Millennials have more money than they know what to do with, and they’re using their checkbooks to purchase everything from shoes to coffee makers. In fact, Amazon was one of the most popular destinations for millennials this year, and it’s not hard to see why.

The site caters to all generations’ needs. From clothing to furniture, Amazon offers something for everyone. However, if you’re a brand looking to make its presence known on the world’s biggest online marketplace, you’d better do something special.

Here’s how you can make the most of your Amazon marketing dollars and put your brand in front of the right audience.

Create A Marketing Plan

With so much competition, you’d better make sure you stand out from the crowd. A simple search on Amazon will show you that there are tons of brands that have cropped up in the last year, all trying to make their presence known. This is also the case on social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, which are flooded with brands trying to gain attention. Before you even begin your Amazon marketing campaign, you should come up with a plan to gain the most out of your efforts. What will you do, and how will you do it?

You need to set time aside to come up with answers to these questions, because the last thing you want to do is start a campaign and then not have a clear idea of what to do with it. When you have a clear goal in mind and are able to articulate it, you’ll be able to formulate a plan to reach that goal. You might also want to consider hiring a professional to help you come up with a solid plan and then to help you implement it.

Craft A Unique Selling Proposition

Every business is trying to stand out from the crowd these days. One way to do this is by creating a unique selling proposition (USP). Put simply, a USP is a sales message that helps differentiate your product from your competitors’.

For example, Zyrtec is a treatment for the common cold that is available in over-the-counter and prescription form. The company’s website and marketing materials state that their product is a natural gas nasal inhaler that provides quick relief from congested and runny nasal passages. This is their unique selling proposition.

According to the company, 12 million Americans suffer from asthma, and about 7 million of those individuals also have seasonal allergies. The chances of falling victim to either of these disorders is great, especially if you live in a country where the seasons change. This is why Zyrtec developed their natural gas nasal inhaler. It’s not a cure for asthma or allergies, but it can help reduce your symptoms significantly.

By defining your product’s unique selling proposition, you’ll be able to craft an advertising and marketing campaign that sets you apart from the competition. While it might not be easy to stand out in a sea of similar products, with a little bit of imagination and research, it’s quite possible.

Choose Your Platforms

If you’re looking to stand out on Amazon, you’ll have to choose one of the many platforms the site offers, or create your own. While it would be great to have the most trafficked website in the world, you’ll likely reach more people if you put out content regularly and engage with your audience on social media.

For example, if you run a fashion brand, it might make sense to be on Instagram because this is a place where people can easily find the content they’re looking for. Whether you’re a luxury goods brand or a simple clothing brand, having a physical storefront as well is probably a good idea because people can come in and actually see the product.

On the other hand, if you’re a hotel brand, you might want to consider being on Hotel Tonight or Booking.com for similar reasons. People are searching for these types of brands on these platforms, and having a physical location where they can find you might help drive business.

Establish Your Brand Voice

If you’re not comfortable being the “face” of your brand—that is, if you’re not the kind of person who enjoys talking about yourself in the third person—you might want to consider finding someone who is. With YouTube stars and personalities taking over the social media sphere, it’s easy for brands to get in on the action and become the face of the platform. Establishing a brand voice is about much more than simply using “your” brand name; it’s about creating content that reflects your brand’s message and values. The better your content, the more effectively you’ll be able to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry. You can also look to successful brands like Google and Apple for inspiration.

Make Sure Your Brand Is Legitimate

You might be tempted to go with the flow and use any digital marketing method available, but this is probably the worst thing you can do. The last thing you want to do is market a product that is either illegitimate or potentially harmful. As a brand, you have a certain reputation you have to uphold. Checkmark Health has built their brand on the foundation of providing high-quality, safe, and effective products to their customers, and it shows in everything from their packaging to their websites.

If you see a product that you suspect might be harmful, do your research before purchasing it. Also, make sure that the product is FDA-approved before using it. In many cases, brands will try to pass themselves off as being healthy, even though they market themselves as being “natural” or “vegan,” when in fact, these products contain harmful chemicals that are known to be cancerous or toxic.

Be Creative

Whether you’re a small business owner or an employee looking for that next promotion, every brand and every job comes with its perks. An opportunity to be creative and to have some fun with marketing is something that every brand needs to seek out. It might not be easy to stand out from the crowd, but when was the last time you looked up at the sky and not seen some form of creative cloud?

The better your products and services are, the less you’ll have to be creative with regards to marketing. However, if you’re looking to create a unique selling proposition or brand voice, you’ll likely have to be a bit creative.

Use Inbound Marketing

Inbound marketing is all the rage these days, and for good reason. It focuses on attracting, engaging, and delighting people rather than forcing them to perform a task before getting the payoff.

This might mean approaching marketing differently. For instance, you might want to examine the type of content the market is more likely to value. If you’re looking to target millennials on TikTok, your best bet might be short-form videos that are fun, fresh, and unique. Alternatively, if you’re trying to drum up business from a small retail store, you might want to consider experimenting with online shops and pop-up stores that are available for a limited time only.

Monitoring And Measuring The Results Of Your Campaign

Whether you’ve decided to work with a traditional marketing firm or you’ve gone it alone, it’s crucial to measure the results of your marketing efforts. Being able to track the ROI of your marketing dollars is the best way to determine its success. If you’ve hired a professional to help with your plan, have them put together a report at the end of the year, or at least at the end of the campaign, that breaks down the performance of your different campaigns and projects.

As a brand, you’re going to be using multiple platforms to reach your audience. It might not be possible to reach every person on every platform, but if you can get in front of the right audience, the results might surprise you.