From using storytelling to social media, here’s how you can sell that seemingly boring product.
Remember the infamous sales interview task—“sell this pen to me”? Honestly, there’s only so much you can do with that. Pens are boring, everyday products that don’t really need marketing, but lo and behold, the tact you use tells the interviewer how good your sales abilities are. If you can convince someone to buy a pen, you can convince them to do anything.
All things considered, as a marketer, you might have to jazz up super boring products sometimes. Fret not, it can be done. Here are our top tips:
1. Stop focusing on the product.
This is not to say that you should start marketing something else altogether. When you are selling a boring product, don’t focus on just the product. Think of it as selling an experience. Some of the most successful products start with a problem that people have and need to solve. It’s better for you if the problem is huge, as it means there are many customers who don’t know about your solution yet and may not realize how much time and money they will save by using it.
However, this is easier said than done if you’re selling an ordinary product. You’ll have to make your product stand out from the crowd and convince people that they need it. How do you do this? By focusing on the benefits rather than the features or price tag!
For example, if you’re selling dog toys, talk about how they help owners bond with their pets. Focus on the benefits of your product instead of its features. For example, don’t tell people that your dog toys are made from organic materials—tell them that they’ll last longer and be safer for their dogs than other options on the market. Focus on selling the experience of owning your “boring product”.
2. Tell a story.
A good story is another effective way to sell an unpopular or boring product. If you can tell a compelling story about your product, people will want to buy it. The best way to do this is to pair your product with a personal anecdote or experience that makes it interesting.
For example, if you’re selling an online course on learning Spanish, try telling the story of how you were intimidated by the language when you started out and how you overcame those fears by simply taking action every day. You’ll be able to connect with your audience on an emotional level, which will make them more willing to trust you when it comes time for them to buy your product.
Another example is the skincare company, Dove. At the crux of it, Dove is just yet another beauty brand among millions that exist today. However, when customers think of Dove, they have a clear image of what the brand is like and that is, in part, thanks to its unique storytelling.
Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign in 2013 told the story of ordinary people in a filtered world. This campaign aimed to depart from the “toxic” beauty standards, urging women to consider the concept of beauty beyond the skin. To do so, they used surveys, interviews and advertisements featuring women smashing beauty stereotypes and rebuilding their confidence.
3. Hop on social media trends.
The key to marketing a boring product is to find a way to make it fun. Social media has made this task easier, as you can use memes, trends or even TikTok videos to make your product stand out.
Memes are hands-down one of the most popular forms of content on social media. They are short and shareable, which makes them perfect for marketing products that are not very exciting or new. Trends are also effective for marketing boring products because they allow you to tap into the zeitgeist of your target audience.
Reels can be used for any type of product, but they’re especially good for products that need a demonstration or explanation of how they work or what they do.
Say your company is trying to sell a new type of insurance, you could create a meme that shows someone engaging in risky behavior or one that highlights the consequences of poor decision-making.
4. Team up with other brands and celebrities.
Marketers can use collaborations and personalities to help market a common and unpopular product by leveraging the power of influencers and celebrity endorsements. By partnering with a well-known personality or influencer, marketers can tap into the influencer’s audience, which can help to increase awareness of the product and make it more appealing to potential customers. The influencer or celebrity can use their platform to showcase the product in an interesting and creative way, which can help to spark interest in the product.
In addition to that, companies can partner with other brands to create products that incorporate something more exciting and intriguing into the boring product. For example, if you are selling a type of plastic wrap, marketers could partner with a food brand to create a meal-prep kit that includes their plastic wrap. This strategy works because it takes the dull and unpopular product and gives it a purpose in the eyes of consumers, making it more attractive and appealing.
5. Be confident in what you’re doing.
Marketing a boring product can be a challenging task, but a key part of the process is being confident. No matter how mundane the product may be, it is important to believe in its value and potential.
Being confident allows the marketing team to present the product in a positive light and to reach out to customers with an attitude of assurance that the product is worth their attention. It also gives potential customers a sense of trust in the product, as they know that the company is assertive in its worth.
As per Salesforce, “There are no boring products. There are just bored marketers.” All you need is a pinch of creativity and effort, and there is nothing you can’t sell. By focusing on the product’s benefits, you can effectively reach your target audience. Additionally, creative marketing techniques, such as influencer marketing, social media campaigns and promotional offers, can help to draw attention to the product and attract potential customers. With a little bit of marketing magic, any product can be exciting—even a broomstick.
Also read:
- Why Is Storytelling a Powerful Marketing Tool?
- 7 Must-Have Tools for Social Media Managers in 2022
- Magical World Unmasked—3 Secrets of Disney’s Marketing Strategies
Header Image by Unsplash
