While companies are trying to get bigger and better with their marketing techniques in order to get ahead of the competition, they are forgetting about the basic marketing techniques that can actually have a really big impact on their business.

These basic techniques are ideal to complement and back up all other areas of any campaign. So why not go back to basics and try a few of these this year?

1. Guerilla Marketing

This unconventional form of marketing is low cost but produces maximum results. This form of marketing is all about taking the customer by surprise and striking them at a more personal and memorable level. This works for both smaller companies with a minimal budget and larger companies with a significant budget.

For smaller companies this could be anything from ‘accidentally’ leaving branded stationary in various locations to putting stickers on various objects across cities. A more extreme example of this was when Red Bull sent Felix Baumgartner to the edge of space to set a record for the highest skydiving jump. This stunt got the energy drink much deserved attention, as it also broke social media records when they reached over 8 million confirmed concurrent views on YouTube. He definitely proved Red Bull gives you wings…

2. Posters

If you need to make a big impact, particularly in a certain area, then outdoor advertising is key. Poster ads put the message right in front of your potential customers and is seen by everyone who walks past it – the consumer doesn’t have to do anything to access it. Poster printing is also fast, cheap and easy – with thousands of designs to choose from, all you have to do is provide the information. Make sure you include colour and humour to capture attention, and put it in a location where it will provide a welcome distraction to a captive audience.

3. Handing out Flyers

Handing out flyers, similar to posters, captures the right people in the right place at the right time. If you are a local bar, for example, organising a themed night, then handing out flyers to customers outside the bar and across the town in the days leading up to and the day itself, is likely to draw those people in who before weren’t sure what to do with their night.

Leaflets can also reach the consumer via in store distribution or via a door to door mail drop. Get creative and make sure it stands out – you are halfway there once it is in their hands, now you just need them to read it. This could include an incentive such as ‘Free entry on the door with this flyer.’

4. Sponsoring an event

Sponsoring an event can be a simple, yet effective way to promote and build awareness of your company. Choose the right event or project to represent your brand or product – this could be as small as a local football match to as large as a worldwide event – and you’re in a win-win situation.

5. Rewarding your customers

Everyone loves an offer, and even better a freebie! So reward your customers – this could be anything from a discount on their birthday or a points system to earning various rewards such as a free product. This shows your customers that you value them and as a result you increase their loyalty to your brand and keep them coming back. This will also lead to the most basic of marketing techniques – ‘Word of Mouth‘ – whereby your customers do your marketing for you as they rave about the great service to friends and family.