We all love the grub, but these days there’s a cafe on every corner, a bakery at every bend, and oh there’s another deli – but I just came from the deli!

There are so many different foods to tingle our taste buds. Nowadays, people will select the brand that can best convey their passion and product quality.

Here are five ways to promote your brand and stand out from the crowd:

1. Share the love

Get out there with your baking tray – virtually! Social Media has an on-going craving for all things food related, from epic fails to adorable designs.

There’s not platform on Social Media that can’t fit:

Twitter – Polls for your customers’ favourite product, or ideas for you to make a limited time product.

Instagram – Share gorgeous pictures of your products in raw state, preparation, and final product stages can go well for giving your customers’ a unique insight into your process.

LinkedIn – Upload recipes and podcasts on topics related to ingredients and cooking.

Facebook – Think up a fresh idea for a social media campaign and remember not to make it in bad taste! – Unless of course, that’s what you’re going for.

Take a slice from: Harney Sushi. To build customer confidence in their ingredients, they served their sushi with an edible QR code so customers could find out how the sushi was sustainable.

2. Try it for yourself

Take to the streets with free samples of your tastiest treats. If you can, include a mixture of sweet and savory options to appeal to as many taste buds as possible.

• Include a variety of products, so you can ask people what food they like, followed by ‘We’ve got something like that; come and taste this!’

• Spend a little money and make a big batch to hit the streets with at lunchtime. Yes, it is amazing to be given a free bowl of soup or a free piece of pie, and that’s why your brand will stick in people’s minds – but not in their throats!

• Provide a condition to your free samples that can benefit your business. For example, offer a free sample – a decently sized one – in return for people signing up to your newsletter, taking a business card or following you on social media (those QR codes could come in handy again).

Take a slice from: Domino’s Pizza. This popular pizza brand is known to be at many university fresher’s fairs offering out free samples. Why? This is because significant portions of their target audience happen to be students. Students love a free sample, and it helps to secure their brand as the go-to student food.

3. Dynamic Content

Think of your customers, how are they most likely to hear about your brand; Radio? Social media? It is important to consider the channels through which the majority of your target audience can be reached, then focus on that channel.

Think about it, your audience isn’t going to be able to taste how good your food is through their screen, or over the radio, because you have to use a dynamic description or a dramatic visual feature to get across to your audience how good it tastes:

• Dynamic short videos on social media – designed to have an intended effect on your audience (whether it be a follow, clickbait or purchasing a specific product.

Take a slice from: Marks & Spencer. They have been advertising their food for decades, though it’s only since their TV adverts in the past 10 years have they really upped their game to convey their food’s quality and decadence through a visual medium.

4. Let them eat cake

Throw a part for your brand by inviting people in to try cooking for themselves.

• Consider a weekly meet up to cover different foods.
• Invite people to give talks to your group.
• Centre the cooking on ingredients you use or sell.
• Give one off cooking lessons for holidays like Easter.

As well as charging a small fee for these classes, you can offer your pupils discounts on your most expensive products, or ones that are popular at times like Christmas or Valentine’s Day.

Both the classes, and the reward for paying for them, will build you a loyal band of foodies.

Take a slice from: Bertinet Bakery. The establishment of this well-known bakery brand was increased by their offering various cookery courses. It worked with their quality of product and is now not so much an addition of their brand as a key addition of their profits!

5. Get involved

Why not organize a prime spot at a local event in your community? Local food establishments have always proven to be the heart and soul of villages, small towns and city districts, bringing people together.

Featuring your brand at a community event will not only improve your company image, it’s a way to get in the hearts (and stomachs) of the locals:

• Sporting events are perfect for offering refreshments (your branded refreshments, no less)
• Catering for events led by other local businesses
• Set up a regular stall at your local market for extra business and getting to know the local customers.

Take a slice from: Hagen Daz was the official ice cream of Wimbledon 2016, Carlsberg the official beer of Wembley Stadium and Cadbury’s was one of the official sponsors of London 2012 Olympics.

While these are all very grand examples, it goes to show that one: sponsoring certain events works for improving your brand awareness, and two: your brand doesn’t necessarily have to match perfectly with the event you’re sponsoring. If McDonalds can sponsor sports – your food brand can too!

Implement some of these tactics to take your food marketing to the next level. What are some unique food marketing initiatives you’ve come across?