In the last decade, cupcakes have gone from strictly kids’ fare, offered in bright colors at birthday parties, to an elegant and trendy option for weddings and showers. Baked with exotic flavors and displayed in tiered formation, these little desserts have experienced a rebirth that any marketing team would love to orchestrate for their brand.
So, what can you learn from a cupcake that could help take you marketing to the next level?
Experiment. It may be that your least-popular offering is due for a second life. Nobody would have guessed that we’d all be taking pictures of the gold-dusted, pearl-encrusted mini masterpiece of a cupcake we had at a wedding and posting it on Instagram. What kind of possibilities are there for your underestimated product or product lines?
Diversify. Your content, that is. One of the secrets to cupcakes’ success is the ability to create something different for everyone. If red velvet isn’t your thing, the bakery is sure to have a German chocolate cupcake or carrot cupcake that tempts you. The same is true of content. Not everyone will want to subscribe to your blog; some will want to watch videos on Facebook or get ready statistics from an infographic.
Short and Sweet. The paradox of cupcakes is that they’re so delicious because you can’t possibly get sick of something sweet in three or four bites. They leave you wanting more. Use this concept in your content marketing. Never say so much that your audience is clicking away before you’re finished. That means high-quality, value-add content that’s concise.
Plan. Maybe there are a few bakers out there that throw ingredients into a bowl and a beautiful cupcake emerges, but most of the time, it requires a plan. If you don’t have the right measurement tools and ingredients, you’ll end up with a sloppy mess. The same is true of marketing. It’s not enough just to throw some posts out on social media, send out a few emails and see what happens. You need a combination of the right techniques, plus metrics to measure success or you, too, will get a sloppy mess.
Enjoy. Every good baker takes pride in sampling their art. You should enjoy your marketing strategy the same way. When you’ve had success with a post or when your email newsletter subscriptions hit a milestone mark, take time to celebrate. Maybe with a cupcake.
At SJC Marketing, we love coming up with new ideas for your brand. Whether it’s resurrecting an oldie but a goodie on your product line, or finding new ways to showcase your primary service, we can help you come up with some sweet ideas.