Business Buzz - Making You Famous

Utah is known for its entrepreneurial spirit and drive. But what can help take a business from struggling start-up to blossoming business overnight? A genius marketing technique! These three new businesses: NameShark, Illumibowl and Foot Hammock are doing especially well.

1. NameShark is an app that helps you memorize names so you don’t have to deal with the embarrassment of forgetting one. One of the apps creators, Benjamin Larson said, “People really care about their names, and it means a lot to them when you remember them, it’s a way to communicate that you care about them.” The app lets you create groups of people for easier remembering such as work, church and, teams and even share the list with others. The app also includes games designed to help you remember who’s who.

2. Illumibowl is a clip-on Motion-Activated Night light for your toilet. Yes, indeed a party light for your toilet. The motion-activated light clips onto your toilet bowl, turns on when you come in, and turns off when you leave. It even has six different LED colors to rotate through, if you can’t pick just one.

3. Foot Hammock is a hammock that will attach under any desk surface and comfortably support your feet for your hours of work or gaming. The average person spends over 5 hours a day at their desk, more if you work full time or are a student. Why not be comfortable while you are there? The foot hammock comes in three different options, one of which includes a heating component to keep your toes nice and toasty!

All three of these businesses have had some great marketing techniques employed. Let’s look at some of their marketing techniques and see what we can learn:

• Two of the three products began their journey on Kickstarter. They not only rapidly exceeded their original goals but were able to see great success in their funding. Kickstarter can be a great way to get funding for your project if you need it at the start, but make sure you have a page that will get people’s attention.

• All three products received media attention of some level. From local coverage to international coverage, make sure you get something. Traditional Media still plays a big role in people’s lives today. Whether they view it old school on the TV or read the newspaper or if they get all their news online, it doesn’t matter. This aspect of marketing is still one that should not be ignored. You’d rather be there promoting your product than relinquishing it off to some reporter who may or may not like your idea, right? Try to control the conversation about your product as much as possible for this outlet.

• All three employed social media for their use. Without social media, you might as well just kiss your efforts goodbye from the start. Social media is how most people find products and companies nowadays. Without good, engaging social media you won’t go nearly as far as you could. Social Media CANNOT be ignored.

All of these products were made for the “average joe” and thanks to their marketing efforts lots of “joes” have heard of them too. Without the marketing techniques employed by these companies that we listed earlier, they would not have been as successful. In today’s world especially, you have to stay on the top on the digital radar. Constant media attention and social media engagement are the best ways to stay involved with your audience and make sure that you do not get lost in the excitement and sheer traffic of an ever-changing online world.

We at PilmerPR would love to help you and your next big idea make it to the top. With our social engagement and digital PR packages there is something to fit everyone’s needs and budget.