You've spent all your time planning and building your business, and it's time to let the world know about it. But how do you make sure that people remember you? How do you stand out from the crowd? Your brand is more than just your logo or motto; it's everything that makes your company "you." It's how authentic and trustworthy customers perceive your business to be, which is why branding is so important. Here are some ways to ensure that people won't forget about you:
Focus on what makes your business unique.
You need to be clear about what makes your business unique. It's not enough to just be different from the competition—you have to stand out in a way that people will remember and associate with your brand. Your uniqueness can't just be a one-off, either; it has to be something that comes through consistently across all aspects of your company and its products or services.
First, focus on the strengths of your business—the things you do better than anyone else (or at least as well). This doesn't mean you should ignore customer needs or market trends. But if you're going to differentiate yourself from other companies out there, it has to start with focusing on what makes your offering really shine above the rest.*
Second, don't try too hard when it comes down being “different” instead of simply being authentic.* Focus on making sure everything sticks within the parameters set forth by those strengths.* That means avoiding being all things for all people; finding ways for each individual area within an organization (or department) offer something different than others might offer isn't necessarily bad but doing so from scratch every single time can lead down dangerous roads (like losing focus).
Have a clear value proposition.
Your value proposition can be a sentence or two that explains what you bring to the table. It's what makes people come back to your business over and over again, because it helps them accomplish something specific. If you're a healthcare provider, for example, your value proposition might be "Healing through surgery with minimal pain." Or if you're an accounting firm, it could be "We make tax season less stressful for our clients."
The key here is specificity: How does having surgery at this hospital heal patients? What does having an accountant do for clients during tax season? In both cases, the answers are specific and unique—and therefore memorable.
To create a strong value proposition for yourself or your company:
Be consistent across platforms.
Here's the thing. If you want to be the brand people will remember, you have to be consistent. Consistency means:
Same logo, color scheme and style across platforms
Same tone of voice and messaging across platforms
Same customer service experience across platforms
Share user-generated content.
User-generated content (UGC) is a great way to show your audience that you’re listening and working hard to meet their needs. It also provides an opportunity for them to see how other people are using or enjoying your product or service, which can be very persuasive in encouraging them to make a purchase. Here are some ways you can share UGC:
Share photos of users using your product
Post videos showing how easy it is for customers to use your product
Ask for feedback from customers on how they use your products or services
Keep it simple.
Keep it simple, but not simplistic. Don't overthink it. Don't use too much text or jargon. You don't want your brand identity to look like a jumbled mess of colors and fonts that all compete for attention in a way that makes no sense at all! You just want something simple and easy-to-understand that stays consistent across all mediums—whether digital or print, small business or large corporation—and even across generations if possible (though that's harder).
Provide informative content.
This is the most obvious way to do it, but it's worth mentioning because you're going to want to be consistent in this area. You should provide information often, not just when you need something new to talk about or a way to keep things fresh.
Don't be afraid of talking about your business! Just make sure that what you're saying is helpful and useful for your audience, rather than just a sales pitch (unless they ask for one). And even then, try to keep it short and sweet so that people come back for more content instead of feeling like they've been talked at all day long by someone with an agenda who doesn't care about them personally.
Make your audience feel important.
Examples can include:
Asking for feedback and using it.
Making sure they know you care about them.
Making them feel like they are a VIP.
Giving them special offers, discounts, and opportunities that others don't get
Leave an impression in real life, too.
In addition to being memorable online, you want to be memorable in real life. This means that your logo and signage should stand out, as well as the way you present yourself on social media. You want people to have an idea of what your brand is about and what kind of experience they will have when they interact with you.
Don't forget how important it is for people to find you in their area—whether they're looking for your products or services online or walking into a store. Make sure all the information about where your business can be found (website URL, phone number, etc.) are easy for customers and potential customers who may come across your website through word-of-mouth or other channels (like blogs) to find quickly so that they can connect with you immediately rather than having trouble finding out where exactly they need to go next!
Leave the right impression.
The most important thing to remember when creating your brand is that it's not a one-and-done process. Your brand should be something that evolves over time, reflecting the changes in your business and how you want to present yourself to the world.
If your brand is the personality of your business, then it’s time to start thinking about what makes your business unique. You can do this by focusing on the value you provide or how you stand out from other companies in the same field. You should also make sure that every piece of content you publish fits with this persona so that people will recognize it when they see it again later on down the road. If done correctly, this will help them trust in whatever message they receive from you next time around!
Need help with branding or standing out from the crowd? Bub Marketing can help! Book a consultation with one of our strategists today and learn how you can get the most out of branding with Bub Marketing.
댓글