Small, local businesses often have trouble making a splash in the marketplace, and nowhere is that more clear than on the web. As the number of businesses goes up, so does the number of websites out there advertising for those companies. And that means it can be difficult to get some recognition for your brand.
Do you need to give your brand a boost? Develop your branding strategy with these three simple tips:
Determine your audience.
First thing’s first: who is your target audience? Which consumers out there do you want to buy what you’re selling? If you’re not clear on whom you want to buy your products, then this is the first step in crafting your best branding strategy. One way to do this may be to come up with customer profiles for each potential demographic or perform some market research of your own.
Develop your products and services.
Already have products and services in mind for your customers? Good. If you don’t, however, now is the time to get serious. Come up with a “menu” of what you offer, so customers will be clear on what they’ll get and how much they’ll pay. In addition to creating awesome products and stellar services for your customer base, make sure that you also place your brand front and center when naming these offerings. In other words, if you run a cafe, you won’t want to give your drinks generic names. Instead think about what you can call your drinks that will set them apart from your competitors. When you think of a “Frappuccino,” for instance, you most likely think of Starbucks rather than your local coffee shop. Even if you only come up with one signature
Use high-quality website design and SEO services.
Once you know who your customers are and what they like, you’ll want to make sure that you have a solid presence on the web. This can not only help you retain customers, who will look to your business as a valuable resource, but it will also allow other businesses to find you. SEO, which stands for search engine optimization, helps you rank higher in Google and other internet searches. (Google is especially valued for taking approximately 65 to 70% of the entire search market share.) Having a high-quality website helps customers stay on the page longer, and it’s ideal to link to your social media accounts, like Facebook and Twitter.
Not so sure about developing your own branding strategy? Be sure to talk to branding strategists and SEO consultants for more information on these services. Have more questions? Leave us a comment. Continue your research here.