What kind of small business marketing tips are you implementing for Super Bowl XLIV, taking place at SunLife Stadium in Miami, Fla.? This is an easier question to answer if your business is located in New Orleans or Indianapolis, the two cities whose teams will be represented in Super Bowl XLIV. If your small business is located in another area, there are still lots of marketing or advertising opportunities.
If you think it’s too late to take advantage of some small business marketing tips because the game’s just a week away, read on because you may be wrong. Even if your small business is located in another part of the country you can still cater to the average football fan since the Super Bowl is the most watched program on television.
Branding: Place your home team’s paraphernalia outside and throughout your store to show you support the home team playing in the Super Bowl. Slogans are also a great way to identify with fans; ask anyone in New Orleans about “Who Dat Nation” and you’ll quickly learn a lot about Saints Pride.
Online Marketing: Whip up some landing pages or microsites that show off your home team pride where visitors can learn more about special deals, discounts or promotions during Super Bowl week.
Email Marketing: Develop some cool email campaigns and send them out to your list of customers. Be sure to highlight all f your Super Bowl promotions and direct them to any landing pages you may have created.
Events: If you plan on hosting any events like Super Bowl viewing parties if you’re a restaurant, make sure to have lots of branding up outside and inside. Make sure everyone knows about any day-of specials.
Special Small Business Marketing Tip: Take photos of the event and then post to your company’s Twitter and Facebook account. Also include photos and do a write-up in your newsletter, this way you can take advantage of Super Bowl marketing even after the game is over.
Direct Mail: If you have time before the Super Bowl, send out mailings offering promotions and deals and be sure to lead them to your landing page or Web site. If you can’t do anything until after the game, use messaging with the winning team or local team congratulating them on a great season.
Newsletters: Highlight your specials and promotions and talk about how the game impacted your business. If there are any special customers with great fan stories be sure to interview them with photos and include in the newsletter.
Public Relations: Is your small business directly involved in the game? Are they using your sod for the turf? Are your employees volunteering? Find the unique human element that ties your company to the game and tell a reporter about your story.
Special Note: Contact UnderstandingMarketing.com PR expert John Sternal for additional help on crafting PR stories or press releases related to the Super Bowl.
Social Media: Jump on Twitter and Facebook and start interacting with people talking about the Super Bowl. Use a delicate approach when communicating about your specials, but make sure people know how to take advantage. Offer special Twitter incentives and start utilizing Foursquare as a rewards program.
Loyalty Programs: Dig out those customer rewards programs and incentives and put a football spin on them. Make sure to offer great incentives for anyone that participates in your Super Bowl deals and other related programs.
Blogging: Like social media, be sure to jump on your blog and update it with fresh content including articles, photos and videos of different aspects of your Super Bowl promotions. Always be sure to invite people to participate with their comments, photos and videos. Be sure to set up metrics so you can measure the success of your efforts.
Guerrilla Marketing: Doing something crazy as a promotion? Do it, document it and put a video on YouTube. You never know how many people will tell their friends all about the guerrilla campaign you did for the big game. Always use good judgment, though, so that you don’t have a PR firestorm on your hands.
Want to add anything to this list? Be sure to leave a comment below!
