The digital age has taken the gloss off a lot of time-honoured marketing traditions of the 20th century – everything from television commercials to magazine and newspaper ads. These days, it seems like the only way to get your brand out there is to go viral online. But what if we told you there is still one old-school material and marketing technique that, when used to its potential, can still capture more attention than any viral tweet? There is, and it’s the simple but effective printed sticker.
Why Printed Stickers Still Sell
We can live and work in the online world, but at the end of the day no one can say no to an attractive and fun sticker. It’s a quick and easy way to add colour to anything, from the back of a laptop to a car bumper.
Ever heard of a little site called Reddit? Before anyone knew the internet giant that Reddit would become, Reddit’s co-founder Alexis Ohanian slaved away at promoting his forum-creation website, finding every little avenue to tell people about it. And for Ohanian, he struck gold when he realised the effectiveness of printed stickers. According to Ohanian,
“Yes, stickers were the soundest investment I ever made. This may not sound like a major or even strategic marketing approach, but we kept at it. The focus was on building a great product and a community online – the stickers were just an excuse for people to show their allegiance. Stickers have now become a currency for startups.”
He would stick them up on poles, signs, walls at schools and universities, stickers of the little Reddit alien that got everyone interested. At events and conferences, he would hand out stickers all day long, until there were enough stickers around that he started seeing social media posts of items with the sticker stuck on it.
And obviously, it worked. As now the 6th biggest site on the internet, Reddit owes a lot it’s early sticker marketing campaign. So how can you start yours?
Making the Connection: Guerrilla Marketing, 21st Century Style
The first question is, why printed stickers? And the answer is the connection. Flyers and pamphlets are read but generally not kept around, but stickers? If it’s cool, sharp, and appealing, people will keep stickers just for the sake of having them.
Because in a way, stickers will always be a kind of swag. Unlike other promotional material, stickers don’t make you feel like a potential customer or client. Printed stickers still have that innocence, and it’s up to you if you want to stick them or not.
So how do you use stickers to their fullest potential? Think guerrilla marketing, with a 21st century twist. This means handing them out aggressively, keeping the flow of stickers going out, and shaping and reshaping the sticker according to feedback. Be the physical marketing that your customers notice in a world filled with digital-only promotion.
Spreading Your Printed Stickers: Possible Strategies
It’s all about making the most of the element of surprise. Stickers are meant to stand out, and what better way to make them stand out than by placing them or using them in a way where they don’t belong? Here are some “safer” strategies when it comes to distributing your stickers:
- Head over to a library or bookstore and place (place, not stick!) your stickers inside books that have anything in common with your business. Be sure to check with your friendly librarian or shop owner first of course!
- Think up a cute campaign where your sticker is a prop rather than a handout. Think outside-the-box and use your sticker to capture that surprise.
- Go to big events related to your industry and hand out stickers there, especially those who might be waiting in line.
- Leave stickers everywhere you go – tips at restaurants, on seats at buses, in bathroom stalls. The key is exposure.
- Be creative. There are thousands of ways to use stickers. How will you use yours?
We can live and work in the online world, but at the end of the day no one can say no to an attractive and fun sticker. It’s a quick and easy way to add colour to anything, from the back of a laptop to a car bumper. Talk to Kwik Kopy about printed sticker campaign ideas today.
