One of the most important things you need if you want to run a successful business is brand recognition. People have to know you exist. This is typically accomplished through branding and marketing methods that introduce your company to a target demographic, align organizational messaging with core values, and put your brand in front of a relevant audience. The good news is that these approaches are all attainable. When you begin to employ them, you’ll see how quickly awareness spreads. To get started, consider these six key strategies to help your business develop brand recognition.
1. Create a Compelling Name and Logo
The first step of brand awareness is coming up with a name that is likely to stick with people and a logo that is a reflection of your company. These aspects are essential to long-lasting recall, so take the time you need to get it right. The caveat here is not to get stuck in this process, though. Otherwise, you’ll never get off the ground.
What’s most important is that the name of your business and its logo reflect who you are, what you do, and your core values. You’ll want your business name to be easy to remember, first and foremost. A little creativity certainly doesn’t hurt. A logo becomes the face of your company. It should make a statement, but that doesn’t mean it needs to be fancy or complicated. A simple wordmark can be quite effective.
2. Develop a Consistent Brand Voice
In addition to having a logo that is recognizable and easy to associate with your company, the voice of your brand matters as well. Your brand voice is essentially the way your business personality shows up across media. It should remain consistent whether you’re communicating through blog posts, social media updates, emails, or advertisements. Like your name and logo, your brand voice should reflect who your business is. For instance, a bank would likely have a serious and formal voice. An amusement park should come across as thrilling, adventurous, and fun.
3. Use Story to Make Connections
It should be your goal to connect with potential customers to make an impression. People typically want to trust a company before handing over their money. One purposeful way to build trust is to engage in a relatable way. Stories are powerful, and they can truly make an impact. Don’t be afraid to show a human side. When people know your story, they’re likely to feel a personal attachment to your brand and become more invested.
4. Go Where Your Audience Is
In order to tell your story and begin to engage with potential buyers, you’ll need to find them. What this means is that your marketing efforts should be aimed at the places your ideal audiences frequent, both digitally and physically. Some tips to get you started may be to start a blog and provide a useful incentive to get people to sign up for your email list.
Once you have their email, you can send a regular newsletter with information and promotions that put your business right in their inboxes. On the other hand, direct mail marketing gets your message into the homes of relevant consumers and has been proven to be quite effective at generating brand recall.
5. Share Useful Content Regularly
Content marketing via blogging, social media channels, guest posting, and podcast presence not only provides opportunities to be seen and get noticed, but it can also position your brand as an expert. Again, people are more willing to buy from companies they trust. If you provide regular and useful information, you’re likely making substantial strides toward earning that trust.
6. Engage with Your Audience
Another way to put a human face to your company and gain better brand recognition is to engage frequently with your clients. Always respond expediently to your social media followers. Run contests or ask for user-generated content to get people involved with and talking about your brand. Keep sharing useful and interesting content. Collaborate with influencers for further reach.
Bottom Line
Hopefully, you’re excited to start implementing these strategies in your brand recognition efforts. With time and consistency, you’ll soon have people talking about what you have to offer.