One of the biggest challenges entrepreneurs currently face is building their brand. The reasons are plenty. First, there are already thousands of brands in every industry. As a result, customers have a wide variety of options to choose from. Second, name recognition usually comes through years upon years of experience, building a stable client base, and even luck. Finally, many entrepreneurs don’t have the necessary financial resources to invest in marketing and advertising.
However, there are still ways in which starting business owners can maximize the level of exposure their brands have. These include an effective online marketing campaign, stunning audiovisuals, and finding the right niche.
The Power of Social Media
Social media can either make or break a new business. With the proliferation of networking apps and digital media platforms, information now travels much faster than before. Thus, managing your brand’s reputation online is now more crucial than ever.
But what is an effective social media marketing campaign? For starters, it gives your brand a clear identity, something potential consumers can relate to. If your business deals with entertainment, it should be fun, appealing, and exciting. Instead, if you are promoting a nursing home, your online media presence should be subdued, somewhat serious, informative, and reliable.
A social media campaign is also a great source of feedback to an organization. It provides companies a chance to communicate directly with their customers. For consumers, it allows them to get involved and voice their opinions. The result is a bigger engagement and the feeling that the company cares.
Audiovisual Impact
The power of video and images cannot be undermined. An image is worth a thousand words. A video might be worth a million. In the rush to “get out there,” many start-ups fail to recognize the importance of a good website, a great logo, a catchy slogan, or a short promotional video.
Many successful brands don’t even need to say their names to be recognized. Everyone knows the logos of Apple and Nike. Few cannot connect “breakfast of champions” with Wheaties cereal.
If your audiovisuals are not up to standard, don’t promote them. Put in the time to make them better, more relevant, and more impactful. It is especially true if you are promoting to a younger audience. Remember, they are not easily impressed and have short attention spans. If they dislike what they see on your site or promotional materials, they will certainly not buy your product.
Finding Your Niche
Not everything is meant for everyone. Even though a lady can buy an electric shaver as a gift for her boyfriend or husband, the target market is men. A flashy cosmetics kit will best serve a clientele of younger women. As such, make sure you know who your audience is. When in doubt, you could ask yourself:
- What kind of person does my product or service best serve?
- As a man or woman, would I be interested in this product?
- Who would be a suitable spokesperson for my brand? More often than not, a brand influencer is very much like the actual consumer.
- Are there any other factors to consider? These include demographics, behaviors, preferences, social status, and family background.
- Is there more than one niche? Does my business have different products for different groups of people?
By taking the time to answer these questions, you will know who to promote to and the best, most convenient, most affordable way to do it.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. And neither will your brand. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to achieve and you shouldn’t put in the effort. So be patient, be consistent. It starts with designing an effective social media campaign, having impressive audiovisuals, and knowing your customers in detail. By doing this, your business will be on the right path to success.
