9 Marketing Ideas for Online Businesses That Sell Outdoor Gears By James Tredwell on July 31, 2020 Marketing ideas for outdoor brands and gears have evolved over the last couple of years. In case you are wondering what makes an outdoor brand successful, it is because of the following: Loyal following Solid brand identity Dependable customer service But more than that, successful brands use marketing tactics. If you are curious about what those tactics are, here are nine of them: #1. Unique Logo A company without a unique brand logo will fail to create an identity and customer base for its niche market. When purchasing a product, the first thing that people will see is your brand logo to know whether the product is genuine. This is how powerful a logo is. In fact, a lot of global brands have gone a step further. They use logos to help create their brand identity, strengthening their customer’s faith and loyalty in them. Your business can benefit a lot from a unique, high-quality logo. It is crucial to have a unique logo design for your business. Moreover, the design concept will depend on what you want to project and aspire as a business. #2. Leverage Videos and Stories Engaging and high-quality videos are among the best ways to nurture your customers. That’s because it is an excellent way to provide context to the outdoor gear/products you sell. This tactic is especially useful during off-peak seasons. Producing high-quality videos can help you achieve two things: Promoting a lifestyle that is relevant to your brand. Keep your brand a top-of-mind choice for outdoor apparel. Here’s the thing: Promoting a relevant lifestyle is a great way to build a community around your brand. And people nowadays prefer to be part of a community. Over time, this leads to a devoted following and more repeat purchases in the future. When creating high-quality videos for your brand, consider how people will use your products. Build stories based on experiences and how your product can change the lives of your customers. Why did this person choose this specific outdoor activity? How will this affect their everyday life? How did this hobby turn into a passion? Asking questions like these lets you come up with an engaging story that allows you to connect with your audience. Think of how your messaging can connect with different types of shoppers. #3. User-generated Content Outdoor products always come with a purpose. That’s why your customers need to know whether they can rely on the product during times where they need it the most. That’s why user-generated content (UGC) is essential. That includes visual content, to have a prominent place on product detail pages. UGC is one of the most crucial psychological triggers in enticing new customers. For instance, you sell a specific brand of rain jacket online. Your potential customers will look at reviews first before deciding to buy it. UGC, such as customer reviews, help confirm the quality and value of your product. It also provides insight into other shoppers who are less familiar with your brand. That way, they have a more holistic view of how others use it. And the cool thing about UGC is that you can always repurpose it. You can use a customer review and turn it into a social media post. Or you can opt to do a video interview with the customer. You can then upload the video on YouTube or turn it into an IG story. UGC creates authenticity, as well as a sense of community around your brand. But make sure that your UGC showcases the quality and importance of your product. #4. Inbound Selling Inbound marketing is an approach that you can use to attract prospective customers. You can do this by creating helpful and relevant content that encourages interaction. It’s easy for people to look you up on blogs, search engines, and social media. Unlike outbound marketing, you don’t have to fight to get your customer’s attention. When you create content that resonates with your customers, it allows you to build your brand’s authority. Thus, it will be easier for you to drive quality lead and turn them into customers. #5. Loyalty Program Having a loyalty program will quickly turn your happy customers into loyal brand evangelists. Loyal customers are more likely to covert, spend more on a product they like, and spread the word about you. In relation to this, 40% of a business’ online revenue will come from repeat customers. So how do you convince customers to opt-in your loyalty program? You can present them with a list of benefits that they get when they do sign up. This can be in the form of members-only offers, exclusive access to sales, members-only offers, and a lot more. The great thing about loyalty programs is that it isn’t a one-way street. For every customer who signs up for a program, you’ll get essential data. Aside from information like their name, email, gender, and so on, you can also ask them questions. It can be about their favorite sport, outdoor activities, or what matters to them when shopping online. Note that when asking non-essential questions like these, explain to them the reason for asking these questions. That way, you can provide them with a more personalized experience. #6. Regular Deals A lot of online marketplaces will allow you to hold sales or use promo codes to attract prospective shoppers. Make sure that you offer these deals regularly. For instance, you can hold sales during holidays (10 percent off on Father’s Day, 30 percent off on Black Friday, etc.) You can also offer deals for no reason at all. This makes sure that you’ll gain a steady amount of traffic on your site, and boost your sales. #7. Be Aware of Shipping Rules One of the pitfalls of outdoor selling is that they’re hefty, and can sometimes be challenging to deliver. Having an in-store pick up provides you with a more accessible option to sell your items. This also gives your customers peace of mind knowing that you can deliver their orders safely and sound. Apart from that, this allows you to unpack the item with the customer, giving them instructions on how to wear or use it. Apart from that, you have to know of specific rules and regulations when shipping particular outdoor items. #8. Social Media Marketing There is a reason why a lot of known businesses are on social media, and this includes brands that sell outdoor gears. However, it is more than just posting about your products. It is also about publishing content that resonates with your audience. So, tap into the power of social media to effectively drive sales, connect with your customers, and stand out from your competitors. #9. Blogger Partnerships Do online research in the outdoor niche. If you’re selling hiking gears, you can partner with bloggers who write and share about their hiking experiences. Ideally, you should reach out to the ones who have the most following. Over to You Whether you’re selling rain jackets or hiking gears online, it’s always best to know the best practices (as well as the rules) before venturing off. The same thing goes when you sell outdoor gear online. Sure, outdoor gears and apparel can be a competitive niche. But the tips we shared on this post can help you build a successful marketing campaign.
