Entertainment services are underrated when it comes to promotional capabilities. When thinking of entertainment services many of us immediately think of the big screens, live music, the theatre or media and sports and overlook the abundance of small-scale varieties that hit our phones every day. Often we’re far too busy consuming the abundance of content that is delivered to us throughout our day that we don’t recognise the potential to utilise these entertainment service providers to effectively promote our businesses. Each of the major entertainment outlets is ideal to factor in when making promotional strategy plans, the trick is to think as laterally as you can and try to see the niche areas that might not yet have been tapped into.
These days most of us will have at least one app we will peruse before starting our day – this could be anything from an online news outlet to TikTok, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook. The morning scroll is so ingrained in our routine we don’t even notice the numerous ads we consume before our morning coffee. So much content, that it’s hard to fathom how much we must be absorbing subconsciously as we engage in this ritual. Then, we get up, maybe pop on the TV for the Breakfast Show or switch on the radio in our car for some talkback to get us through the commute. It’s not even 9 am and we’ve already had hundreds of products and companies promoted to us. So, why not harness this potential and use these platforms to promote your company?
The Digital Ad
If you’re looking into what mediums to use, why not get back to basics and use the humble advert? Sure, the game has changed and there’s a lot less demand for spots in papers or magazines that once littered the fronts of our news agencies. We don’t see quite as many billboards or signposts. It’s no secret that a majority of our advertisements are now delivered digitally. We started with the television, look at us now. Digital mediums such as advertisements have many benefits. It’s certainly more environmentally friendly but also has the potential to reach much farther in terms of audience. Next time you’re scrolling through your social media platform take a second to recognise all the little ads that cover your screen. It’s done so seamlessly; chances are you only notice a small percentage of what you exposed to each day. Suddenly you realise a conversation you had with a friend last week told the marketing gods that you like a cheeky cigar, and your feed now shows you ads for the best non Cuban cigars or all the cigars Adelaide has to offer.
Your marketing team will definitely be able to help you decide what platforms are best for your product or service. You may even decide to split your digital ad over numerous platforms. In doing this you will be leaving it up to the internet to search and find your potential customers to then promote your company too. After you go live, all you have to do is sit back and watch your sales rise.
All Hail the Age of the Influencer
Chances are you’re heard the term influencer used in relation to bikini babes who don’t do a day’s work and you’ve wondered how they make a living. You may not know, but influencers aren’t all babes and they don’t all wear bikinis. Influencers come from all walks of life and are made up of all types of people. All you need to be an influencer is a large number of people who are interested in you, your life and what you do with their free time. You’ll often hear people ranting about it not being a real job and what a waste of time. The best thing to do is equate them with the film stars – they’re just freelancers who sell a lifestyle to a collection of people they call their followers.
So how can this help promote your company, you ask? Easy; you find the right online presence that aligns with your company’s missions and values and has a follower base made up of your average customer and you connect with them to engage their promotional talents. Your product might be timeless jewellery or a beautiful B&B nestled in the forest, perhaps you provide art services and exhibition display services – whatever the product, there will be an influencer who is ready and willing to promote you to their people.
Sponsorship
An oldie but a goodie, sponsoring within the entertainment industry is a great way to promote your company. Depending on your budget for this you may even be able to spread your dollars around a bit and reach a wider audience. When using sponsorship as a marketing tool you also get the opportunity to help out the community or provide financial support to events that you want to see continue. You’ve likely noticed some of the by-products of sponsorship at entertainment events you have attended. Some of the bigger examples include sporting teams, festivals and film premiers. When you go to see your favourite sporting team at their local stadium, you’ll notice the banners that surround the pitch/oval advertising this business or that new product. These kinds of events will draw large crowds of diverse people which is optimal to promote your company.
Much like regular advertisements and contacting influencers, this style of promotion will be a job for your marketing team. Ideally, you want to be very strategic when picking events to sponsor. Uncover what corporate entertainment Melbourne has to offer before asking yourself the following questions: Which events are going to see the biggest drawings of our target audience? What kind of events is appropriate and align with our branding and imaging? What are kinds of promotional materials are included in the sponsorship and how what kinds of trickle-on effects do they offer? Getting your company name or logo on the Australian promotional products (such as lanyards and keychains) handed out at an event may lead to your company’s name being spread to an audience well after the recipient has gone home. Milk those entertainment services and reap the promotional rewards.