The internet has changed the game for businesses in recent years. Customer-facing firms now face the challenge of increased customer expectation, but at the same time they have access to better tools to wow and delight their customers.
For the marketing team, no technology has changed the way they operate as much as social media. Websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram essentially defined the term 'viral marketing’.
Viral marketing is a method of marketing in which consumers are encouraged to share information about a company’s goods or services through internet discussion. The more shares and discussion around a marketing campaign, the more chance that the message has of spreading to a large number of consumers and to go ‘viral’.
Customers no longer want to be sold a product. The world of the ‘influencer’ has made true real-life customer stories and experiences a real differentiator. These are the campaigns that often go viral.
There are a variety of methods you can take to improve your marketing initiatives and increase the chance of going viral. If you want to make your consumer-facing business the talk of the town, have you ever considered mascot marketing?
What is a brand mascot?
A custom-made brand mascot is an ambassador for your entire company. They help to tell your company’s background story, they display the appropriate characteristics that relate to your brand’s values and they help to generate a buzz of excitement around your organization.
A custom mascot is highly beneficial for your company, helping you to realize benefits such as better audience engagement at events, more exciting marketing initiatives, improved brand recognition, an enhanced brand story, and many others.
Most noticeably, however, a mascot will significantly improve your company’s online presence. By using your mascot to boost your online profile, your business will be able to reach a wider audience and build better relationships with them - improving your ability to sell products and make a profit.
How can your company use a brand mascot to go viral?
So, how exactly can your company use a custom mascot to build a better online presence, improve sales and build better customer experiences? BAM Mascots has listed three tips here:
1. Use them in your social media strategy
As we mentioned earlier in this blog, social media marketing is now essential for any customer-facing company. Potential customers want to see your products/services in action, and they want to know that their fellow social media peers recommend it.
Social media gives you the tools you need to bring your mascot to life, and you can use your mascot to showcase your products/services. Your company’s social media account, or a specific account for your mascot character, is a fantastic way to interact with your audience, develop your mascot’s story and run marketing initiatives that attract customer interest.
If you’re lucky (as long as it's for the right reasons), one of these online marketing campaigns may even go viral.
2. Use your mascot character across your website
To truly make your brand synonymous with your mascot, you can use your character design across your company website. This could include using the character as part of your brand logo, using it in customer communication such as emails, printing it on marketing materials and including images of the mascot in your blog posts.
By integrating your mascot character into your company's online visual content, you will enhance the association that customers have between your brand and your mascot character. If your mascot goes viral, so does your business.
3. Create an entire brand around your mascot
Not only can you use your mascot to enhance your brand’s reputation, you can even design an entire brand around your mascot. This is a fantastic way to increase the exposure of your mascot, but also bring in additional revenue for your company.
Once your mascot is popular enough to turn into its own brand, you will be able to design mascot merchandise that gives you new revenue streams. T-shirts with your mascot’s face, plush toys of your mascot and other promotional material are all great for driving profits and building a community that’s truly invested in your brand.
Are you looking for more tips on how you can use your custom mascot to enhance your company’s online presence, or simply want to enquire about designing your very own brand mascot? Contact BAM Mascots today.
