In this article, we take a look at 20 creative ways to attract customers. If you would like to skip our detailed analysis of the current trends in the marketing industry, you can directly go to the 5 Creative Ways to Attract Customers.
As consumerism rises and more businesses join the market daily, it becomes harder to establish a name for your business. The marketing industry is ever-changing, with new trends getting popularized every few days. Just the digital marketing industry in the US was evaluated to be around $223.2 billion in the year 2022. The CAGR for the 2022-2030 period is expected to be 13.9%, with the industry reaching over $1 trillion by 2030. The impact of the sector is not just limited to the US alone. China’s digital marketing industry is predicted to reach $372.6 billion by the year 2030. Other countries dominating the market are Japan, Canada, Australia, Germany, India, and South Korea.
With an estimated 4.89 billion social media users in 2023, with the average user bouncing between seven different platforms, the digital space offers much higher potential to marketers at much lower costs. At the same time, this accessibility means that the demand for creative marketing has also risen. According to Kantar, creative quality accounts for almost 50% of campaign success and is one of the most important factors in building brand impact. Ispos has awarded much higher importance to this element, saying that creative quality may determine as much as 75% of ad impact. The Case for Creativity has also discovered that campaigns that receive accolades for creativity tend to perform 27% better.
In the current context of the digital space, as well as traditional marketing, creativity goes hand-in-hand with data-driven strategies. McKinsey has termed data-driven marketing as the ‘next normal’, explaining that data-driven tactics generate an ROI five to eight times higher than usual. The change in consumer behaviors after the pandemic has also increased the need to find better data in order to improve precision marketing. Thus, McKinsey deems tech investment as one of the key elements for any business to improve their standard marketing procedures. New tech advancements make up for many creative ways that can be used to attract customers in 2023. This can only happen through investment in agile technologies.
Creative and data-driven marketing combines insights from various segments like performance, content, audience, competitor, and channel to help you formulate cohesive strategies that work for your particular business. All the biggest brands in the world have adopted this methodology in recent years, coming up with unique advertisement campaigns that are particular to only their business. Not only have these campaigns delivered successful results, but they’ve also managed to gather massive popularity for their unique elements. The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has specific award segments for the advertising industry, showcasing the importance of creativity in marketing.
In 2016, Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) launched the ‘Live There’ campaign, which included several videos for potential customers to get an idea about the culture and tourist attractions of the locations they planned to visit. The campaign featured real-life Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB) hosts, who aimed to popularize the company as more than just a short-term rental, marketing it as a way to experience destinations like the locals. According to Airbnb Inc. (NASDAQ:ABNB), the campaign increased website traffic by 32% and bookings by 27%. It also led to a 50% increase in home listings, owing to the positive media coverage that was generated by it. The campaign ran across digital platforms and out-of-home channels, making this an excellent example of a cross-channel marketing strategy.
Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), in 2018, also adopted a brilliant marketing campaign to celebrate the 30th anniversary of its ‘Just Do It’ slogan. The ‘Dream Crazy’ campaign was kickstarted by the former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, and its main idea was to encourage individuals to keep pursuing their big dreams despite whatever challenges they may face. The campaign managed to generate over 65 million views in just five days through a video of Kaepernick, which emphasizes its popularity. While the campaign generated some controversy due to its featuring of Kaepernick, there were others who commended the corporation for taking this bold and powerful step. Immediately after the sale, Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) reported that its sales jumped a whopping 31%. It also added $6 billion in value to Nike’s brand.
A crucial element for success behind all these brand campaigns is determining which channels they should utilize to reach the right target audience. For its ‘Dream Crazy’ campaign, Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) put its primary focus on YouTube instead of Facebook, which has been the company’s most-used platform for the majority of its campaigns. The reason behind this was an understanding of which platform was the best in terms of attracting customers. HubSpot considers Facebook by Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) to be the primary content distribution channel used by marketers today, but that doesn’t mean it is the best option out there.
Other social media channels by Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META), such as Instagram, have also revolutionized the world of marketing and customer acquisition. The age segment of 16-24, mainly referred to as Gen Z, prefers Instagram over other social media channels. This makes Instagram the perfect advertising ground for all companies that are targeting to reach this age bracket. The potential ad audience for just Instagram Reels can reach up to 758.5 million, while the total ad revenue for the company is predicted to reach $50.58 billion in 2023. Another recent platform by Meta Platforms Inc (NASDAQ:META) called Threads acquired 100 million users within five days of its launch, giving marketers a new channel to work upon. However, the platform's momentum has waned as of late.
Based on the accumulation of all this information, one can safely infer that in 2023, there are plenty of creative marketing strategies to attract customers. The only thing that matters is a business’s ability to adapt to the changing technological environment while consistently prioritizing innovation in advertising. To help our readers, we have compiled a list of 20 creative ways to attract customers according to us, which includes everything new that is happening in the world of advertising.
To develop this list of creative ways to attract customers in business, we have quantified our rankings based on various sources, including expert opinion. Our sources include Forbes, HubSpot, and Indeed, among others, with the opinions of marketing and advertising experts working in various corporations. Based on this methodology, here are 20 creative strategies for attracting more customers to your business.
20. Use Buy Now, Pay Later Schemes
Score: 01
The Buy Now, Pay Later (BPNL) scheme has been quite popular for a few years, but it needs much more credit as a creative way to attract customers to your business. The BPNL payment option works because of the principle of instant gratification. It offers consumers something right away without the need to work for it. BPNL reduces the perceived cost of the purchases, making customers more likely to spend that money.
19. Capitalize On Emotions
Score: 02
The campaign by Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) worked because the brand managed to create an emotional connection with its customers that also tied in with its core values of healthy living, inspiration, and motivation. Dove by Unilever plc (NYSE:UL) launched a similar campaign called ‘Real Beauty’, which focused on promoting self-love and acceptance of your own bodies. Just like the one by Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE), this campaign performed well because it had an emotional element that most Dove consumers could connect with. Unilever plc (NYSE:UL) as a whole won 19 awards at the 2022 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, showcasing its emphasis on creative ways to attract customers.
18. Add A Cinematic Lens To Your Video Content
Score: 03
Video content has become the primary format for almost all brands in the past few years, due to its rising popularity amidst decreasing attention spans. But when every business out there makes videos, you need another creative way to attract customers. A cinematic video campaign by Spongellé, a bath products brand, amped up its ROAS by 3.21x. Research shows that more than 90% of consumers in 2023 want to see brand videos, and filming them in a cinematic format makes the products feel much more real, helping the consumers connect with your brand.
17. Embrace Filter-less Posts For Authenticity
Score: 04
Brand authenticity positively impacts the consumer experience and increases consumer loyalty and trust. Research shows that 70% of consumers spend more on brands they find authentic. Authenticity refers to the brand representing its core values and issues that it cares about, but it also includes how the brand acts in the digital space. Jenny Li Fowler, Director of Social Media Strategy at MIT, mentions that ‘unpolished’ feeds and filter-less pictures are now the future of Instagram, making them one of the most creative ways to attract customers in 2023.
16. Support A Social Cause
Score: 05
This is in a similar vein as authenticity, but brands that showcase support for social causes that are relevant to their brand values tend to be well-liked by customers. A 2017 study by Cone Communications found that 63% of Americans want brands to work on social change, and 87% of Americans are likely to purchase from a brand that promotes causes that they themselves care about. When Nike Inc (NYSE:NKE) picked Colin Kaepernick for its campaign, it was the brand’s way of vocalizing its support for the BLM movement. Ben & Jerry’s, another brand by Unilever plc (NYSE:UL), has also been quite vocal in supporting the BLM movement and other social causes like labor rights.
15. Use Guest Posting To Your Advantage
Score: 06
A case study showed that using a guest posting strategy can increase traffic to your own website by a whopping 20%. Some of the most common formats for guest posts are listicles and step-by-step how-to guides. The only catch is being able to select the right website to write for so your content reaches its intended audience.
14. Tap Into Social Commerce
Score: 07
According to Insider Intelligence, social commerce managed to generate $53.10 billion in revenue in 2022, a 34.4% increase from 2021. They also found that TikTok picked up its pace in the social commerce industry, with the number of US buyers growing by 72.3% in 2023. Considering that 64% of internet users (as noted by GWI) in the US use social media to discover brands, social e-commerce has a vast potential to upscale sales in the coming years.
The majority of businesses remain limited to Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn; however, the past year has shown that unconventional platform choices can work wonders for your business. Pinterest Inc (NYSE:PINS) reported an 8% year-on-year increase in revenue in Q3 of 2022, most of which happened due to its commerce initiatives. Pinterest Inc (NYSE:PINS) has been a significant source for discovering trends and new products, something that the brand has capitalized on.
12. Unique Experiences For Top Customers
Score: 09
Satisfied repeat customers tend to spend more and have a high customer lifetime value, so getting them to stick around helps businesses massively. But this means more than just offering the occasional discount or so. Providing them with early access to sales or new products, factoring in their feedback, organizing exclusive events, and holding regular touchpoints with them are all ways to keep repeat customers invested in your business in the long term.
11. Offer Genuine Free-Of-Cost Resources
Score: 10
According to experts like Sprout Social and Post Modern Marketing, offering genuine and free resources is a brilliant way to build consumer loyalty and trust. One of the most creative ways to attract customers is to focus on building customer relationships that go beyond sales, and the best strategy for doing that is to present yourself as a helpful brand without any strings attached.
10. Branch Out To Video Testimonials
Score: 11
According to Wyzowl, 77% of individuals who see video testimonials mention that it motivates them to make a purchase. In the world of video-driven content, video testimonials are more likely to impact consumers because they feel much more personal and authentic. Getting customers to make these testimonials may be harder, but the results are worth it.
9. Offer Customer Milestone Discounts
Score: 12
On average, 65% of a business’s revenue comes from customers with repeat purchases. In order to get consumers to stick around for long, it’s essential to develop a relationship with them. Offering discounts for milestones like a customer’s birthday or the date of their first purchase can go a long way in establishing that relationship.
8. Use Consumer Personas For Personalization
Score: 13
Hubspot notes that 78% of marketers think that personalization has a substantial impact on customer relationships because consumers are tired of receiving generic messages. Curating buyer personas and then utilizing them for the personalization of all channels, especially email marketing, is a brilliant and creative way to attract more customers.
7. Do Shared Promotions With Complimentary Businesses
Score: 14
Imagine making a purchase at Barnes & Noble and getting a free coffee at the attached Starbucks. Partnering up with complimentary businesses is more than just selling together now; you can band together to leverage social media to your advantage. Shared promotions will save money, expand your market reach, and help your business stand out.
6. Use VR/AR To Bring Your Audience Closer
Score: 15
Pinterest Inc (NYSE:PINS) has AR tools for seeing how makeup or furniture would look in real-life settings. Multiple other brands have utilized this tool to help consumers get a sense of the production ‘in action’. Incorporating this strategy can be a super creative way to attract customers because it lets them test your product from the comfort of their homes.
