Whether you’re a fan of Discovery Channel’s Shark Week or not, we can most likely agree on one thing– it’s a highly anticipated event! For over three decades, they’ve attracted millions of viewers, and each year people come back for more. But aside from the amazing content produced, what contributes to Shark Week’s success? Marketing. Taking inspiration from Shark Week, let’s dive in (pun intended) to understanding how to build excitement with your marketing.
Allow Time for Your Audience to Learn About Your New Offering
Create a ‘curiosity gap’ for your audience. When audiences are shown teaser content, it’s proven that they will want closure from the enticing advertisements. In 2019, Shark Week ads started two months before the official Shark Week, and the announcement stating the dates of the week contributed a lot to the hype. Here are a few ways to build up to the event or launch.
- Write blog posts that preview the upcoming event.
- Create email campaigns that show a ‘sneak peek.’
- Blast a promo video on your social channels, encouraging registration, pre-orders, or to simply build momentum.
- Cross-promote with strategic partners on their social media to increase awareness.
Communicate Creatively
After allowing enough time to promote properly, you will need to think about where and how you are communicating. Focus on which social media platforms are most likely to have your target audience actively using them and strategize your communication.
Can you share behind the scene content on your Instagram stories?
Create a contest where one winner gets a discount or a free ticket?
What visuals will be most interesting to post? Can you involve a local artist?
If a post gets a certain amount of shares, will something happen at the event?
When coming up with your marketing communication, keep in mind the user and what’s going to make them most excited and likely to interact with your content.
Use Partnerships to Your Advantage
Look for a sponsor or spokesperson to endorse your event or new product. They don’t have to be a celebrity, just well known in the space you are trying to conquer. This is a perfect time to use influencer marketing! In addition, work with any partners that will be at the event on content creation together. Creating content pre-event is very beneficial and will boost the reach you obtain while encouraging conversation between audiences.
Involve Your Audience
Create spaces where you can interact with your audience. This could potentially be creating a Facebook Event or Group. That way, friends can invite others, share and promote the event or group, ask questions, and meet new people. Your company can then post regular updates on the page, and everyone will know it’s a reliable source. You can also run competitions or encourage specific posts within the group or event.
Deliver!
Lastly, deliver with your new offering! After all the hype created, make sure that the official launch or event is well worth the wait and don’t stop marketing once it is live or out on the market. Encourage your audience to share their experience and repost their reviews and photos across your own page. This will ensure anyone who is just buying into the hype, knows it’s well worth it!
See Also:
Shark-eting: Marketing Lessons Learned from Shark Week
Sink or Swim: How to Survive in a Competitive Marketplace
Shark Week: Competitive Business Analysis Reveals Predators Lurking Under the Surface
