Marketing Strategies: What Truly Worked?
To gain insights into the most impactful marketing strategies of the year, we asked fifteen industry professionals, including CEOs and Marketing Heads, to share their experiences. From capitalizing on cause marketing to using influencer marketing for reach, trust, and conversions, discover the strategies that stood out and how they can be replicated in your own business.
- Capitalize on Cause Marketing
- Revive Traditional Street Marketing
- Harness Marketing Automation Power
- Transition to Interactive Webinars
- Try Storytelling as a Powerful Marketing Tool
- Take an Event Marketing Approach
- Look into the Barbie Movie’s Smart Social Media Strategy
- Win with Personalized Video Marketing
- Boost Business with Internal Marketing
- Build Brand Communities via User-Generated Content
- Note the Tactics of Conversational Marketing
- Create Connections with Community-Based Marketing
- Spotlight TikTok Marketing for Small Businesses
- Discover Maybelline’s Real-World Marketing Stunt
- Use Influencer Marketing for Reach, Trust, Conversions
Capitalize on Cause Marketing
Cause marketing has turned the tables for my business. Knowing that people have become more environmentally conscious, I have made use of this strategy for many good reasons. My collaboration with non-profit organizations to support environmental wellness has intrigued many to choose our product.
So, the strategy I devised was to spend $50 on our product and get one tree planted. That cause has made a real difference, as people wanted to contribute to reducing global warming. Cause marketing has proven beneficial; it not only increased awareness about our business but also supported the cause and improved our bottom line.
James Owen
Co-Founder and Director, Click Intelligence
Revive Traditional Street Marketing
Old-school marketing. Put a sign on the street with what we sell and a way to contact us. We received a steady stream of calls for weeks. While there are so many strategies to do digital marketing, we found a number of customers that were looking for a local connection with small businesses within the community.
Paul Cannon
Owner, Cannon Creek Farm
Harness Marketing Automation Power
For our B2B agency, marketing automation has been our standout marketing strategy for 2023. Using digital solutions that we have optimized and tested rigorously, our marketing automation has taken over the repetitive manual tasks that require a lot of effort.
We’ve been able to merge all our digital marketing avenues into one unified system, so we can create, manage, and measure different programs and campaigns more efficiently. But of course, marketing automation is not a plug-and-play system. We continuously refine our marketing strategies through testing and optimization, so we can make decisions rooted in solid data instead of mere intuition.
Just like with any tech tool, it’s crucial to select the appropriate marketing automation software that suits your company’s specific needs. You need to ensure that the potential system’s size, complexity, and scalability align well with what your business requires. Do your research, test if you must, then optimize.
Alan Muther
Founder, Ardoz Digital
Transition to Interactive Webinars
One standout marketing strategy for our B2B SaaS company this year was the shift from traditional webinars to interactive, workshop-style sessions. Instead of one-way presentations, we incorporated real-time polls, Q&A segments, and hands-on exercises.
To replicate this, choose webinar platforms that support interactive features like breakout rooms and live polling, and structure the session with intervals for audience participation. For instance, after a 10-minute presentation, have a 5-minute Q&A or hands-on activity.
Market it as an interactive workshop rather than a webinar to set the right expectations and attract a more engaged audience. By making this shift, we saw a significant increase in attendee engagement, retention, and post-webinar feedback.
Madhurima Halder
Content Manager, Recruit CRM
Try Storytelling as a Powerful Marketing Tool
This year, one marketing strategy really caught my eye. Have you ever noticed how stories tug at our hearts more than raw data? Well, I’ve seen a rise in narrative-driven content.
In today’s digital age, people are bombarded with ads, causing them to tune out. Traditional advertisements aren’t cutting it.
So, this year, I’ve started exploring storytelling. I’ve noticed that brands have started weaving real, human tales into their marketing. These aren’t fairy tales—they’re relatable stories that resonate. The result of storytelling is a powerful connection with the audience.
So, if you’re looking for a new content strategy that works, find genuine stories from your brand or customers, and let them do the talking. It’s authentic, it’s memorable, and it works.
Dmytro Sokhach
SEO Expert, CEO and Co-Founder, Editorial.Link
Take an Event Marketing Approach
As our business services require a lot of in-person interaction and hands-on demonstration, I found that event marketing was the best option for us this year. We partnered with local schools, universities, and various organizations to directly highlight our expertise and services.
You can look up upcoming events and festivals in your local area which have your potential audience and get in touch with the organizers to partner up. Usually, these events are relatively easier to partner with compared to larger events.
Mark McShane
Marketing Head, First Aid Course Edinburgh
Look into the Barbie Movie’s Smart Social Media Strategy
The Barbie movie’s marketing team used a clever social media strategy to generate excitement and buzz. They released small bits of information about the movie over time, such as character posters and teasers. This helped to build anticipation and curiosity among fans.
They also used social media to interact with fans, building interest and a sense of community. But what was most impressive was their use of the other major movie opening the same weekend, Oppenheimer, as a serious foil to their lighthearted movie. By promoting “Barbieheimer” and encouraging people to see both movies, they generated a ton of buzz for the Barbie movie.
To replicate this strategy, follow the same steps. First, get your core fans excited about the release by teasing content over time. Then, find an event or competing product in the same area and market your product as a contrasting one to theirs. Highlight the key differences while also encouraging people to buy a product in your area at all.
Belen Garcia-Saldaña
Marketing Coordinator, Achievable
Win with Personalized Video Marketing
A marketing strategy that stood out this year was personalized video marketing. We created personalized video messages for our customers, making them feel valued and appreciated.
To replicate it, use data to customize video content for different customer segments. Personalized videos can significantly increase engagement and conversion rates. Leveraging this strategy can enhance your customer relationships and create a more memorable and impactful brand experience.
Shoaib Mughal
CEO, Marketix
Boost Business with Internal Marketing
One standout marketing strategy from this year is internal marketing. It’s a smart strategy that focuses on communication and engagement within a company. For larger businesses, it can play a significant role.
One way to implement it is by using internal emails. This is to let employees know about different opportunities. They can become shareholders or support new projects. Additionally, it helps keep employees updated about any changes happening in the company. These could be related to branding, procedures, or other important matters.
This approach boosts teamwork and keeps everyone on the same page. This makes it a strategy worth considering for larger companies.
Albert Vaisman
Marketing Manager, Honest Brand Reviews
Build Brand Communities via User-Generated Content
User-generated content (UGC) is making waves in 2023 as a powerful marketing strategy. Encourage your customers to develop content related to your products or services to replicate this. Make a spot on your website or app for users to express their thoughts, feedback, and creative ideas.
To encourage UGC creation, offer incentives or conduct tournaments. Display UGC across your marketing channels, allowing your customers to become brand champions. By cultivating a community of active users, you can leverage their original content to increase trust and credibility while fostering consumer loyalty.
Gerrid Smith
Chief Marketing Officer, Joy Organics
Note the Tactics of Conversational Marketing
This year, the growth of “conversational marketing” stood out as a noteworthy marketing tactic. Brands engaged with customers in real-time, providing tailored experiences using chatbots, messaging applications, and AI-driven communication.
To mimic this and collect useful client information, integrate chatbots into your website and social media channels. To maintain individualized dialogues at scale, adapt messaging to the needs of the client and employ automation. This technique improves client interaction while simultaneously gathering data for product and service improvement, resulting in a more targeted and effective marketing plan.
Matt Magnante
Head of Marketing, Fitness Volt
Create Connections with Community-Based Marketing
A marketing strategy that stood out to me this year was community-based marketing (CBM). It’s the perfect strategy for these changing times, as brands create a personal connection with their consumers, increasing brand loyalty and awareness. As a cherry on top, it requires minimal budgets but often fetches impressive returns. The strategy involves creating a space for your consumers to interact and share their opinions about the brand.
An example is the community created by the Nothing brand on Reddit. The company frequently answers any platform queries, increasing its customers’ trust. The users share updates and customization features, creating a shared space while further popularizing the brand. To replicate this strategy, first, identify your USP.
Build your community around those core values. Choose a suitable platform and create engaging content to facilitate interaction. Remain open to feedback and adapt throughout the process for a solid community-based marketing strategy.
Faizan Khan
Public Relations and Content Marketing Specialist, Ubuy UK
Spotlight TikTok Marketing for Small Businesses
One marketing strategy that really stood out for me this year is TikTok marketing. It’s been amazing to see how many underrated small businesses have gotten their well-deserved spotlights through engaging and creative short-form video content on TikTok.
To replicate this strategy, businesses should focus on creating short, attention-grabbing videos that highlight their products or services in a fun and relatable way. They should embrace trends and challenges on the platform, collaborate with TikTok influencers, and engage with their audience through comments and duets. With a little creativity and consistency, TikTok can be a game-changer for your marketing efforts.
Daniel Willmott
Founder, Shortformvideo.co
Discover Maybelline’s Real-World Marketing Stunt
In a time where so much marketing is digital, it was refreshing to see some real-world marketing stunts from the Maybelline brand. The makeup brand attached large, fake eyelashes to buses and Tube trains across London, and made them interactive.
In some Tube stations, the eyelashes were ‘stroked’ by larger-than-life eyelash wands as the train pulled into the station. This strategy can be easily and creatively replicated by many brands. To do so, brands need to consider how they can supersize a product, and then mimic a simple, understated part of their user process. Be creative with the where and the when.
Ryan Stone
Founder and Creative Director, Lambda Films
Use Influencer Marketing for Reach, Trust, Conversions
Influencer marketing has gained immense popularity over the years, and it’s no surprise why. This strategy involves collaborating with influential individuals on social media to promote your products or services to their followers. The success of influencer marketing lies in its ability to reach a highly targeted audience through trusted sources, resulting in increased brand awareness, credibility, and conversions.
To replicate this strategy, businesses can find relevant influencers in their industry and establish a mutually beneficial partnership to promote their brand. It’s important to carefully select influencers who align with your brand’s values and have an engaged audience for maximum impact.
Zach Shelley
Founder and CEO, A-List Properties
Submit Your Answer
Would you like to submit an alternate answer to the question, “What’s one marketing strategy that stood out for you this year? How can it be replicated?”