Though digital marketing is up 12%, companies in the Bay Area are starting to use street advertising to accomplish many of the same goals. There are several examples of successful street marketing that you can reference to learn about the benefits and why this might be a good idea for your brand.
In this blog post, we’ll reveal more about street marketing so that you can advertise your business effectively.
What Is Street Marketing?
The art of street marketing plays out in different ways. Companies use flyers, a street team, billboards, street art, performances, and so many different strategies to get their brands across.
It’s especially effective in major cities like San Francisco and high traffic areas.
So, what makes street marketing a good idea?
It’s a Cost-Effective Form of Marketing
Many companies today are benefiting from guerrilla marketing in San Francisco, largely because they can fit many different budgets. One of the greatest benefits of these campaigns is that you can start with whatever money you are able to invest and scale upward.
Certain other types of marketing can cost a pretty penny and involve ongoing investments of your time and money. With street marketing, you can start as small as self-printing some fliers to hand out.
Street Marketing Is Highly Visible
Street marketing lets you take advantage of foot traffic and the attention of potential customers. You get to catch people as they are milling about and going about their day.
This is effective in the same way that having a prime location for a business is effective. When you can capitalize on the flow of traffic, you can get conversions and drum up new business.
It’s a Personable Form of Marketing
When you market to people at the street level, you are catching them in their natural element. You might find people going to work, grabbing lunch, or getting ready for their morning or evening commute.
It’s more organic and gives you the chance to have human interactions. While digital marketing is excellent and effective, there’s no substitute for face-to-face contact with people that might someday become your customers.
This is an advantage that street advertising in the Bay Area has over any other form of marketing and why a well-timed street campaign can build plenty of brand equity.
It also gives your company the chance to express your creativity in ways that don’t fit other formats. You can create a campaign that stops people in their tracks and makes them want to pay attention.
What Are Some Street Marketing Examples?
Another great benefit of street marketing is that there’s no wrong way to go about it. You can choose to attack your campaign in whatever way makes the most sense for your company.
However, there are several examples of street marketing that other brands have succeeded with that you can borrow from. Here are some examples for you to follow:
Poster and Flyer Distribution
Distributing posters and flyers across San Francisco is one of the most tried and true forms of street marketing. It’s a simple form of marketing that gets a lot of traction, even in the digital age, and in a time when people are on the go and have short attention spans.
When you hand someone a flyer, they can view it numerous times once they take it home. This creates plenty of brand reference points and increases the likelihood that they will eventually make a purchase from you, attend your event, or take any other action that counts as a conversion.
Posters are also highly visible when placed in a good location. The more eyes you get on it, the greater the ROI you’ll receive.
Brand Ambassadors
Using brand ambassadors in San Francisco can help you not just increase sales, but also raise brand awareness. They can speak for your brand on your behalf with the people they come in contact with.
The biggest benefit of brand ambassadors is that they humanize your brand. This creates more engagement and can help people understand your message more clearly.
Murals and Street Art
You can’t go wrong with art. Get the green light to paint a mural on a building or on the street hardscape to catch people’s attention. You can even hire some artists to make art on the fly, which turns it into a live show that spectators can enjoy.
San Francisco and the Bay Area are festive communities that get year-round sunshine and beautiful weather. People spend more time outdoors, so your street art will go a long way.
A mural is an excellent way to get a message across. This message can convey your brand’s latest initiatives or the mission statement that you’re moving forward with this year. It’s a great opportunity to get buy-in from your future customers while teaching them more about your company.
Street Performances and Crowd Work
Everyone loves a live show. People love them even more when they’re free. You can put together a street performance that engages the public while also marketing your company.
This can include music, dancing, theatrics, and anything else that you can think of. The main objective of street marketing is to get people to stop what they are doing and pay attention to you. Once you can accomplish this, you can get their information, hand out your information, or otherwise continue the conversation so that they can become loyal customers and supporters.
The people working your show or performance should be charismatic and engaging. They can do crowd work that generates participation and engagement. When you are able to put it all together, this can be a fun experience for everyone involved. San Francisco is also one of the performance capitals of the world, so you shouldn’t have too much trouble finding amazing talent.
Free Swag Giveaways
When in doubt, always remember that people like free stuff. Work with a company that makes incredible branded merchandise so that you have plenty of swag to give away.
People are more likely to stop and engage with you if you have free keepsakes that they can take advantage of. This is why the t-shirt is still one of the best marketing items that companies in the Bay Area use regularly. You can put together swag bags full of items or have an assortment of items ready that any passersby can choose from.
Make sure that the items are made with the highest quality and feature your branding in a creative way.
San Francisco Street Marketing at Its Best
Street marketing offers you the opportunity to build brand awareness in an interesting way. The advice provided above will set you in the right direction as you look into creating a working campaign.
Thumbtack Bugle is happy to help you with your marketing. We have served the San Francisco Bay Area since 1976 and can also help your company. To get help with your next marketing campaign, contact us on our site or pick up the phone and dial (415) 685-9477 for more information.
