15 May 2024
By David Ewing, Membership Executive
I was recently taken aback by an experimental advertising strategy used by McDonald’s in Amsterdam harnessing the power of smell. Yes, you read that right! By placing unbranded, plain billboards across the city, scented with the smell of their iconic French fries which many of us are all too familiar with, people were quick to recognise the global corporation’s brand as the culprit of this ingenious strategy (video link at the end of blog.) It proved to me just how influential the global presence of their brand is, even to the extent of being easily recognisable without any visual prompts. In contrast, this got me thinking about the challenges some SMEs can face in just getting their brand seen and recognised.
SMEs account for over 99% of all private sector companies in Scotland and play an integral role in our economy. However, it can be challenging for each individual business to promote the great work and huge strides they are making due to any number of reasons - and certainly not to the extent of placing unbranded billboards across the city! As an International Marketing graduate (and dedicated marketing podcast listener) I wanted to share some of my views on a few marketing content suggestions that won’t blow the budget.
Shout about what makes you stand out
What sets you apart as a business can be used to build brand awareness and let your audience know where you are on your journey - and ideally bring them along on it with you! Has your business embarked on the journey towards achieving ambitious sustainability targets? Do you have any CSR initiatives at the core of the business? Maybe you are offering a unique product or service - or just doing things a little differently to the big players? Then I believe you should let everyone know about it! Shouting about what makes you stand out is key in allowing potential clients and partners to differentiate your business from any competitors.
People Make Glasgow (and its businesses)
Employees are the lifeblood of any SME and sharing the news of what people in the business have been participating in has become a real interest for clients and partners alike. It could be anything from a member of the team attending a conference to achieving a personal milestone, fundraising activities or team building days - it is completely up to you how you choose to share the efforts of your team!
Celebrate the wins
People love to read a good news story of local businesses and why shouldn’t they? Shouting about your wins is a great way of attracting the right type of attention to what your business is getting done right. Again, there’s an abundance of wins waiting to be celebrated - a recently completed project, winning an award or a fantastic launch night are just a few examples! Why not enter The Glasgow Business Awards this year? My question to you is what was the last major win for your business and how visible was this for the wider business community to come together and celebrate with you?
I’ve only scratched the surface in suggesting how to raise your profile as an SME and everything listed above can also be shared through the Chamber’s network just through being a member! Anything our members are promoting and sharing, we want to help amplify that message, so send across any press releases, staff blogs or news celebrating your wins to marketing@glasgowchamberofcommerce.com and let us help you raise your profile.
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce works with a number of experts to deliver training on various areas of the marketing mix including Content Marketing training delivered by FatBuzz, LinkedIn Leveraging from Clarity Consultants and SocialB with their Digital Marketing Toolkit for SMEs. All of these courses are designed to empower SMEs with the knowledge and capabilities to implement these marketing strategies and achieve the results that each business deserves on their unique journey - from professionals and not just from a marketing podcast enthusiast!
