It turns out that more than 60 percent of adults aspire to entrepreneurship. Of course, the entrepreneurial impulse takes on a lot of forms.

Those with programming skills think in terms of tech startups and apps. Chefs think in terms of restaurants.

What if your interest lies in beverages? Maybe you’re a homebrewer who wants to launch a microbrewery. Or, maybe you developed the next big thing in health drinks.

No matter what kind of beverage you dreamed up, you must still navigate the world of beverage marketing. Not sure about the ins and outs of that? Keep reading for our guide to beverage marketing basics. 

Getting Started: Customer Profile

Yes, things like working out your formula, finding a building, and securing a beverage canning machine matter. Yet, when it comes to how to market a beverage, you must figure out your ideal customer.

You can do some of this with focus group testing. You can also take advantage of beverage marketing trends for similar products. Their target customer will resemble your own.

At the end of the day, though, you need a clear picture of your ideal customer’s:

• Age
• Sex
• Income bracket
• Interests
• Buying habits

All of this information lets you craft the right message for the right audience.

Branding

When it comes to innovative beverage marketing, you simply cannot outspend the big players. Coca-Cola dropped about $4 billion in advertising in 2020.

That means you must build a brand that caters to a niche market or uses a very compelling brand story.

The good news is that your beverage probably already caters to a niche market. Whether it’s the microbrew pale ale crowd or gym junkies, you compete on a smaller scale.

You can also pair that with a good brand story. For example, you can talk about what inspired the drink or the company. People like stories, so tell them one.

Word of Mouth

Great food and beverage marketing ideas can help you snag early adopters, but word of mouth is your biggest friend. Make it easy for people to share their opinions on your social media pages. In fact, you should encourage it.

Run contests for the best user-generated content, such as pictures, videos, or memes with your drink. Ask your customers to post the content on their profiles and tag you.

Then, respond with likes or comments. All of their friends see the posts, which can pique interest.

Beverage Marketing and You

Since your beverage marketing cannot match the ad spend of big players, you need a different approach.

Build the most precise customer profile you can to limit the target market. Craft a brand that focuses on a niche market and tells a good brand story.

Do everything you can to encourage word of mouth. Interact on your social media profiles to keep customers engaged. Run contests for user-generated content on social media.

All of this helps you solidify a strong customer base. 

Ready for more marketing advice or business tips? You can find it in our Business section.