Marketing is key to the survival of any small business, but getting the attention of potential customers is a constant challenge.

To get noticed in such a competitive marketplace, small businesses need to get creative. With this in mind, here are 13 unusual marketing ideas that any small business should consider using to stand out from the crowd and drive business growth.

Promote Other Businesses

It sounds counterintuitive, but promoting other businesses can be a very effective way to build awareness of your own small business. It's a simple way to win attention and build your network without even looking like you're marketing. For example, tag other businesses on Twitter that aren't direct competitors and retweet their posts. When others tag you in return, you'll open up your business to a wider audience..

Ask for Complaints

Do you get any complaints about your products or services? If you do, turn it to your advantage. People admire transparency and honesty, so ask customers what they don't like and publish the results on your website or social media channels. At the same time, state that you're listening to feedback and making improvements. You'll come across as a business that actually cares and start to regain the trust of any dissatisfied customers.

Take a Stand on a Controversial Topic

Getting involved in a controversial discussion not only gets attention, it's a simple way to reinforce your company's values and build customer loyalty. If you have a clear stance on a topic that aligns with your brand's values, get involved when the topic is trending.

For example, if you sell an environmentally-friendly product, let everyone know that you oppose changes to an environmental law that would speed up the construction of highways and airports. You'll strengthen your reputation with existing customers and attract new customers who support your viewpoint.

Offer Free Stuff

If you have a customer-facing business premises like a retail store, put a poster outside saying you're offering something for free. Whether it's just coffee, juice, branded tee shirts, or a low-value product, the idea is to get more people to enter your store. You can then introduce your products to new customers and promote other items. Not everyone will make a purchase once inside, but many people will tell others about your offer.

Ask for Testers

If you have a new product or service, ask people to test it out in return for feedback. As you're giving away something for free, you'll encourage more people to engage with your business. You'll gain valuable insights into your customers and products, and the testers are likely to tell friends and colleagues about the experience.

Celebrate a National Awareness Day

There are several websites that list national awareness days. Simply find an awareness day that relates to your business and start promoting it in store or via email. You can use the day as an excuse to offer discounts or even host an event.

Host an Event or Class

Following on from the last point, hosting an event or class is a great way to promote your business at any time of the year. Print out flyers to post on local community boards, and use social media to spread the word. Whether it's a fundraiser for a local cause or a class teaching people how to use your products, use your imagination to create an event that people will remember.

Hand Out Customer Surveys

Whether you post them to social media or hand out printed surveys in store, this is a simple way to get people thinking about your business. Base the questions around the needs of your audience and you'll gain valuable information about your target market. To support sales, you could offer a coupon to every person who completes your survey.

Wear Branded Clothing

Branded clothing is an easy marketing trick, but many small businesses never try it. Get some tee shirts printed with your business name and give them to staff to wear while they're working or just when they're out and about. It's a simple way to steadily build brand awareness.

Use Vehicle Branding

Print your business name, slogan, email, telephone number, and website URL on your vehicle or a staff vehicle. After the initial investment, you'll have a constant advertising tool, and it's especially effective if you're driving around a lot. If you have multiple vehicles, consider using car magnets to keep the costs low.

Hire Someone to Advertise Your Business

Yes, it's old school, but it still works. Pay someone to wear a costume and hold a sign or just walk around the neighborhood handing out coupons. It might not suit every type of company, but if business is slow it's worth a try.

Post Customized Infographics to Social Media

Infographics are graphic representations of information about a topic that are visually attractive, easy to understand, and highly shareable. Create one for your unique business, using stats or facts based on your business, products, or customers. You can then use the infographic on your website, on social media, and within email content.

There are various free online tools to help any business create an infographic. Canva and Visme are popular, but there are many other tools to try out. Alternatively, you could hire a designer on Fiverr or Upwork to create your infographic.

Organize a Contest

You have to give away something for free, but the long-term benefits are worth the price. Even YouTube offered prizes to users when they started out. If people have to follow you on social media or give you their email address to enter the contest, you'll also extend your marketing reach.

Wrapping Up

If you're on a tight budget and you want to make sure your small business gets the attention it deserves, you need to think creatively. Hopefully, these 13 offbeat marketing ideas will inspire you to try something different from time to time. There's no one-size-fits-all solution, so you need to find out which strategies deliver the best results for your unique small business. You can then steadily build your customer base without breaking the bank.

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