When it comes to marketing your business, you really have to be creative to ensure that you are able to spread the word far and wide. In the realm of marketing or product promotion, the term speculation can come with numerous connotations, especially negative ones, but if we think about ways to differentiate ourselves even during the early days of a business or approaching a product launch, speculation can, in fact, be a powerful tool to generate buzz and interest.
The Power to Build Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat; however, when it comes to companies and products, the rumor mill can stimulate a fundamental human trait. We are drawn to the unknown or the intriguing, and when a product is surrounded by speculation, this naturally piques our curiosity because we want to know more. What we don’t know can eat away at us.
Look at the speculation around the M3D drone; it’s been shrouded in secrecy and speculation, which is all part of an amazing PR machine. We naturally want to uncover hidden details, but we also want to be a part of the conversation, and having this innate curiosity is part and parcel of what makes us human.
Therefore, anybody looking to promote a product needs to harness curiosity because it builds anticipation and absolute excitement, which when done right will peak around the time of your product or business launch.
The Feeling of Anticipation
Anticipation is a very palpable human emotion, and we are all in the business of generating anticipation, or at least that’s what we should be pushing for. When we push for this sense of hype, this doesn’t just create excitement that comes to nothing but actually forms eagerness, which heightens interest in the product and is an amazing marketing tool all in itself.
Word-of-mouth marketing is the most important marketing tactic you will ever have, more than any referral or customer lead because it ties into that very innate human trait. When we build anticipation, this is the one thing that will increase engagement.
A Great Way to Build Togetherness
We also need to remember that, as a company, pushing a product by releasing as much or as little info as we deem necessary can be an inherent part of community building. You only have to look at internet forums to see how anticipation for something can reach a fever pitch.
When it’s something we have a major interest in, whether it’s a new podcast landing or a product being released, there is a lot to be said for teasing your followers and potential customers. What’s more, this sense of community is not just present in the run-up to the release, but it becomes a valuable asset for your brand because those members of this “secret society” are likely to become loyal customers.
If they are interested in your project and have tried to find as much information as possible, it’s very likely they’re going to be brand advocates.
As humans, we are all meant to thrive within groups, and this is something that we should never shy away from. Building communities is an amazing catalyst to push your product.
What Are the Best Practices to Incorporate Speculation into Your Marketing?
While speculation can be an amazing promotional tool, getting the results is all about the strategy. What should we consider to build some form of anticipation that culminates in major engagement with your product and/or service?
Provide Just Enough Information
In the world of marketing, if there’s one lesson startup businesses can benefit from, it’s that we shouldn’t overwhelm our audience. It’s about making sure that we tease to spark interest but leave room for potential customers to use their imagination.
When we give just enough information about the product while also using it in conjunction with a well-meaning marketing strategy via social media, then we have our audience in the palm of our hands.
Timing Is Everything
It’s all about working backward from that launch date. The best content strategies focus on a regular amount of information drip, but not too much.
Working backward from the clear launch date, while also making sure that our audience knows when this launch date occurs, will mean you can gradually start to drip-feed that information and build anticipation.
Don’t Be Too Mysterious About the Product
This is doubly true for you as a business. We must remember that transparency is so important and actively participating in discussions and engaging with the audience can help to drum up even more anticipation.
Implementing carefully placed discussions on online forums will ensure you engage with the community. What’s more, we should consider exclusivity at this point, such as rewards or exclusive previews for those who are engaging in the speculation and interacting with our brand.
Make Sure It’s a Great Product
Of course, all of this will fizzle out pretty quickly if you are a master of building anticipation up to something that is a damp squib of a climax. Speculation is valuable, but if your product does not live up to those expectations, you could do major damage to your brand and your business.
We have to remember that big companies that have built anticipation like Apple or even movie trailers leave people speculating to generate interest and drive people towards the launch. Therefore, we have to be doubly sure that our product is going to live up to the anticipation.
If somebody is disappointed, we can conduct damage limitation through engagement with them via social media, but if we’re building excitement for something that is not worth it, we will invariably disappoint our customers, and we will lose business now and any subsequent time we try to launch anything.
Speculation, when used effectively, can be an amazing tool for promotion. But it’s something that we need to carefully manage and recognize that it is ultimately a well-placed part of an amazing marketing campaign. Next time you plan on promoting a product, speculation and the rumor mill may be your secret ingredient.
