Marketing is oftentimes considered a difficult endeavor, and that difficulty can sometimes lead to companies employing marketing techniques that are less than ethical. However, there are numerous effective yet unpopular marketing techniques that you can apply without worrying about becoming unethical.

image source: Geralt / Pixabay

Here are 11 unpopular marketing techniques that will help you increase your sales and keep your customers happy.

1. Cold Calling

As much as this concept has been criticized by many, cold calling is still effective. Perhaps it goes as far back as when the telephone was first invented when salesmen from places such as restaurants started calling businesses to get food orders delivered. People didn’t like it, but they would order anyway.

In today’s age of telemarketing and cold calling, people are subjected to daily calls advertising new products and services. A simple phone call is often enough to get a business’s interest and can even start the whole process.

2. Digital Mailboxes

While the digital mailbox may still be in its infancy, there is a lot of potential here. Using sites like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to advertise your business has proven to be effective time and time again. People expect it now. These sites are a great way of advertising your company’s products or services by allowing you to reach out to large amounts of people at once. It is also very cost-efficient, as well as a good way to gain exposure.

3. Stealth Tactics

It may be unconventional, but using more stealth tactics can work wonders. If you are an entrepreneur and you have a new product to sell or a service to offer, people may react negatively to the idea that you are trying to bring attention to yourself.

You may need to try something completely different if you want your product or service to be successful. This can include advertising every other day through social media sites and creating a viral campaign on marketing sites such as banner ads and text ads.

Even if you don’t get the desired result, you will become a creative and credible business that can produce a quality product or service.

4. Stickers or Business Cards

image source: Imgix / Unsplash

Stickers and business cards can be a very effective way of advertising your company. If you want to sell something, such as a product or service, a sticker or business card can easily advertise whatever you offer. You can use these stickers or business cards as an extra touch on coffee mugs, clothing, bags, and more. Many people use these items for advertising themselves with their day-to-day products and services.

5. Hashtags

Using hashtags is another stealthy way of advertising. Using Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites and applications is a great way to get your product or service out there. Many times if you see someone using a certain hashtag in their status update or tweet, you will click on that link to see what it is about. This is because hashtags are used for topics similar to the user’s posting.

Using these methods can expose your product or service to a whole new audience that was otherwise unfamiliar with it.

6. Coupon Codes

Although some people may see this as a negative thing, offering coupons and deals to get people interested in your product or service can work wonders. Many websites use this method to attract users to come back regularly.

One of the most common ways of using this method is by offering coupon codes for the website for a certain amount of time, often with purchasing something else. This allows the user to get something for free and helps you gain a new customer.

7. Products and Service Listing

Sharing your products and services on a website like Yelp, local directories, and even Foursquare can be very helpful in getting people to know about what you are offering. It is especially helpful when you have a business that isn’t well known. It allows users to see what you have to offer, as well as view pictures of the business and its products or services.

8. Referral Links

With websites nowadays, you can use referral links to advertise your product or services. This is when you create a link that directs people to a website, where they will eventually come across your product or service. Utilizing this method can be very beneficial to your business as it helps you get new customers at no extra cost.

When a person comes across this link and clicks on it, they will then be taken to the main site of your business, which allows them to view more information about your products or services.

9. Surveys

Having surveys is an effective way of getting to know what your customers want from you. A good way of doing this is by asking them questions about what they have thought about your business and its products or services. This allows you to get some insight as to whether or not you are doing everything right for your company’s products or services to be successful.

10. Contests

image source: Rummam Amin / Unsplash

A contest is a good way of getting people to know about your business and its products or services. This can be done through social media sites or even in person. With the many new applications available today, it is easier and more efficient to have a contest than ever before.

Many people participate in contests just for the fun of it, but others participate to have a chance of winning something. It is very effective at raising brand visibility and gaining new customers if you run a quality contest.

11. Link up with other Brands

Link up with another brand to achieve more exposure. It is especially effective in the tech world as it lets people see that your business is well-known and reputable. When you link up with other brands, you are automatically exposed to other people that may be interested in your product or service.

Wrapping Up

There are many ways in which you can advertise your company’s products or services without it being a negative thing. By using stealth tactics and different advertising methods, you can become a more credible business that keeps ahead of the competition.

Everyone knows that advertising is necessary, and if you use these subtle ways of advertising your business, you will see results just as quickly as if you were to do it in an obvious manner.