If you’re a social media user or a television watcher, you know the power that current events have in taking over your daily news. Wouldn’t it be great if your brand marketing strategy had that kind of power over your target audience?
It can.
All you need is some sound advice in coupling current events with your brand message…for a brand marketing strategy that engages, converts and overshadows your competition. Building your dedicated following has never been easier with the help of Socialwick. Check out their wide range of choices and select the most suitable platform for you.
Put Current Events to Work in your Brand Marketing Strategy
Current events get lots of attention, and the conventional wisdom surrounding making the most of that publicity changes as often as the news itself. Your brand marketing strategy should be as unique as your brand. Therefore, we recommend that you digest these examples of marketing with current events, and then devise a brand marketing strategy that complements your brand’s purpose and message.
Keep your eyes and ears open for current events that can tie into your brand problem, message, story, etc. One good way to stay on top of the news is to establish a Google Alert, using keywords and keyword phrases important to your brand marketing strategy. You will get notices in your Gmail inbox whenever something is published using those keywords.
Then, get right to work building awareness for your brand. Here are a few examples of how you can monopolize on the publicity surrounding current events:
- Hashtags: Tell the story of the current event, whilst drawing a parallel between the event (or the people involved with the event) and your brand. Use hashtags associated with that current event so that when people search for news about it, your social media post makes an appearance, too. This will not only work to build exposure for your brand, it will work to align your brand with other, prominent people, places, things, and events (so choose your news stories wisely).
- Social Awareness: A new, emerging business model is built around the concept of social awareness. In the past, this concept was reserved for charities and not-for-profit organizations, but now, profit-centered businesses can support social causes and communities whilst making (and increasing) profit. At the core of many current events are social problems. Seek out those stories that align with your flavor of social awareness and use the association to make a statement. You will attract more support for your socially aware business.
- Take a Stance: When a local, national, or global story breaks, and there are “sides” to be taken, you have the opportunity to “take a side” and reinforce your corporate values with your loyal clients and target audience. Choose wisely: the side to be taken must be in complete alignment with your corporate values, whilst the “other side” is in complete disagreement with your corporate values. You want no ambiguity here. Create confusion for your audience, and you will create problems for your brand.
- Educate: Use a current event as a method for opening teaching opportunities. The majority of your communications with consumers and clients should be interesting and educational for them—as opposed to sales-centered. When you start off the text for an email, social media post, blog post, press release or article referring to a current event, and then use it as an example for teaching about your brand, niche, or industry, your brand will gain awareness whilst aligning itself with a memorable moment in [what will become] history.
- Make an Appearance: If the current event is ongoing or upcoming, speak to those in charge. Ask if your brand can make an appearance, either where the main action is happening or at a hub where the action is reported, live. If your offer is accepted, market the event through your brand channels. While there, immerse yourself in the message of the event, and make the marketing of your brand a secondary priority. Put education, not “sales talk,” first. Make the association clear, and use it to meet and engage new brand fans.
- Real-time Updates: If a current event that aligns with your brand message is unfolding, offer updates to your audience. Decide, definitively, on the slant with which you will report and stick to it. Avoid one-sided reporting that could get you in trouble later.
Well, there you have it: a sampling of how you can use current events to enhance your brand marketing strategy. Looking for more ways to make your brand more visible, credible, and profitable? Then I would suggest registering for our next B.R.A.N.D. Building Bootcamp. Each boot camp is a full-day experience designed to deliver your brand to utter brilliance through proven methods and rock-solid branding advice.
