Are Custom Stickers An Underrated Organic Marketing Strategy?
In current business settings where digital campaigns and social media stand out, it’s easy to overlook the power of simple, tangible, organic marketing tools like stickers!
Yet, these small items can significantly impact how your brand is remembered after a purchase. Custom stickers foster a sense of connection and fun for the client and can also serve as small tools that your customers can use everywhere to promote your business. In this article, we'll explore why custom stickers are an effective marketing tool and five strategies that can help elevate your brand's visibility.
Stickers Are the Modern Silent Marketing Agent
Apple, Red Bull, Vans, Patagonia, GoPro, Supreme, and more!
All use custom stickers as hidden advertisement tools in their products, not only to include a small gift of one’s brand but as a strategy to keep their name top-of-mind. Stickers can be placed on laptops, water bottles, and more.
Unlike flyers, social media posts, and digital ads, which demand attention and engagement, custom stickers operate quietly since they can blend into the background. While a post is seen once, a sticker relies on its ability to be seen repeatedly in various environments, bringing brand awareness to your clients and the people around them. This helps a business have an omnipresent quality that can transform a sticker into a hidden advertisement of your brand.
5 Places to Hand Out Custom Stickers as a Small Business Owner
1. Events and Festivals
Attending local events and festivals is a good way for small business owners to promote their brands to a broader audience. These types of places attract different crowds, making them perfect for connecting with potential customers who may not be familiar with your business. Whether it's a craft fair, farmer's market, community festival, or a larger trade show, offering free custom stickers can help spark curiosity and drive more engagement to your business.
How do you create giveaway stickers that resonate at a fair?
Start by designing custom stickers that align exclusively with your company’s fair theme or highlight your brand's essence. For example, create custom stickers with fun food-related graphics or catchy phrases if your business is at a food festival. This personalization makes your custom stickers more appealing and memorable.
Then, start handing out custom stickers at events. This can have multiple benefits, such as making the sticker a conversation starter and increasing your brand’s visibility as clients use the custom sticker or share it with their friends.
2. Partnering With Other Small Businesses
Collaborating with fellow local businesses can be an excellent way to boost brand awareness for both brands. Partnering with companies that share your business ideals can create a mutually beneficial relationship that could help both parties spread their brand messages through custom stickers.
How to Connect with Other Business Owners?
Consider connecting with cafes, boutiques, gyms, or other community-focused establishments that your target customers are likely to frequent. For example, if you own a handmade candle business, partnering with a local home goods store to include your branded custom stickers with purchases. This can introduce your products to customers who already appreciate similar items. You can also collaborate by leaving a stack of custom stickers at the checkout counter or creating co-branded stickers that feature both businesses. If you own a pet company and want to show your custom stickers at a coffee place, make custom stickers of dogs holding coffee mugs.
Business partnerships are not limited to in-store initiatives; you can also work with local companies to include custom stickers in event gift bags, holiday promotions, or joint social media giveaways. This fosters community ties and expands your brand's presence creatively and authentically.
3. In-Store Promotions and Packaging
If your business has a physical store, incorporating custom stickers on product packaging is an effective way for small business owners to enhance the customer experience and increase brand loyalty. Custom stickers can be a fun, low-cost addition that makes purchases feel unique and personalized.
Custom stickers can also be a great incentive to start a giveaway in your business. Include custom stickers that positively associate with your brand and encourage repeat visits. You might also design custom stickers for regular use, which can excite customers to purchase certain products to collect them.
4. Online Sales and Shipping
Incorporating custom stickers into your online sales and shipping process is a creative way for small business owners to add value and improve customer experience. Custom stickers included with shipped orders are a small surprise that can delight customers and leave a lasting impression. This small gesture shows customers that you appreciate their purchase, helping to build loyalty and encouraging repeat business.
Design custom stickers that reflect your brand's identity or feature playful, shareable designs to maximize the impact. For example, a motivational quote, a cute illustration, and your company logo can encourage customers to use and display the custom stickers on laptops, water bottles, or notebooks. When your custom stickers are seen on other objects, they become a subtle yet powerful form of advertising.
Custom stickers with QR codes can also promote your social media channels or special promotions. Including a sticker that invites customers to tag your business in their photos or share their experience online can help generate content between your users and increase your brand’s visibility. For more information on this topic, check out our article on barcodes to make your custom stickers more interactive for your customers.
5. Community Spaces
Sticking custom stickers on community spaces can help spread the word about your business. Specific locations are often frequented by diverse groups of people, making them ideal for connecting with potential customers. Consider asking permission to visit local libraries, community centers, coffee shops, or gyms. By placing your custom stickers in those spots, you create an opportunity for people to discover your brand while they go with their regular routines.
Collaborating with community space organizers to sponsor events or workshops is another creative way to give away custom stickers. For example, if there's a neighborhood college art fair, you could give away custom stickers to the attendees as part of the event. This way, you promote your business and become a recognizable part of the local scene.
Creative Ways to Promote Your Small Business With Custom Stickers
Custom stickers are an excellent marketing tool that can help promote your brand visibility in an engaging way for customers. From events and small business partnerships to in-store promotion, custom stickers can help create tangible connections that resonate long after the initial interaction. By using custom sticker strategies, small business owners can use this unique form of marketing to leave a lasting impression and encourage organic product promotion.
