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Using Free Sticker Giveaways for Marketing
Stickers are a tried-and-true form of marketing, though the digital advertising revolution did take the shine off them for a while. You know, that very short period when certain marketers swore that all marketing should be done online and traditional approaches were passé. Companies are wising up, though, as they’ve realized just how well stickers work for marketing purposes, whether they’re looking to increase brand awareness, build customer loyalty, or even to support your digital marketing efforts. Especially seeing as the digital world is full of ads and people are becoming just as ad blind online as they are in the physical world. Below we’ll look at why they work so well and a few ways in which free sticker giveaways can support your marketing strategy. Discover Why Sticker Marketing Works So Well Sticker marketing works extremely well for a number of reasons, including perception, simplicity, endorsement, and more. Stickers and Perception We know that consumers are sick to death of all sorts of advertising and marketing ploys. While many companies have understood the message, there are still plenty who engage in old school hype tactics that consumers despise. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise that people become resistant and often hostile when faced with advertising, which makes selling to them that much harder. Conversely, stickers aren’t considered part of the same category. Even if you get die cut stickers printed with just your logo and nothing else, making it an obvious ad, people won’t be as resistant when you give it to them. Far from it. Instead, they will appreciate the gift, because that’s exactly how they will perceive it: as a gift. Thus, inhibitions and barriers are lowered, making them much more receptive to your message. Stickers Are Simple The message is always simple on stickers. The limited real estate means that you can’t include a ton of text, which consumers love. They don’t want to read an entire treatise on your company. Even flyers often include too much information. Conversely, consumers will definitely appreciate a die-cut sticker with an awesome design and a simple message. Not only will they like it, but retention is also better. Stickers Act As Endorsements People display stickers they like on their personal belongings. When someone else sees the sticker, they automatically know that the person in question supports the brand, which means it’s a form of word-of-mouth slash display advertising. After all, if you are displeased with a brand, you aren’t going to put their sticker on your laptop, for example. This form of word-of-mouth advertising is even more powerful because many more people will actually see the sticker. A customer may or may not refer their friends and family to your brand, and it tends to happen most often when they are asked for a recommendation. With stickers though, they don’t have to put in any effort in advertising your business. Everyone can see they endorse and support your brand. And many more people will see that sticker compared to the number of people you can expect someone to tell about their awesome experience with your company. Stickers Are Cost-Effective Stickers are cost-effective, yet their perceived value is much greater. A consumer won’t think that it might have cost only a few nickels to print a sticker – even less for larger volumes – and throw it out. They are usually too pleased to receive a sticker to even think of assigning a monetary value, which makes stickers that much more powerful. How Free Sticker Giveaways Can Support Your Marketing Strategy There are a slew of ways in which you can use free sticker giveaways to support your marketing strategy. The key to success is to establish your objective, based on which you can devise an effective sticker marketing approach. Increase Brand Awareness If you want to increase brand awareness, the easiest way is to use multiple distribution channels. You can work with complementary businesses and ask them to display your stickers at the counter, for example. You can hire people to distribute them (or work with a specialized distribution company), or you can stand in busy areas and hand them out yourself. The key is to make sure the sticker is attractive and interesting enough to get people to display it on their personal belongings but also to learn more about your brand. Build Customer Loyalty Sending out free stickers to your customers is a great way to build loyalty. Of course, you should include a few stickers with every order they place, but you can also send them at important times throughout the year. For example, sending out Christmas stickers with your logo during the holidays is a great option, as is sending them a special sticker on their birthday. The cost is minimal but the return on investment will be substantial. Increase Customer Engagement You can also significantly improve customer engagement using stickers. Organize a contest where people have to collect stickers and once the collection is complete, they receive a small prize. The prize can be symbolic – even another sticker – but it will raise brand awareness as people talk and exchange stickers in an attempt to complete their collection. And engaged customers will constantly be talking about your brand, both online and offline. This will not only lead to high customer loyalty but will also help to improve brand exposure. It will also be in a way that makes it clear to prospects that these people all endorse your brand, rather than through more traditional advertising approaches. Sticker marketing is highly effective. It works because of how consumers perceive stickers – as something valuable rather than a marketing ploy – but also because people love stickers so much, it’s difficult to claim someone is overwhelmed by receiving too many stickers. Free sticker giveaways are even more effective because you are making your customers and prospects feel special. You’re going out of your way to do something nice for them, and people will automatically want to repay you for such a great experience, usually by making sure they give you their business.
Learn moreMarketing E-Commerce Business's with Stickers
In a world where consumers have a ridiculous number of choices in regards to where they shop, it can be difficult for an e-commerce business to get ahead. An e-commerce business isn’t competing just with other e-commerce business, but also those stores with physical locations. But even if we just take into account the world of e-commerce, the competition is massive. And, just like in the physical space, you’re not competing just against small stores, but also giants lie Amazon. Can you even compete? Should you even bother? Is there any way you can set yourself apart from the pack? The good news is that the answer is a resounding “yes” to all of those questions. You just have to get a little more creative when it comes to your marketing tactics, and one great approach is sticker marketing. Discover Why You Should Be Using Sticker Marketing for Your E-Commerce Business Did you know that the average person receives 90 emails? Or that they get 67 text messages? Or that they are exposed to over 3,000 ads? And that all those figures are for a single day? Clearly, most people are suffering from information overload, which is why they tend to tune out all the advertising messages they receive or are exposed to. Who wouldn’t? At some point, your mind just gives up and starts ignoring all the ads because there are simply too many of them. But what if you used a completely different approach to connect with consumers? Something that they don’t expect? And what if that approach has the added benefits of not being perceived as advertising by consumers and being pretty low-cost in comparison to other, more traditional advertising tactics? You already know that we’re referring to sticker marketing, of course. Set Your Brand Apart with Custom Stickers The biggest advantage to using stickers to market your e-commerce business is that you are definitely separating yourself from the pack. Instead of you sending the 91st email of the day, or the 68th email, or being ad number 3,001 consumers see, you are using a completely different channel to reach them that isn’t overcrowded. On top of that, not many e-commerce businesses use stickers to attract consumers and build loyalty. They stick to what they consider are tried and true methods for ecommerce, which usually involves a heavy focus on online marketing, with very little attention paid to off-line tactics. This means that it’s easier than ever to set yourself apart by using a cost-effective tactic like sticker marketing. Consumers Don’t Perceive Stickers as Advertising Another advantage to stickers is that consumers don’t see them as advertising. In fact, they consider them a gift, and many like to show them off by putting them on their personal belongings. So, you’re already ahead of the game when you hand out stickers because you’re not irritating your customers with even more advertisements. Instead, they will remember your brand because you gave them something that they consider valuable. Furthermore, because of it, they are more likely to recommend you to their friends and family. In other words, by giving out stickers you are building a network of loyal advocates who will not only spend more money with your business but also recommend it to their social circles. And nowadays, thanks to social media, those social circles can be massive. Yes, by recommending your brand, they are essentially advertising it. However, their peers will perceive it completely differently because it’s coming from someone they know and trust, rather than from the brand itself. It’s word-of-mouth advertising at its best. Stickers Act as Endorsements We’re certain you’ve seen plenty of laptops, backpacks, and even cars with a slew of stickers on them. When you look at the brands on those stickers, your first thought is that the person who owns the laptop really must like those brands, right? Of course. So, by giving prospects and customers stickers, you are turning them into walking billboards for you. However, keep in mind that the space on people’s belongings is at a premium, which means that your sticker has to be pretty awesome to make the grade. How to Make the Most of Your Sticker Marketing Campaign First off, don’t go the cheapest route you can. Stickers are already cost-effective so you can spend a tiny bit extra to get really top-quality, die-cut stickers to entice your customers to display them. That’s where the interesting thing occurs. When people display stickers, they are more likely to choose the ones to display based on their design rather than the brand itself. So, if you have a really well-designed sticker – even something with an inspirational message that still incorporates your logo – you are more likely to get it displayed. And sometimes, the people displaying your stickers might not even be your customers yet. They might have received the sticker from a friend or even traded for it with others who love stickers. And that’s another reason you want to make sure your sticker is totally incredible. People trade stickers. And, even better, if you’re sticker is really awesome, you might even get people asking you for a sticker because they like it so much. That’s exactly the point you want to get to. When people want your stickers because they are so attractive, you’ll find that word spreads like wildfire. The key to sticker marketing is a great design. But to do that, you really need to understand your target market. You can pick up your custom die cut stickers here. If you sell tools, for example, and your main demographic consists of construction workers, it’s unlikely that stickers with kitty memes are going to make an impact on them. They might like to laugh at them, but probably in private. It’s very unlikely they’ll display them to all and sundry. However, once you understand your target market and find a design and message that resonates with them, you’ll find your stickers being displayed all over the place. And there’s no better advertising for your e-commerce business than active and passive endorsements from your customers.
Learn moreDie-Cut or Kiss-Cut Stickers: Which Should I Order?
Sticker marketing is becoming increasingly popular with more and more companies opting to use stickers as an important part of their promotional arsenal. People perceive stickers as a gift rather than a promotional tool, which lowers the barriers that normally go up when people are faced with traditional advertising. So, instead of your customers turning into impenetrable walls like they might do with a standard ad or sales pitch, when they receive a sticker, they end up thanking you profusely. And, in the best case scenario, asking for more stickers to share them with friends and family. But stickers come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and flavors. So, if you’ve ever wondered what die-cut stickers and kiss-cut stickers are, and which option you should go for, read on to find out. Understanding Die-Cut and Kiss-Cut Stickers A die cut sticker is one where the blades have cut through the vinyl as well as the paper backing. The end result is a sticker with backing that’s the same shape as the sticker itself. So, for example, if your sticker is shaped like a cloud, the final product, backing included, will be shaped like a cloud. A kiss cut sticker is one where the blades don’t go as deep and only cut the vinyl, leaving the backing intact. In this case, the final product is usually a rectangle or square of backing and vinyl, but when you remove the sticker itself from the backing, it’s been cut around the design’s shape. For example, when it’s still on the backing, the sticker is rectangular or square, but when you remove the sticker, it’s the shape of a cloud. When to Order Die-Cut Stickers Die-cut stickers tend to have a more attractive presentation and many people perceive them as being more professional and valuable, even if the price point is pretty much the same as with kiss-cut stickers. Some of the situations in which you should consider die-cut stickers are as follows: Making a Good Impression on Customers and Prospects As already stated, people tend to perceive die-cut stickers as being more valuable. So, if you really want to make a good impression on your customers and prospects, then you probably should opt for die-cut stickers. Remember, stickers can do wonders in terms of earning customer loyalty, which will eventually translate into a higher lifetime and transactional value for those particular customers. Plus, loyal customers tend to act as advocates, so you really want to generate as much loyalty as possible. And giving them stickers that seem more valuable and more attractive is a good way of doing this. Also, don’t forget to hand out a few extras as it increases the odds of your customers and prospects giving them on to other people they know, thereby increasing brand awareness. Giving Stickers Away to Suppliers You might not have considered giving stickers to suppliers. After all, why do you need to advertise to your suppliers, right? Well, by giving them a stack of die cut stickers, you can help increase brand awareness because they can hand those stickers out to their own clients. It also helps build a strong relationship with your suppliers, which always comes in handy. Again, it’s important to remember the perceived value of stickers. They are valuable and aren’t something people throw away. When to Opt for Kiss-Cut Stickers? Kiss-cut stickers are available as singles – i.e. one sticker with a rectangular background – or they can be part of a sheet. For example, an A4 sheet with multiple kiss-cut stickers. While the presentation of kiss-cut stickers isn’t quite as attractive as their die-cut counterparts, there are plenty of situations when they are the preferred option. Here are a few situations in which you should opt for kiss-cut: Your Sticker Design Has Very Complex and Delicate Edges If your sticker’s design has a very delicate and complicated edge, such as lace or something similar, then kiss-cut is the better option. While cutting out the design wouldn’t be a problem, the delicate edges are more likely to get damaged with die-cut stickers. You Are Applying the Stickers Yourself Whether you are putting up stickers on every window, bulletin board, and light pole you can find, or you are putting them on your products, peeling stickers off their backing when they’ve been die-cut is not fun. It’s a little more time consuming and can get annoying really quickly. With kiss-cut stickers, especially when they are on a sheet, peeling them off is much easier and quicker. So, when you have a bunch of stickers to apply, you definitely should go the kiss-cut route to save yourself a lot of annoyance and aggravation. You Are Giving Out Sets of Stickers Maybe you’re running a promotional campaign and are giving away multiple different stickers to each customers. In this case, a sheet of kiss-cut stickers is a good option to keep them all together for organizational purposes. However, keep in mind that your customers then won’t be able to trade stickers or give them out to people they know. When it comes to choosing between die-cut stickers and kiss-cut stickers, you have to consider what you’ll be using them for. So, when you’re using stickers as gifts to hand out to customers or trying to increase brand awareness by making stickers available to prospects, then you probably want to go with die-cut. With die-cut, you’re sending the message that your customers and prospects are valuable to you, which is why you’ve made sure to provide value in return. Even if, monetarily speaking, they’re practically on the same level. Unless, of course, you’ve opted for a highly delicate design that simply wouldn’t stand up to a lot of manipulation. Then, kiss-cut is definitely your best bet. Also, go with kiss-cut when you’ll actually be applying the stickers yourself. Trying to peel five hundred die-cut stickers will get really old, really fast. So, for your sanity, you’re better off with kiss-cut stickers.
Learn more5 Reasons You Should Be Using Die-Cut Stickers to Market Your Brand
Stickers have become an increasingly popular way for brands to increase their exposure, build relationships with customers, and generate more sales. They have a significant advantage over other promotional channels in that people don’t perceive them as advertising, regardless of what’s printed on the sticker. However, to generate the best results possible, die-cut stickers are your best bet. Read on to find out why. Die-Cut Stickers Stand Out Die-cut stickers stand out more than other stickers because of their shape, which is essential when you want to capture someone’s attention. Most people will only glance quickly at a sticker, meaning that you have less than a few seconds to get their attention. You can be certain that a die-cut sticker will be able to do that more effectively than a standard sticker. The shape alone draws the eye to it, and sparks enough curiosity for someone to take a closer look. For example, the jar below is definitely going to draw people’s attention faster than if it were a simple rectangular sticker. It’s also easier to convey your message. For example, if you run a hotel on the beach, a surfboard-shaped sticker will immediately get people thinking about the beach. No one will be confused about the location of your hotel, either. Or if you own a café, a sticker shaped like a cup of coffee will immediately clue people into what you do, even before they take a closer look at the message printed on the sticker. Die-Cut Stickers Look Professional Stickers are already a pretty low-cost advertising vehicle, but when you opt for die-cut stickers, you give the air of professionalism. In other words, you send the message that you don’t mind investing a little extra to offer people something of good quality. And that’s precisely how people perceive stickers. They don’t consider them an ad tool. Instead, when you hand them out, they think of them as a gift. So, if you go for cheap stickers, they’ll think you’re cheap and won’t be quite as impressed with your brand. Conversely, a die-cut sticker sends the message that you want to make your future and existing customers happy and that you aren’t afraid of spending a little extra to do so. Most people will, of course, translate this to your overall brand. In other words, your brand is willing to go the extra mile to offer a great customer experience. And this will earn you their loyalty much quicker. For example, the stickers in the photo below have a simple design, which is great for a dispensary. But sometimes a simple design isn’t enough and people think you are cheap. However, these stickers are saved from mediocrity by their really cool shape. Die-Cut Stickers Will Get You More Exposure When you go out next time, look around and see what types of stickers people are most likely to put on their personal items. You’ll find that die-cut stickers tend to rule the roost. Space on personal items is at a premium, so people will choose to display stickers that they think look cool and really resonate with them. And few things look quite as cool as quality die-cut stickers. So, if you want to have a better chance of your sticker being put in a prominent place on someone’s personal items, then you need to invest in die-cut stickers. Don’t forget that when someone puts your sticker on their laptop, for example, they aren’t the only ones who will see it. Everyone else who is in their vicinity when they are using their laptop will also see your sticker. Die-Cut Stickers Will Gain You a Competitive Advantage It might sound silly, but when you give out stickers, you’re actually competing with other brands for the attention of your customers. And in this case, everyone else is your competition. You want people to remember your brand, and the easiest way for that to happen is for your sticker to be placed somewhere where your customers will see it all the time. Space like the front of fridge, mirrors, frequently used binders, laptops, and on other personal items is at a premium. There isn’t a lot of it, so you have to make sure your sticker looks better than everyone else’s so you can make the grade. Die-cut stickers are much more attractive than plain stickers, which will increase your likelihood of getting your sticker put up in a prominent place. And this will skyrocket your impressions, i.e. the number of times someone sees your sticker. The more frequently they see your sticker, the more cemented your brand will become. For example, the stickers featured in the photograph are more likely to end up on someone’s fridge or laptop because they are interesting and attractive. They draw they eye and they’re fun. And that’s what people want from their stickers. Die-Cut Stickers Allow for More Creativity In the same vein of creating an uber-attractive sticker that everyone will want to get hold of, die-cut stickers naturally allow for more creativity. It’s true that you can’t go overboard because if the edges of the design are too complex, cutting them out won’t be an option. However, because you can play with the shape as well as the printed design, there are many more creative options than with standard stickers. And the more attractive you make your stickers, the more likely it is that people will pass them around to friends and family, which will definitely work in your favor. Die-cut stickers are a great way to build the image of a brand that cares about it’s customers. They show that you are willing to invest to make your customers happy, even though that investment is minimal. The important aspect is the perception of your customers. With die-cut stickers, you can also be certain of more exposure and impressions than with any other type of sticker. Due to their attractiveness, you have a much better chance at beating out the competition when it comes to the premium ad space on people’s personal items.
Learn more6 Ways to Use Promotional Stickers for Businesses from Stickerbeat
Stickers are a great way to promote your business because most people don’t perceive them as advertising. In fact, most people really like stickers and when you give them one, even if it just features your brand, they’ll consider it a gift rather than an ad. And people like using stickers, which is where the power of this marketing tool comes in. When someone places a sticker featuring your brand on a personal item, they are telling the rest of the world that they support your brand. Few forms of marketing generate the same level of results that word-of-mouth marketing does, which is why stickers are so powerful. Furthermore, when you are giving out stickers to your customers, you are also promoting loyalty. They feel special because you’re giving them a gift, which will endear your brand to them even more. Below, you’ll find a few more ways to effectively promote your business with stickers. Include Fun and Interesting Messages What’s someone more likely to stick on their laptop? A sticker with just your brand on it? Or a sticker with your brand on it that also features a fun, quirky, or even inspirational message? The latter, of course. So, if you want to increase the chances of people using your stickers on their belongings, and getting as many eyeballs on them as possible, get a little more creative than just slapping your brand on them. You could even have stickers printed with blank areas where people could write in their own messages. However, keep in mind that a professionally printed sticker with the message already on there is more likely to get used because it’s more convenient. Give Out Useful Stickers People love stickers, so they’ll put them on everything and anything, as long as they like the brand. But what if those stickers were more than just fun ways to spruce up laptops, phones, cars and more? What if they were actually useful? Well, people would be even more likely to use them. While they might not show up everywhere, you can be sure people will remember your brand even better when the stickers you hand out have a useful purpose. For example, you could print attractive labels for organizational purposes that include your brand. People could use them on everything from their jars to their in and out trays at work. Yes, these stickers wouldn’t be seen by as many people, but they are just as effective at keeping your brand front and center for the person using the sticker. Send Them to Your Customers When sending out orders, always include a few stickers in the package. Not only will customers love the extra little “gift” – that’s what they will perceive it as and not as a promotional tactic – they will also end up handing them out to friends and family, as long as they’re well designed and attractive. So, make sure you don’t miss out on this great opportunity to make your customers feel special, but also to turn them into advocates. And that’s why you should always include more than one sticker in each package. If your business is service oriented, you can still send out stickers with a thank you card to your best customers. They aren’t all that expensive, and neither will the cost of mailing them be all that high. The result will be very grateful customers who feel valued, which will help build loyalty. Put Them on your Packaging Simple packaging is definitely cheaper than getting it specially branded, but it certainly isn’t as effective at promoting brand awareness. Stickers are a great middle ground as they’re much more cost-effective than getting specialty packaging, but they still offer the benefits of more interesting packaging for your customers while promoting your brand. And since stickers can be cut out in a variety of shapes, you can get really creative and get some stunning stickers made that will impress your customers. Spruce Up Those Store-Front Windows Store-front windows are valuable promotional real estate that can be used to great effect with some great quality stickers and decals. Whether you’re running a sale, or simply want to let customers know your opening hours, putting up stickers on your windows is a great way of doing it. So, whenever you have a special offer or get new products in, put stickers in your windows to let people know. It’s just as effective at drawing in foot traffic as having someone standing outside handing out flyers. Put Them on the Floor Floors aren’t often used as advertising space, which is why placing a series of stickers on the ground is such a great way to draw attention. People won’t be able to help but notice something they’re stepping on, so it’s definitely a great way to promote your brand using stickers and decals. Like with any other type of sticker, the more creative you get, the more you’ll draw people in. You can do things like advertising sales out in the parking lot or sidewalk, with arrows pointing to your store, and more. Regardless of where or how you are using these stickers, remember to always include contact details. At the very minimum, you want to have your web address on the sticker. This way, people who see the sticker and want to learn more about your brand don’t have to go to too much effort to do so. On larger stickers, like those you use in shop windows and on floors, you can even include QR codes, which make things even easier. On those types of stickers, also make sure to include a call-to-action. Where smaller stickers that you send out to customers and hand on the street are more about building brand awareness, large stickers or decals should have a call-to-action so you can increase conversion rates. At Stickerbeat, we offer a wide range of high quality stickers that you can use to easily promote your brand. We even offer a free graphic design service so we can help you turn your highly creative idea into reality. So, get in touch and let us help you promote your brand with stickers.
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