(Newswire.net — July 22, 2020) — Running a business is hard work. Between scheduling employees, keeping your budget under control, and crafting a killer marketing plan, it can seem like you have way too much on your plate at times.
Given the fact that almost fifty percent of all small businesses fail within the first five years of operation, it can seem that the odds are not in your favor. What many business owners fail to place emphasis as they start is building their brand.
What is building a brand?
An effective branding strategy is going to give you an edge over your competition. Basically, abrand is a way of presenting your business that makes it recognizable to potential customers. Catch phrases, slogans, logos, web design, and advertising campaigns work together to tell your potential audience more about you and what you offer just by viewing your brand.
A brand is a promise to your customer; it tells the customer what they can expect from your products and services, as well as what makes you different—and better—than your competitors. McDonald’s has a multi-billion dollar per year profit on their fast food offerings because their brand is solid, recognizable, and people “are lovin it”. The more recognizable and accepted you can make your brand, the more success you will have in attracting customers.
How can I build my brand?
Whether you have a physical location or an online store, whether you are internet savvy or you have no idea where to start, there are some steps that you can take to build your brand—-first in your immediate area, then outward as you expand your circle of influence. Follow these simple tips for building brand awareness and just watch those sales stream in!
1. Dress the part
Have you picked brand colors? Do your website logo and store sign match in their vibrance and in what they are communicating? Consider making the investment in a shirt or other item of clothing that contains your logo and brand colors; wear it when you are out and about making sales calls, dropping off products, or even going to the grocery store. You’re making an impression on others whether you know it or not; present a united front by using colors and logos on the professional clothing you wear, and you are communicating that you have all of your stuff together.
2. Create a Google page for your business
Never underestimate the power of a good search engine. Whether you are a brick-and-mortar business or you simply have services to offer your clients, you can easily list your address and get ranked according to placement on Google Maps and Google Business. You’ve just taken a giant step toward some serious SEO rankings.
3. Utilize social media outlets
Our big, wide world has gotten progressively smaller with our increased connectivity. It is not uncommon to have the opportunity to connect with others across the globe via your website, Facebook, and other social media outlets. At this point, social media accounts are still largely free for anyone to use; what a powerful marketing tool if you were to place a simple post and drive additional traffic to your website? With a few minutes of setup and maintenance per day, you’ve just opened your audience up to all of those social media users that are strolling through posts in their spare time. The power of this persuasive advertising could cause exponential growth for you and your business.
4. Start a blog
You may not be great with the words, but there are hundreds of blogging professionals out there that you can employ to provide a more intimate look into your business. Posting relevant, high-quality text and related images to your site regularly will drive you higher in search enging rankings, and it will also provide information of value to potential customers. Establishing yourself as an industry expert will keep those hungry customers coming back for more.
5. Create and push out video marketing
Customers are ten times more likely to remember a video tutorial than they are an email text; giving them practical advice on how to best use your products and services will make you a preferred expert in your niche, someone that people will remember long after they’ve shut down their Yahoo mail for the day. Tie your video tutorials into blog posts and your social media accounts, and you have the perfect recipe for successful business branding.
6. Consider a vehicle wrap……or wraps
One simple and effective way to advertise yourself and your business is by putting your logo and business name on your vehicle. Add a monetary incentive for those employees who are also willing to wrap their vehicle with your business brand and logo, and everywhere you go, you’ll be potentially gaining more “traffic” for your website. Consistency with logo, website, and vehicle wrap design will seamlessly communicate to potential customers that you mean business, and you are here to serve the community.
These simple yet effective ways of branding your business, if applied consistently, will have more people streaming to you in no time. If you do not have a subordinate specialist, you can hire this branding agency or another. Put some thought into your design, your logo, and what you wish to communicate to customers, and you’ll be on your way to building a loyal base of satisfied patrons that will do business with you for years to come.