If you are a marketer or an entrepreneur who dreams about Polish clientele, well, this article is for you. Below you will find the 10 best ways of promoting your products or services to the Polish audience in the UK, and also valuable tips from somebody who has ‘,been there and done that’ – Matylda Setlak, who is probably the foremost UK expert in terms of ethnic marketing campaigns targeting Poles in the UK.
1. Running a banner advertising campaign (pay per click, pay per action or pay per impression) on a few of the biggest Polish websites from Poland that offer campaigns targeted at the users from the UK.
Rationale
• The campaign will reach Poles throughout the whole of the UK, not only from the regions where Polish-language newspapers or radio are available;
• The results of the campaign can be easily measured;
• You may pay for the results, i.e. clicks;
• Not many advertisers decide on this type of campaign, that is why the recipients are going to be more susceptible.
Tip from Matylda – Test a few of the biggest websites first on a small budget and then see which brings you the highest conversion rate, and then spend your budget solely on this website.
2. Prepare a PR article on a chosen subject and send it to media targeted at Poles in the UK, and follow up the media in order to receive the greatest possible number of publications.
Rationale
• The campaign will help to develop the positive image and credibility of your company or organisation;
• Articles in the media are far more persuasive than advertising;
• Articles are a better opportunity to better explain a chosen subject;
• Online publications will support your website positioning.
Tip from Matylda – Do not do it if you do not have an interesting story to tell… interesting from the point of view of Poles. Focus on the community aspect of the story and do not let the article be too commercially-orientated as it will surely put the editors off.
3. Running an advertising campaign in a bimonthly on-board airline magazine read by the Poles flying from the UK to Poland, and from Poland to the UK.
Rationale
• This is a relatively cost-effective medium, if we take into account the cost of targeting one person;
• The ad will live for two months;
• The medium has a stable and confirmed circulation;
• As many as 1900,000 people are going to see the ad.
Tip from Matylda – The best timing for an on-board magazine campaign is either before, during or after summer or in mid-December, before the Christmas holiday – Poles fly to and from Poland like mad at that time.
4. Organising a distribution of leaflets in coaches that go from Poland to the UK and from the UK to Poland; arrangement to broadcast video commercials on the screens on coaches, and to locate the ad on the coach ticket covers.
Rationale
• The people who will see the ads will be surprised so they are going to remember the message;
• This is a good way of targeting seasonal workers.
5. Establishing affiliate or pay per action cooperation with Polish community websites which will publish banners, text links, contact forms, sponsored articles and other forms of promotion in order to receive a commission on sales or a fixed fee for a definite activity of the user, for example for filling in a form or purchase.
Tip from Matylda – Offer your affiliates generous deals and exchange artworks often, ideally every two months, to make the most of the affiliate campaign. Be in touch with them regularly to keep them motivated and solve problems, and offer incentives and rewards to those who produce the biggest profit.
Rationale
• The results of the campaign can be easily measured;
• This is a sales campaign, not an image campaign;
• You pay for the results, for the purchase or other activity of the user.
6. Carrying out an outdoor campaign in the London tube, on and in London buses, as well as on telephone kiosks.
Rationale
• Ideal for products for which visual aspects are important;
• This is a relatively cost-effective medium, if we take into account the cost of reaching each person;
• Possibility of choosing perfect localisations;
• Recipients have repeated contact with the advert.
Tip from Matylda – Timing and location are crucial here. Don’t run an outdoor campaign in central London during summer unless you want to target tourists from Poland.
7. Carrying out an email marketing campaign directed at email addresses of 100,000, 200,000 or 300,000 Poles living in the UK.
Rationale
• Email marketing is a proven promotional tool;
• The results of the campaign can be easily measured;
• This is a sales campaign, not an image campaign.
8. Organising a distribution of any promotional materials (posters, leaflets), including gadgets to 140 shops with Polish food in London and its surroundings.
Rationale
• The possibility of distribution of chosen promotional materials or B2B offer;
• Not many advertisers decide on this type of campaign, that is why the recipients are going to be more susceptible;
Tip from Matylda – Distribute to the shops’ shopping bags, plastic or little more expensive tote bags, with your logo. Both shop owners and clients will love, and most importantly, use them voluntarily in promoting your brand.
9. Preparing a strategy of communication and carrying out a Facebook campaign.
Rationale
• Attracting the community to the brand;
• Constant contact with fans of the brand;
• Big interactivity of the medium.
Tip from Think Big Comms – Poles love freebies and special offers. Utilise them often. Provide funny content in relation to the Polish community to generate comments, likes and shares. And run the fan page in Polish only, English will put Poles off.
10. Creation and management of a blog targeted at the Polish community in the UK.
Rationale
• Attracting the community to the brand;
• Constant contact with readers of the blog;
• Building up an expert status;
• Supporting the company website positioning;
• Big interactivity of the medium.
The tactics presented in this article are not a complete promotional strategy as it is necessary to plan key messages and define the target groups and goals of the campaign first, and then choose the most appropriate tools.