Linking your product to things that your customer is acquainted with can help instill a sense of familiarity that is favorable to your product. If your product is new then this strategy of credibility can ease any resistance to purchasing if it is linked with something your customer already knows.
Current Trends
The simplest way to use this selling strategy is by tapping into the current online trend that people are flocking to. By associating with the trend, your product defaults automatically into popularity alongside the current fad. It seems ideal, right? You have to be mindful of doing this however because just as it clings to the trendy climb it can also crash when the craze ends. You don’t want your sales to diminish and fade off as well. So the benefits of linking to a popular fad are obvious. But the negative possibilities are sometimes overlooked and can negatively impact your sales. Always be aware that linking your product to the latest craze can work both ways. See Investopedia’s post, What Are the Differences Between Patterns and Trends? for additional information on distinguishing between the two.
First, you’ll need to think like your visitors. What’s on their minds? What are they talking about? They could be focused on behavioral, ethnic, cultural, or just a change in their awareness on a matter. For example, if you are selling kitchen tools or bakeware and there’s a hit cooking show on television that is extremely popular if you can link your product to this show, you will have successful sales growth.
Your product doesn’t necessarily have to be directly connected to the event that you are taking advantage of for it to be successful. The main goal here is to draw attention to your product whether it be good or bad attention. Even controversial attention can be to your advantage if you know how to maneuver the controversy in order to benefit from it and increase your sales. At the very minimum, you will be able to increase your site’s traffic. For more information on increasing your website traffic see our previous post, Start Learning These Tips to Increase Your Website Traffic.
The event can be a good, positive thing to link your products to such as a major holiday. Christmas is a prime event that many products link to when the variety of Christmas-themed goods and gifts fill every store. Holidays are not the only influential events to connect your product to. Other examples would be historical events or Earth Day.
Controversial Product Attention
We all know how politics can create some real controversy and at times even scandals. Highly controversial or upcoming events are great for product promotions. Our national elections, for example, is a huge opportunity for those that sell products with logos. By linking them with either the Democratic or Republican party they can sell bumper stickers, T-shirts and a variety of products. Every time controversies loom over the candidates it creates sales as people want to show their support and loyalty to their party by purchasing products that reflect that.
Linking New to Familiar
This strategy doesn’t limit itself to the controversies and trends. New products have a place in this arena as well. By linking new or unusual products to something the public is familiar with it lends a more comfortable and familiar feeling about the product. For example, when you get thirsty and want some kind of soda, do you immediately think, “I want to try something new?” or do you usually feel like having something comfortable that is familiar to you? Things that we know, that are familiar to us are comfortable and we trust them. So naturally, we prefer them. Connecting your new product to one that’s already familiar to the public, is a proven effective sales strategy.