Finding ways to get your name in front of consumers in a crowded marketplace isn’t easy. Building brand recognition takes time and consistent effort. Many small business owners find they take two steps forward only to lose traction when a new competitor opens or people move in and out of the area.
According to Invespcro, an existing customer is up to 70% more likely to buy from you, while as few as 5% of new prospects might make a purchase. When people know your brand and trust you, they are much more inclined to hand over their hard-earned money in exchange for what they know will be a valuable item or experience.
But, how do you gain name recognition so people trust you? What is the magic formula that makes your brand stand out from all the others out there? Here are six common pain points businesses face in gaining brand identity and how you can improve yours.
1. Build a Style Guide
Small businesses often struggle to find their voice. You might lack the time and resources to focus on branding and marketing. Most entrepreneurs wear many different hats, but some things get pushed to the back burner.
A style guide allows you to bring freelancers and part-time employees into the equation without sacrificing your vision for your image. They can refer to the manual to see how to use the logo, sizing and placement. You can include elements such as your brand’s voice, the color palette and even which fonts to use.
A style guide keeps anyone who works on your branding on the same page. It gives users a consistent experience over time.
2. Highlight Your Strengths
When marketing your business, you should highlight the strengths you offer. Think about how buying from you benefits the consumer. Your point of differentiation drives customers to you and causes current clients to recommend you to others.
Even in highly competitive fields, you’ll find you do something better than other companies. Perhaps you customize the product. Maybe your customer service is the best around. Think about what the unique value proposition is for your brand and showcase it in your advertising.
3. Know Customers’ Language
You’ve likely heard the advice to know your target audience. The better you understand your typical customer, the easier it will be to speak to them in the language they love.
If you market to college-aged consumers, you’ll want to be up on the latest terms they use. At the same time, don’t go too trendy. Talking about how a new product is “wig” might sound great at the moment, but slang dates itself quickly, and you’ll lose a lot of traction with the very people you’re trying to reach.
Be careful you don’t use industry terms or lofty language. If someone needs a dictionary to figure out your message, choose a different syntax.
4. Improve Customer Experience
People may not remember your tagline, logo or even the name of your store. What they will remember is how you made them feel. Has a friend ever told you to try the new bakery on the corner because they are super friendly there? Maybe they couldn’t remember the name, but you knew where to go because they gave you the location.
While you do want customers to remember your name at some point, your first challenge is getting them in the door or to your website. Seek to offer the best CX possible, and you’ll achieve recognition faster.
Excellent CX comes from embracing a customer-first philosophy. You’ll want to greet people, go above and beyond to meet their needs and follow up after the sale.
5. Strive for Consistency
The State of Brand Consistency Report looks at input from more than 200 organizations. Researchers found consistency increases revenue by 33% and leads to more customer appreciation.
As your company grows, it’s easy to chase down rabbit trails and change your outward appearance. It’s vital to know your brand’s core values, so you stay true to yourself and present a consistent image.
The style guide helps some, but you also have to run every policy and new venture through the filter of what you want to achieve with your company. The more consistent you are in your presentation, the more users will come to trust you.
6. Perfect Your Marketing Budget
Building name recognition takes time and effort. Small businesses often have tiny marketing budgets. You must find ways to get the word out without spending a lot of money.
Start by analyzing the branding efforts you’ve used in the past. What has been successful in bringing you the most traction? If you aren’t sure, continue with current promotions and add tracking features such as individual landing pages and coupon codes.
Once you have an idea of the things working to bring more customers your way, increase those efforts. Anything not adding visibility must go. Replace the items you remove with new measures, such as social media posts, website content and hosting local events.
Involve Your Customers
You can accomplish brand recognition with a shoestring budget. You should enlist the help of your loyal patrons, turning them into brand ambassadors. Start a referral program, stay true to your values and never miss an opportunity to get the word out about what you do.
Your customers are your number one method to increase your visibility. Ask for their help. You’ll be surprised how many want to see you succeed but aren’t sure where to start. Give them the tools and push to help you along the way and watch your profits soar.
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