There is lots involved in creating a brand for your business. You might already have a good idea of what your brand means, have some good quality branding and thought about how you’re going to present it, but these are only part of the story. For your brand to mean something, it has to be recognized by the customer, and this aspect is one of the biggest challenges you’ll have to face. You’ll be pleased to know there are steps you can take to build your brand recognition.
- Social Media Marketing
If you want to increase awareness of your brand, social media has to feature somewhere in the equation. How many people do you know who spend a huge chunk of their day using social media? It’s probably more than a handful of friends and family. If you want to go where consumers hang out, you need to make use of social media channels. Create your own pages and make sure your presence is regular. You can also use social media to add a little human element to your brand.
- Join Forces
A good example of this at work is Pepsi and Coca Cola. Their advertising rivalry was beneficial for both companies. If you join forces with another company, it’s a great way to pool resources and help generate brand awareness. Guest posting is another way of cooperating with others to increase awareness.
- Remember There is a World Offline
We all spend a huge amount of time online, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t still a place for traditional forms of advertising. If you’re a small business, local advertising can be especially valuable. You might also be surprised at how affordable it’s become. Consider hosting an event or holding a party. Provide consumers with a memorable experience, and they’re more likely to remember you. When you’re holding such events, remember to hand out some freebies, preferably those with your brand all over them. A custom magic 8 ball is a good example of a great freebie your potential customers will love.
- Public Relations
Managing how the public perceives your business is a complex art. However, it can also be very useful if you want to build brand awareness. A good example of public relations at its best is press coverage. Think of something that’ll earn you national coverage or aim for a more local appeal if you’re a small business.
- Search Engine Optimization
An ever-increasing number of consumers choose to research their purchases online. They tend to search using keywords that might relate to your product or brand. It’s also been found that they rarely look further than the first page of a search, so that’s where you need your business to be. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) helps to improve your ranking. By finding the keywords or terms that potential customers are searching for, you can develop content that is optimized with these terms.
Get your branding right, and it becomes embedded in people’s lifestyles. So much so that they don’t have to think twice before becoming a customer time and time again.
