• What is “Negative Marketing”?
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Sometimes, with marketing, it can feel like we’re manufacturing cheeriness. What if there was a way to take a break for a bit? While it may sound counterintuitive, when used correctly, negativity can be a great change of pace and take your brand to a new level of memorability. From standing out with self-deprecation to playing with people’s expectations, here are engaging ways to channel negativity in your marketing strategies.

What “Negative Marketing” Is…

Negative marketing taps into, or tries to contextualize, adverse feelings or emotions as a way to connect with an audience. While it can be straightforward—think Wendy’s teasing its customers online—there’s plenty of room for experimentation. With sprinklings of negativity in the right spots, you can get in and stay in people’s heads as:

  • A place for truth and clear-cut stances
  • A break from the sameness of competitors
  • A source of empathy and understanding

…And Isn’t

Negative marketing isn’t an excuse to be antagonistic without repercussions. It also shouldn’t simply add to existing negativity with nothing new or interesting to say. At its worst, negative marketing is misused in a way that’s empty, overly cruel or even unrelated to marketing goals.

5 Ways To Do Negative Marketing

Here are some best practices and examples if you’re ready to try this approach.

1. Stand Out From the Crowd With Straightforwardness

Being a straight-shooter when everyone else minces their words can boost customer buy-in. Just think about it: When you’re saying what everyone else is thinking but not actually saying, you can cut through the monotony and position your offerings or services as better. This technique also builds customer trust.

Example: Alamo Drafthouse’s “Angry Voicemail” Video

Repurposing this negative customer reaction showed movie theater chain Alamo Drafthouse’s commitment to its no-talking rules. Between the censored and uncensored versions, they’ve racked up 7.7 million views so far (with all the positivity in the comment sections maybe being even more impressive) by hilariously showcasing their brand and what it stands for.

2. Try Some Playful Self-Deprecation

While you don’t always want to be the punchline, playing into perceived shortcomings can be endearing and humanizing. Do it in a way that leans into what makes you unique and how apparent flaws are actually strengths.

Example: Volkswagen’s 1959 Ad Campaign

This iconic series happily recontextualized “faults” and detractors’ criticisms as proof of Volkswagen cars being quality-made, distinct, practical and much more.

3. Let Your Insights Do The Talking

Sometimes, it’s best not to pull any punches. Maybe you have that piece of media, quote or data that can make some noise, but you’ve been holding onto it due to fear of reactions. As long as the content has real merit, it may be time to let it speak for itself without too much elaboration. Even if some people end up liking you less, your intended audience will likely connect with your message more than ever.

Example: Truth.Com’s Statistic Ads

"FACT: HALF OF PEOPLE WHON TRY CIGARETTES IN COLLEGE STILL SMOKE 4 YEARS LATER."

While almost all of Truth.com’s anti-smoking and vaping ads are examples of negative marketing, in this case, consider their more minimal ones that feature a hard-hitting fact and nothing else.

4. Drive Urgency And FOMO

Scarcity can rub people the wrong way, but it may be the exact thing needed to push some into acting. This is especially true if it just feels like you’re being transparent about how popular something is or why it’s so essential to have now. Not wanting people to miss out can have a genuineness that makes customers feel more connected and valued.

Example: Amazon’s Stock Numbers

While it’s so simple, highlighting how much of a product is left and a simple CTA to order soon—in urgent red text—can be the difference between someone continuing to browse versus buying.

5. Create “Villains”

When you can personify your customers’ challenges in a very understandable, relatable way, you show that you have your finger on the pulse of their problems. Whether you take a subtle approach or go all in, a “villain” can tie into a common concern in your industry or a more niche one that you think deserves attention. In either case, you can effectively highlight your benefits and create a deeper level of understanding.

Example: Allstate Insurance’s “Mayhem” Ads

Giving a face to car-related chaos was a great way for Allstate to position itself as the all-encompassing, clear-cut solution or “hero.” 

Do Negative Marketing on Your Terms

With just the right amount of negativity, you can create some standout marketing. Starting can be as simple as experimenting with your headlines and content or taking a stance on something you’re passionate about, but others aren’t (yet).

Worried that your average marketing has gone from positive to plain? Read how to turn traditionally “boring” topics into exciting ones.

  • Brand Authenticity: Why It’s Important and How to Build It
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Authenticity is a bit of a buzzword in the marketing world. Even if you’re not a marketer, you’ve probably heard influencers and content creators talk about being more authentic or “real” with their audience. While you can’t measure or calculate authenticity like other metrics, it’s arguably one of the most important ways to build trust with your audience.

But what does it really mean for a business or brand to be authentic?

What is Brand Authenticity?

In individuals, psychologists say that core traits of authenticity include being realistic, accepting, open to learning, having a good sense of humor and being able to express emotions clearly.

A lot of these traits carry over to the business world. Simply add transparency and consistent messaging and brand values to get the perfect recipe for an authentic brand. So, how do you make sure your business has all of those traits? It’s not as tricky as it might sound.

Increasing Your Brand’s Authenticity

1. Get Clear About Your Brand Values & Messaging Pillars

If your brand is a house, the brand values and messaging pillars are the foundation. And you can’t build a house without a solid foundation. Start building by clearly outlining what your brand stands for. Answer these questions to help you identify and build out these points:

  • Why does your brand, product or service exist? In other words, what problems does it solve?
  • What makes you different from competitors?
  • How do you want customers to perceive you?
  • What type of experience can customers expect from your business?

By having solid messaging pillars and brand values, you’ll be able to create content that resonates with your audience while staying true to your mission. For more information on separating your brand strategy from your marketing strategy, we’ve got you covered in this blog post.

2. Audit Your Website

We all know how important a good website is, so this is the best place to start in your quest for authenticity. In addition to great design and user experience, the content on your website is an opportunity to be transparent. Here’s how:

  • On the homepage: Tell viewers who you are and what you do upfront. They shouldn’t have to scroll far to learn what they can expect from you.
  • On the About page: Dive deeper into who you are, what you do and–most importantly–why you do it. This is also where you let people know what you stand for.
  • In your FAQs: A well-rounded FAQs page has answers to your customers’ most burning questions and is where you can be the most transparent. Whether it’s shipping, returns or manufacturing, you should give as much information as possible without releasing your business’s secrets to the world.

Making these changes to your website boosts your brand’s authenticity and instantly sends trust signals to your customers.

3. Add a Human Touch

While you know real people are behind your brand, it’s important that your content has a human touch. First, make sure your website copy reads like it was written by a real person. Typically, this means making your voice more conversational and writing the same way you would talk to a friend while also speaking your audience’s language. This includes the right amount of formality (or informality), nomenclature and even colloquial language.

For instance, using insider lingo builds trust and helps your audience feel like you really understand them. On the other hand, Gen Z slang isn’t going to go over well if your audience is older. 

When it comes to visuals, use stock photography sparingly and instead opt for photos and videos featuring your team or user-generated content whenever possible. Clothing brand Pact regularly features customers wearing and styling their clothes, making them feel more trustworthy and real.

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A post shared by pact (@pact)

These subtle changes set your brand apart from competitors and make your business feel more authentic to readers, viewers and potential customers. 

4. Make Your Customer Feel Understood

Everyone likes to feel understood, and as consumers, we’re more likely to purchase from a brand that demonstrates an understanding of our problems. We pay a little extra attention when an ad promises to fix an issue we’ve been dealing with.

But as marketers, it’s easy to get caught up in the features of a product. After all, the features are likely what set us apart from competitors. Resist the urge to focus solely on features by giving the benefits plenty of time to shine. How will your product or service improve your customer’s life? How will it solve a problem they encounter?

For instance, a common issue when your home loses power is simply the disruption of everyday life. KOHLER Generators spoke directly to that pain point here:

Power outages disrupt your life, which is inconvenient. You can’t enjoy a hot meal or a hot shower, and the outage may even interfere with your livelihood if you work from home. But a KOHLER generator provides backup power, ensuring your life isn’t interrupted by outages. Life going on as usual is a key benefit of having a generator, and this ad successfully speaks to that.

5. Form a Connection With Your Customers

Wait, isn’t that the same as making them feel understood? Sort of. 

Forming a connection is more about the two-way communication you have with your audience. Here are some ways to forge strong relationships with your customers:

  • Interact with them and answer their questions on social media. Nearly 80% of people said that when they contact a brand through social media, they expect a response within 24 hours, making these social interactions vital to a brand’s reputation.
  • Rethink your customer service strategy. Are there ways you can provide quicker service or policies that you can revise to serve your customers better?
  • Show appreciation to your existing customers. A special promo code in their inbox, a gift or even a handwritten card all go a long way in making your customers feel appreciated.

Chewy is known for its excellent customer service, and this includes birthday cards for pets. In addition to making the brand more genuine, this gesture makes customers feel appreciated and fosters brand loyalty.

How Can You Make Your Brand More Authentic?

Authenticity isn’t something that happens overnight. It may take months or even years to truly build a reputation as an authentic brand. Ensure you’re working toward that by keeping authenticity in mind when creating your content plan and social media strategy.

  • The (Pretty Obvious) Secret to Getting More Google Reviews
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It’s no secret that online reviews, especially on Google, are important for businesses. We all consult online reviews before we buy something, eat at a new restaurant, or even go to a new dentist. In addition to being powerful social proof, Google reviews are great for SEO. For local businesses, reviews that include keywords can actually help you rank in the local pack (often known as the three-pack).

For example, if you own a sushi restaurant and people mention your delicious California rolls in their reviews, you’ll start to show up when people search for California rolls in your city. 

You know you need them, but how do you actually get them? Simple—you just ask!

Our 5 Go-To Strategies for Asking Customers for Reviews

The reality is that many satisfied consumers keep quiet because they aren’t prompted to share their thoughts in the right way. If your business had a strategy in place to request feedback from happy customers in a way that made it easier than ever for them to leave a review, you could generate more reviews, spread more positive feedback about your brand, and give your local listing the edge it needs to rank in the top 3 spots

Read on for a few of our tried and true ways to generate reviews.

1. Create a Google Review link.

Creating your Google review link will make the rest of this process much easier. This is a short link that takes people right where they need to be to leave you a review.

It’s a lot easier to give people this link than telling them to search for your business, look for the “write a review” button in your Google My Business listing, and leave a review. Let’s face it, if they’re not already familiar with leaving reviews on Google, they’re not likely to understand or follow those instructions.

You can use this tool to create your link. Just type in your business name and click “Generate”. It will create three short, easy to type links for your business. Bonus: it also generates QR codes that function like the URLs that you can put on your marketing materials!

2. Explain what reviews do for your business.

Most people don’t understand how valuable Google reviews are to businesses so it’s important to explain why you’re asking for one. You don’t need to go in-depth in your explanation, though. Simply saying that reviews help you know how you’re doing and help others find your business is enough explanation for most people.

3. Create a “leave behind” requesting reviews.

A leave behind is something you, well, leave behind. In this case, it’s going to be a card with your Google review link on it. You can put it on the back of your business card (valuable real estate!), a thank you card, or on a separate card just for review purposes. This ensures that whoever gets your card has what they need to leave a review!

4. Include your review link in email and text messaging communications.

These can be two of the most effective platforms for asking for reviews. Add your review link and a short sentence about leaving a review in your post-service/post-purchase email or text. Something as simple as, “Thanks for visiting us today! Tell us how we did: [link]” will get the job done.

Adding your link to these messages catches people while you’re still at the forefront of their mind and makes it virtually effortless for your customers.

5. Ask your social media followers.

Your social media followers are essentially your brand ambassadors on the front lines—supportive, engaged users who’ve already publicly shown interest in your business. This makes them the ideal audience to provide feedback about your company. 

One post asking for reviews may not make a big difference, but putting your review link in your linktr.ee/Link-in profile/ContactInBio links means it’s always there for anyone who wants it. Remind your followers periodically (Instagram and Facebook stories are the perfect place to do this) and just let your link live in your bio.

You can also pin a post asking for reviews to the top of your Facebook page or Twitter feed so it’s the first thing people see when they visit!

The Bottom Line on Google Reviews

There are two keys to getting more Google reviews: just asking and making it easy for your customers to follow through. Hopefully these tips will help you get more reviews. Join the conversation on Facebook and Twitter and let us know how you get more reviews for your business!