Building a strong brand is a vital aspect of any successful business. It is an integral part of effective marketing strategy and can deliver significant benefits in the long run. However, small businesses often simply don’t have the capacity or budget for sophisticated marketing efforts and advertising campaigns, which leads to them putting brand development on hold.
Here are five practical and cost effective ways of getting your business name out there:
- Social Media is Important
Social media has been instrumental for building brand awareness for businesses of all sizes over the past few years. However, not all companies get it right. It is not enough to just be on social media – you have to actively engage with your target audience. Who you target is just as important as what you are trying to communicate to them. Make sure to know who your audience is and adjust the message accordingly.
- Encourage Feedback
Building a strong brand is not possible without having a stellar reputation. Over 90% of consumers read reviews at least occasionally before going ahead with the purchase, meaning it is incredibly important not to only have good reviews, but also encouraging people to write them. Considering the fact that the study found that 7 out of 10 consumers will leave a review for a business if they are asked, businesses should be more active seeking feedback from their customers.
- Develop Content Marketing Strategy
Phrase “Content is King” has never been more relevant in the business community than it is today. By providing consumers with unique content, you effectively develop value proposition, which your competitors don’t have. Tied together with your channel strategy, you can obtain a very powerful marketing tool, which you can use to build your reputation and your brand.
Take a look at our guide to building content marketing strategy here.
- Local Participation
Giving back to your community is a great way of developing a positive brand and PR image. Sponsoring local charities or sports teams doesn’t have to be expensive and can be quite effective at getting your name out there, especially if it is for a good cause.
- Networking
The most conventional but still very much so effective way of promoting your name is to simply talk about it. Conferences and Expos are great for reaching large number of people, who are interested in hearing about your business. Whats even more important, you have the ability to introduce yourself to other companies and industry experts, which might result in very beneficial business ventures and partnerships.
Check out this infographic below for some visual aid:
