You will have heard of fast and slow food but have you heard of fast and slow marketing? Here’s a quick breakdown of the concept as well as a few proven marketing ideas you can use today.
Fast Marketing
In business you are often faced with the pressure to get fast results from various marketing pursuits. You want to do things that will make new sales quickly, often within the space of mere days or just a few weeks. This is known as ‘fast’ marketing.
This type of marketing often has deadline dates, or an incentive that encourages your audience to do something right now or in the immediate future. It can prove very successful but you have to regularly come up with the next idea to continue the momentum.
Apart from the obvious benefit of generating quick revenue, fast marketing also allows you to better track what campaigns work and which ones don’t. If you don’t get the response you’re looking for learn from it and try something new.
Slow Marketing
Slow marketing on the other hand is when you’re not looking for an instant sale but instead building personal relationships with people. The relationship you create leads to future sales when that person has need you can fill, or when they personally recommend your business. We all know the power of word-of-mouth.
Slow marketing has longterm results and can be incredibly important in establishing your brand’s reputation. Without slow marketing in the mix you run the risk of your business being too focussed on sales and fads.
Which Type of Marketing is Better?
Both types of marketing need to be in the mix to build a successful business. You want to regularly be doing things that boost revenue quickly, as well as building lasting connections with people.
Ideas for Fast Marketing
- Hold a competition with an incentive for customers to take action now. For a low cost solution advertise it on your website and Facebook page.
- Email, phone or send mail outs to previous clients and give them a good reason to spend money with you now.
- Hold a VIP night at your store. Supply some food and wine and let your guests and their friends be first to see and buy new products. Fashion and beauty stores might invite stylists or make-up artists to give personal advice to your guests. The more personal attention you give to your guests the more this promotion will also cross-over into slow marketing.
- Take the “popcorn chicken” approach and advertise special products that are available for a limited time only.
Ideas for Slow Marketing
- Optimise your website with regular blog posts that drive more traffic to your site. While it may start slow, in time it will push you closer to that covetable No.1 spot in Google and when that happens you’ll see an instant upsurge in leads.
- Introduce yourself to complimentary services in your industry. For example: a florist in the wedding industry might build a relationship with a wedding dress store, photographer or make-up artist who will then be inclined to recommend you to new brides.
- Hold a free workshop. Holding an event without a focus on sales establishes you as a thought-leader. A well prepared and thoughtful presentation is a sure fire way to build reputation.
What To Do Now
Look at the sales activities you employ in your business and see where the balance of your marketing lies. If you’re relying too heavily on either ‘slow’ or ‘fast’ marketing come up with 5 new ideas to get the balance right.
