You may have read about Zestee’s top five unwanted marketing intrusions, so here are five marketing methods I enjoy encountering in my daily life and think are clever ways of using marketing.
1. Iphone/Smartphone Apps
I really like the “try before you buy” method with which many Apps are presented and don’t mind the intrusion of being asked to upgrade if I like it. There are also completely free versions of apps which just have small ads incorporated. Scan BizCards Lite is one which I enjoyed using so upgraded to the paid version. If you’re a smart phone user, have you paid for apps after using the free version?
2. Viral Videos
A Viral Video is one which is created with the intention that people will want to share it with their friends. As a social media specialist, I often need to explain the phenonmen to new users and have found this video below a great way to do so.
Note the last few seconds at the end, promoting the book Socialnomics. By presenting 3 minutes of value first, then selling unobtrusively at the end is a style of marketing much more likely to succeed with savvy consumers today. Yes, I bought the book! Would you be likely to share a video like this?
3. Toilets and Tables
Two places where you are captive for a few minutes, and I think quite a clever place for marketing material, as per an earlier post. Clever marketers have even taken it a step further using location specific marketing such as immodium medicine ads in a public toilet, or encouraging responsible drinking in nightclub cubicles.
4. Free e-books
Visited a website recently which has a pop up or sidebar offering something for free such as an ebook to sign up for their enewsletter for example? I don’t mind this intrusion as if it’s something I’m interested in, then i’m happy to take this first the step. If the company doesn’t continue to offer me value then it’s easy enough to unsubscribe.
5. Flash Mobs
This increadibly clever, fun, feel-good way of marketing is taking the world by storm. Take a look at this video as an example:
I haven’t yet been caught up in this experience in real life but won’t mind this intrusion into my daily life sometime soon! You?
Zestee 