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Brickowl Marketing Ideas
Hi all! I wanted to start a thread where we offer conceptual ideas to market Brickowl as a SITE to site administration.
While they may or may not adopt one or more of these, I know they are open to all of these thoughts. :-)
I would kick this off with the thought that any marketing can now take advantage of the concept that this is the largest INDEPENDENT LEGO reseller site on the Internet of Things. :-)
So what are your ideas, folks? Print advertising in toy mags? Purchased Google ads? Purchased YouTube ads? Convention tables/ads?
Brainstorm here!
While they may or may not adopt one or more of these, I know they are open to all of these thoughts. :-)
I would kick this off with the thought that any marketing can now take advantage of the concept that this is the largest INDEPENDENT LEGO reseller site on the Internet of Things. :-)
So what are your ideas, folks? Print advertising in toy mags? Purchased Google ads? Purchased YouTube ads? Convention tables/ads?
Brainstorm here!
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Idea 2. Approach brickpicker.com about listing BO stores that are selling listed sets in their price/valuation guide.
Idea 4. Consider integrating a BO/BL sync option for those sellers that use both platforms, as that code is now open source (and then maintain it) (this is marketing as add'l features capture add'l sellers, which then brings in buyers...)
While I do not have anything against that - I'd still like original Lego to be clearly distingiushable and custom parts (chromed, colored, modified) to be like in CAPS that they are not original.
@Calibrick that's a cool idea.
It amazes me that people like Bricktsar (jabbo) has never mentioned anything other than bricklink in his videos. There are many cross sellers (the OP for example), I would love for some of the old guard to come over and see just how much better a site running on new code can be.
That kind of makes me think - is there a dedicated place to sell and buy unofficial Lego parts? Maybe there is like a whole new business behind it - or a reasonable place to get rid of those knockoff parts...
"One mans trash is another mans treasure."
Do any of the sellers or buyers on here have a relationship with the prolific YouTubers? If so, would they be open (if @Lawrence concurs) to introducing BO admin to them (virtually) to discuss mutual marketing, maybe asking them to check out the site, etc.? Even if they mentioned BO when talking BL (citing both as options), that small note could be a great help in getting the word out! :-)
And another thought:
Idea 8: With collections now here in BO, if we actively worked on updating the set inventories (after completing the picture issue - see separate thread on Catalog improvements that is actively being worked), BO could notionally add a future feature comparing your collection to set inventories and advising you what else you can create with those items, create a wishlist of needed items to complete, etc. I recognize this is a key component of another site, but it's something worth considering - the more features that make this approachable to folks, the more traffic we can get. Unsure of the ethics of this, of course (with BO's relationship with that other site), but it is something to consider.
Idea 9: Trade shows/conventions - is there value in any kind of presence at selected cons? Small booth with a few laptops and a PC hooked to a larger screen display that always runs an auto-play site demo? Can help get the word out to folks walking the aisles. I'm thinking cons that are open to all sorts of user-types - newer AFOLs, MOCers, families simply interested in LEGO...
Idea 10: Form relationships with local AFOL groups across the world - I suspect every major city has one. BO can advert there's with a "Connect with Others" page listing them, and they in turn would inform their members of this site, it's instant checkout approach, it's friendly forums, it's pledge to sell LEGO only, and so on. Maybe true AFOL group members get a small discount on BO for their large buys, or some such. (just thinking out loud!) - many people want to support INDEPENDENT sites vs. big corporations.
Where do you draw the line? Chrome parts that LEGO sell or don’t sell, the former would be a forgery. Modified parts? Well that’ll lead to custom 3D printed parts or “no name” knock offs.
There’s always the auction site for all that.
YouTube
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Patreon.
This for me is where to build the presence of Brick Owl. I am often surprised when I comment on a Lego fan Facebook Group at how many of these AFOL's know nothing of Brick Owl. I do my best to drive traffic this way when I can get away with it. Quite often the Admins take down the links because no matter how incredibly helpful I have been to a group member in helping them source spare bricks, pieces and minifigs, they take a dim view and consider us all professionals and thus not worthy. How can we address this with these admins - there's so much opportunity to sell to these groups if the Admins would be more supportive?
I'd add Imugr and TikTok to Idea #12, too - according to my daughter (I do very little social media), that's been hot the past year or two (I think it's short video posts). And my husband is hooked on Imugr (however you spell it).
I'd like to riff a bit more on Idea #5 (MOC Gallery) (as fitbrick's social meda comment ties really well)... if the MOC Gallery went forward, BO can then award "badges" for MOC Sharing and (here comes the marketing point) "MOC of the Week" selected in some way.
Presumes MOC gallery posters consent to allowing BO to use their image for advertising.
This gives BO fresh content to post weekly on all social media platforms (in addition to other things they'd want to get out there), highlighting the MOC of the week imagery (with lots of important search tags for webspiders), potentially drive additional traffic.
To be clear, I am in NO WAY representing @Lawrence or BO - this is all just me stirring up discussion and brainstorming... Just curious! :-)
I would definitely volunteer (helping expand BO helps my store - which in turn funds my LEGO love as well as the CCFA donations my store gives)!
However, my interested points would be some not-too-complicated graphic design and research where necessary.
YouTubers is a relatively easy one - the market there is saturated. Jangbricks springs to mind immediately and I have heard him mention Bricklink but never Brick Owl. He does not endorse any companies but I believe he gives credit where it's due.
I'd be happy to be an Admin on a specific Brick Owl Facebook group but obviously the company and name is somebody else's livelihood (@Lawrence) so there are certain risks from his perspective.
I will need to familiarise myself with Imgur and Tik-Tok. I am aware of them, but not of how they work.
I did come up with an Idea #14 - printed marketing materials for San Diego Comic-Con's free table. They have a giant set of tables with "freebies" (mostly marketing stuff) that anyone can add to every year (my husband and kids go every year) - Brickowl could certainly come up with something to add to that free table. People come from all over the world to attend Comic-Con (something like 180-200k people every year) and we'd certainly be happy to add stuff to the table for Brickowl. We used to do that ourselves back when we sold CCG cards years ago and it definitely garnered enough new traffic to more than make it worth the printed material costs for us.
And thank you for responding @fitbricks!!