Most small business owners and entrepreneurs hope to grow their businesses to the point where they become a major brand. If not on a national scale then at least on a regional scale. This is, of course, much easier said than done but there are a few strategies that have been used by the big boys and girls that have made these companies into national and global titans. If you want to be big, you have to do big.
- It is certain that you have heard of the concept that it is all in the details. Well, that is one of the most important ways to become a brand name. You must immerse yourself and your marketing teams and firms in the customer experience. You must see what they see when they look at your business. How can you make things more exciting and engaging for them? How can you make it easier for them to buy from you? All of the little things, the tiny details that many overlook, are what add up to one eventual branding storm that will push you to the top. It’s about the tiny steps that will lead them to the conversion.
- Taking the pulse of your customers and potential customers is something the name brands do almost non-stop. Engaging in conversations at your social media platforms is something that needs to be integrated into your overall marketing plan. Surveys are one of the most effective and proven ways to jack your ROI. It allows you to focus on what others think of your brand and how you are perceived with regard to your rivals. Surveys can tell you more about what you’re not doing that what you are doing. If you are not running surveys consistently then you had best get to it.
- Having a logo is nice and can represent an instant symbol potential customers can relate to but you need more than that to climb the ladder to the top of the brand game. You must give greater attention to the visual content you post and you must begin to make greater use of videos and podcasts. Videos and podcasts are your infomercials; they are your way of truly allowing people to see who you are and why they need to buy from you.
- The two final prongs in your branding attack are finding and wooing the influencers and training your people in exceptional customer service. Customer service separates the giants from the also-rans and if you don’t know how to do it, or know what it takes, then go out and find someone that does. Bring them in and train your people so that they are the greatest customer service reps to ever live. The influencers are out there and they are highly effective in recruiting business for you. Many have huge followings, especially at such platforms as Instagram, and one mention from then can send thousands of potential customers to your site.
-Written by Kevin Sawyer
