The competition is fierce in any industry and I love hearing stories about people who get creative to set themselves apart.
I saw a post on Facebook about a Lithuanian marketing professional living in San Francisco who posed as a donut delivery man in order to get his resume in front of CEOs, CMOs, and marketing VPs at the Bay Area’s top ad agencies and tech companies.
He delivered each company a box of pastries and when they opened the lid, it read “Most resumes end up in the trash. Mine - in your belly.” The well-crafted idea scored him at least two interviews and attention from several news sites such as Ad Week, Thrillist, Business Insider, ABC News, and many more.
A few years ago I ran across a financial advisor in California who created a couple of music videos and posted them on YouTube. Brittney Castro of Financially Wise Inc. was trying to be creative to attract clients to her financial planning firm. Due to her creativity and financial savvy, she’s been mentioned and/or featured in publications such as Entrepreneur, Young Millionaires, Modern Woman, Darling, Redbook, Journal of Financial Planning, LA Parent, Woman World, and more!
For financial wholesalers, I’ve heard of them offering their advisors poker lessons, golf lessons, car shows, wine tastings, spa days, and even food truck events. If you want to get creative, do some research, brainstorm with a friend, and concoct ways to stand out!
I think an annual dodgeball or kickball tournament would be super fun! The activities available are endless to get people together for a fun time and a bit of education on what you do.
Another thing you should be striving for is word-of-mouth referrals. Work with industry partners to create a purpose-driven business strategy for more impact.
What are industry partners? Those are people who offer complimentary services to what you offer. For example, a financial advisor might want to work with CPAs, attorneys, and other professionals to refer businesses back and forth to each other.
A wholesaler may want to work with another wholesaler who offers a complimentary product or service that makes their target markets' lives easier, such as a software program, business coach, promotional marketing professional, or event planner-specific creative marketing strategies in their niche.
A real estate agent may want to connect with builders, real estate investors, interior designers, or moving companies. I recently saw a real estate agent who also owns a moving company and anyone who lists or buys a home from him gets to use a moving truck for FREE!
There are so many opportunities for collaboration that can open up a whole new world to you if you are willing to give it a chance!
Stay tuned because we are creating a new marketing campaign to leverage industry partners and collaborations. More to come soon!
-Danae Branson
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