campaign is the same goal – buzz.

Whether you are launching a new company or product or promoting an event, you want to be the subject of speculation. You want people to be talking about you, before you even open your doors or hit the shelves. Even if they don’t know exactly who you are or what you do, you want people to be curious.

You’ve dedicated a considerable amount of time to developing your idea into a marketable concept. You’re offering something unique, and you think it has a good chance at turning into something successful.

But, how can you be sure?

Simply put, even the most innovative products and services would be nowhere without cultivating a healthy dose of hype leading up to their launch. After all, the best branding and advertising in the world can’t solve all your problems.

At the risk of turning this blog post into a history lesson, let’s take a look at a quote from Benjamin Franklin:
“By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.”

This couldn’t be more applicable to the world of business. Think of how many start-ups fail. Think of how many products don’t live up to the expectations we had for them. As is true in all aspects of the marketing process, it’s important to look at the big picture when preparing for your launch.

Here are some ways to drum up interest among your customer base before the big day:

1. Show people why they should care.

Why did you start your company? What makes your product more groundbreaking than the competition? How are you going to shake things up? Your initial advertising efforts should aim to answer these questions.

2. Engage through influencers.

Understanding your target market is important, but it’s not the most difficult piece of the puzzle. Getting them to engage with you is the real challenge. Influencers help to bridge this communication gap. Whether they are activists, trendsetters, or just charismatic individuals, your audience is likely to trust their opinion. The best news? This approach can be applicable to almost every industry.

3. Give the people what they want.

It might sound overdone, but people love to win prizes. Creating contests that increase brand exposure while offering your customer base a fun way to interact with your company is a win-win situation. You can build a relationship with your target market, increase awareness and generate leads by collecting contact information from participants. One thing to remember: make sure your giveaway is unique, and makes sense for your brand.

4. Do the unexpected.

Because we are exposed to so many marketing and promotional materials every day, it’s important to do something that helps your customers differentiate your brand from the competition. Here at Encite, for instance, we’ve developed video business cards that not only get us in the door with clients, but show off our creative chops in the process. In a marketing saturated with advertising agencies, it’s important for us to have an “X-factor”.

By taking these steps into consideration, you can reduce stress leading up to your official launch, all while exciting your customers and, eventually, driving product sales.