Labels. Stickers. About the lowest-cost mass marketing solutions you can buy. But there they sit—in your office closet. How can you use these low-cost stickers and labels to build your business? Here are some tips from the marketing pros here at Nova Custom Label Printing:
Use Stickers and Labels to Make Your Brand Memorable
If your current stickers and labels don’t reinforce the company’s brand image, dump them and find quality, custom-made ones that do. For example, if the company provides clowns for birthday parties, the stickers should appeal to children with bright colors and cheerful clown images. Lettering should incorporate a playful font, keeping with the brand image. In contrast, a legal firm should opt for a tasteful monogram with lettering in conservative print that looks like it leaped out of a legal textbook.
Repeat the theme throughout all the company’s printed material. Whether you use name badges for meetings, address labels, product labels, or bumper stickers, keep the brand image at the forefront. Use the same theme on your business cards, signage, and advertising. Include your logo and–if there’s room—the company tagline.
Provide Contact Information and Other Important Details
Always include at least one point of contact—a website URL, a phone number—something. A label or sticker is worthless unless customers can get in touch. Labels should provide even more information, depending on the business: prices, product details, ingredients, weight, and key features of the product.
If a celebrity or well-known industry figure has endorsed the product, include her or his photo holding or standing beside the product. If the celebrity has a quote about the product, make sure to include that, too.
Use Stickers and Labels at Trade Shows and other Appearances to Build Goodwill
Everyone loves stickers—or knows a kid who does. Use these cost-effective gifts to hand out at trade shows or other public appearances, such as concerts, product demo events, or food and beverage tastings. Small gifts like stickers can make a huge impact on customers—who notice when companies give them even the smallest gift.
Labels, too, can build feel-good emotions in event-goers. Slap some branded labels on goodies like packages of candies, water or other beverage bottles, or small snack packages, so potential customers can associate the company with good feelings and fun.
Print Dated Discount Coupons or Codes on Stickers to Entice Customers to Buy
When a potential customer sees a number followed by “% off” and an expiration date, a bell goes off inside his or her head. The fear of missing out kicks in, and the customer will head off to your store or place of business the next time they’re nearby. Including an expiration date does two things: saves the company from having to make good on a promise from 10 years ago—and builds a desire to grab that discount. Saving money plus the fear of missing out—a powerful marketing combination, if done right.
Also, use scannable QR codes that customers can scan on their phones or other handheld devices.
Use Labels to Brand Client Gifts
If you’re in a high-end business, client gifts are a must. It costs a fortune to have a special wine created for your business. Custom-molded candy, too, costs a pretty penny. Instead, buy quality wines and candy from the store, and then put your company’s label on the candy box or wine—or a smaller sticker that says that the gift is from your company.
Use these gifts at holiday time, for clients’ birthdays, or to congratulate them on an accomplishment. You can even do the same for valuable employees—no better way to motivate them to strive for even more.
Use Branded Return Address Labels on Envelopes and Packages
A quick way to keep your brand at the forefront of customers’ minds is with branded return address labels. Your assistant will thank you for saving him or her the time it takes to type them, and the customer will have your brand image as one of the first things she or he sees when receiving a package or letter.
Buy Magnetic Backing to Turn Labels into Refrigerator Magnets
We’ve all seen rolls of that low-cost magnetic sheeting used to make refrigerator magnets. It’s insanely cheap, but its impact can bring in plenty of money to businesses savvy enough to turn labels and stickers into refrigerator magnets. Whether a home repairs company, a home food delivery company, or a charitable organization, a refrigerator magnet reminds homeowners who to call in case they need what you’re selling. Simply cut the magnetic sheets to conform to the shape of the label or sticker, unpeel the protective layer from the magnet, and voila!—you have an instant refrigerator magnet.
Use Labels on Water Bottles at Charity and Local School Sports Events
Charity and school sports events are a great way to get your company in front of more eyes—and build goodwill in the process. Buy cases of water bottles, peel the labels off, and put your own in their place. Pass them out to participants and spectators.
You don’t have to be a thousand-dollar sponsor to earn good vibes for doing a good turn in your neighborhood. Just contact the organizers of the event, tell them what you’d like to do, and you’re on your way to earning a lot of brand exposure for pennies on the dollar.
Give Bumper Stickers Away with Every Purchase
Nothing like a rolling advertisement to spread the word about your company. Give your customers one of your bumper stickers—or a smaller one to go on a side or rear window—as a little extra to go with her or his purchase. If the customer has children, hand out a few extra stickers for them to put on their school notebooks, book covers, or handheld devices.
Finally, Step Outside the Box with Footstep Stickers
Who could resist a set of footprints that lead into your place of business? Brightly colored, water-resistant stickers in the shape of a shoe sole practically beckon customers inside. Embellish them with your name and phone number for even more impact. That way, even those who haven’t time to step inside can jot down your name and number for later.
With all these ways to put low-cost marketing to work for your company, you’ll begin to see results in no time. As the business grows, work more and more of these low-cost marketing ideas for even more marketing clout.
