Marketing is the most critical function of a company. It informs potential customers about your products and services and encourages them to engage with your brand. It also keeps the brand visible online and maintains product demand. But marketing is also the most challenging activity for many businesses.

According to statistics, acquiring a new customer costs five times more than retaining an existing one. So how do you achieve your marketing goals? Use creative and innovative strategies yet to be exploited by your competitors. Here are four uncommon marketing strategies to kickstart your business.

1. Tell Customer Stories

Relatable stories move people to take action. Choose the most appropriate way to tell stories. For instance, as you interact with your customers, you can interview them and ask about their experience with your products.

Ask how your products solved their problems and why they settled on your brand. If you find a compelling story, ask the customer if you can share it online. Explain to them how their experience with your products may help someone in a similar situation. Genuine stories by people not associated with your company make prospects trust your brand and can boost conversion rates.

2. Use Popular Hashtags

Hashtags are searchable phrases used on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram to easily find content on a specific topic or theme. Depending on engagement rates, hashtags can trend for a whole day or even a week. When used strategically, hashtags can help you increase engagement rates and expand your reach.

According to one study, businesses that include a hashtag on their Twitter or Instagram marketing posts increase brand engagement by up to 12.6%. Create marketing posts and add trending hashtags somewhere in the middle. Anyone searching for that hashtag will come across your post.

The good news is you can also search trending hashtags by location. Hashtags are very effective for geo-marketing. For instance, someone searching for “used car near me” will get the most relevant results by searching the trending hashtag #UsedCarNearMe.

3. Turn Your Product into a Challenge

Ignore the marketing message and turn the product into a competition. Turning your product into a challenge serves two purposes. First, it creates a buzz around your brand, getting many people to check out your products. It’s also a means of testing the waters for a new product. You can use the results to make adjustments to the product.

Identify a problem and pass it to others to solve. For instance, a food company may ask people to come up with the brand’s next seasoning. The person who comes up with the best seasoning wins prizes or a certificate. This is a great strategy that will keep your brand in people’s minds for a long period.

4. Partner with Other Brands

Strategic partnerships bring attention to your brand and help you build your audience quickly. Seek brands whose values complement yours and request a collaboration. Target bigger brands with larger audiences and an established workforce.

Besides benefiting from their large audience, you’ll also share your expertise and learn the tricks they use in their marketing campaigns. Know how each party will benefit from the partnership before signing anything. Get an attorney to help you draft the agreement if you’re unsure how to do it.