So, this year I’m deciding to double-down on online marketing. I’ve decided to expand into Instagram, for example, and will be cross-posting between it and Facebook which I’ve used a lot. I’ve also expanded my advertising with one of our local news sites so that I don’t just run an ad that redirects visitors to my website, but I’ll be adding newsworthy posts to their socials every few months during ice cream season.
Also, I’m updating my logo. I’m adding things like a rainbow filter (for Pride month, assuming that Pride isn’t banned by executive order, ha!). I’ve also made different versions of my logo — one just the plain logo, one with “Ice Cream Bar” for those times I want that to be emphasized, on with our motto “It’s time for something different” for use when that’s the point of a post, and one with all off that.
And I’ve starting having a third-party company animate my logo for use in social media posts. I’m adding a few of those below. The animations were quite inexpensive, actually, and there are lots of companies online who offer this service (just search for animated logos).
Anyway, what new marketing tricks are you going to employ this year? Do you have any unique or promising ideas that won’t cost an arm and a leg, especially since it seems like we all will be dealing with a new round of higher inflation and will have to cut costs to stay ahead of that, again?
@Lovewell I usually agree with you about advertising. But, because a good friend gave me a deal with this local news site, I decided to give it a try. In my first year, we got more referrals to our website from that news site than from Facebook & Yelp combined. Of course, Google search still was on top, but it is hard to beat a virtual monopoly!
I loved that one, too, @Stacelyn24. When I have new animations done, I have one rule — color! We have 80 flavors of soft serve, 1000s of flavor blends, with every color of the rainbow possible. I want that to be the subliminal message, obviously. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that we are a gay-owned business and that colorful is a part of that, too. We don’t wear our gay on our sleeves, but IYKYK, and around here everyone knows! LOL
Awesome videos and I looooove the rainbow logo. We use text and email marketing, and I have my catalog (website) attached to google. We just started using google local and that's going really well (and it's free). I also use Facebook and Instagram. I participate in local events as well as long as I feel they are in line with my products.
Google Local is new to me. Thanks for pointing that one out. Local is where I live and die as an ice cream shop, after all!
@HC_Charlie In the food/beverage industry, the long-held “rule” is that customers eat with their eyes, first. Honestly, I’ve loved seeing how manufacturers and retailers have taken that to the next obvious level. I’m an Apple fanboy (since the Apple II, which dates me considerably!). To me getting new stuff and seeing the thought and care that goes into the packaging and presentation is still a rush. Yes, I know it is all costing me more as a consumer, but I’m a good little capitalist that way. I love being wowed. I think you will be gratified by your results.
@TheRealChipA The logos and animation looks great. Not much more I can add, except maybe something that can save you time posting to social media. There's a website called onlysocial.ai that allows you to post to all your social media sites at one time and it has a calendar so you can schedule posts ahead of time.
@rtfulk It’s interesting you mentioned that. A fellow business owner mentioned it to me yesterday, so I guess I need to look into it now. Trust me, I’m all for automation that is reasonably priced and saves me even a few hours a month. Thanks!
@DinaLRosenberg Some intriguing ideas there. Good luck with those. TikTok baffles me — I just don’t understand living life with that short of an attention span! LOL. But, I’m old, eh? Similarly this so-called AI thing (which IS NOT AI, folks) is both interesting, productive at times and scary. But I’m moving cautiously.
