5 Ways to Strengthen Your Brand Identity
How the Business of Branding Works to Meet Your Sales and Marketing Goals
One of the most important elements in making sales is the ability to build trust and rapport with prospects.
In person it’s easy. You shake hands, strike up a conversation and build a connection.
But online sales are a bit different.
Often times you are doing business with strangers who have never met you. They have doubts about who you are, if you can create the results they are looking for, and if you are specialized enough to understand their needs.
Moreover, today’s consumers are craving more connection and authenticity from companies they do business with.
And this is where business branding comes in.
Your business brand defines who you are. It’s the heart of your business. Branding helps to identify and differentiate your business in the marketplace. It defines and positions your business in order to separate you from a sea of competitors.
Branding creates an emotional connection and turns regular customers into raving fans. But how do you build an effective brand?
Here’s 5 ways to build a business brand that will strengthen your relationship with your target market so they will be more inclined to do business with you:
1) Claim your Niche. It’s really important to define who your perfect customers are. Brands that try to appeal to a wide audience are weak.
Instead, when you define your target market with a specific niche, it allows you to speak more powerfully to their needs.
2) Be the Top Expert. Being a dentist in your home town puts you in the same class as all the other dentists in your area.
But what if you are the top holistic dentist using all-natural products running a “green” dentistry practice? That brand may attract clients from all around the country.
Accentuate your strengths. Claim your title. If you are not the best, you can be the first, the biggest, the #1 trusted choice.
Find a way to set yourself apart as top dog in your industry. Then constantly read, learn and grow to keep your leading edge. When consumers see you as an authority they’ll seek you out.
3) Be a Wow. Seth Godin talks about “Purple Cowing” your business: “Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable”. Offering VIP value to your customers helps you stand out.
Instead of just being an oil change shop, imagine if you have a cappuccino maker, offered a mini back massage, and had a big screen TV within a high-end lounge that customers could wait in. You could charge premium fees for a business with “over the top” service and amenities.
Maybe you offer “freaky fast” service like the Jimmy Johns sandwich chain. Or perhaps you offer personalized services that make your customers feel special.
Do what it takes to stand out from the crowd and be remembered for something your customers will be wowed over. The more you strive to make your existing customers feel special, the more they will tell others about you.
4) Build a Tribe. Create a community your fans can be a part of. Some ways to do that are:
a. Share frequent updates with your fan base on Social Media and in your newsletters.
b. Tell them insider information about future offers, releases or launches.
c. Give them exclusive discounts or gifts with purchase.
d. Reward them for their loyalty. We offer incentives for those who refer others to us.
e. Recognize top fans publicly.
5) Give Back. Want your brand to become legendary? Find ways to give back so your business brand leaves a legacy. Here’s some ideas:
a. Create a scholarship program
b. Align yourself with a nonprofit
c. Get involved in projects in your community
d. Pay it forward on social media
Find your own way to touch the world and leave your mark in a way that only your company can.
Struggling to Define Your Business Brand?
Susan Friesen is the founder of eVision Media, a boutique web development and Digital Marketing firm of over 15 years that specializes in designing, building and marketing professional, unique websites for entrepreneurs, businesses and organizations.