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The Difference Between Brand Recognition and In-Your-Face Promotion
Ninth in a series
How do you push your business without being so pushy that you push customers away? Read on for guidelines for building the right kind of brand recognition, the kind that encourages sales.
When your business was new, you carefully crafted a mission statement, logo, and tagline to express your vision. You displayed that information everywhere, from a simple business card to all forms of digital media. Maybe you even invested in branded shirts or a fancy truck wrap. No doubt, you thought that once all these branding activities were done, you wouldn't need to think about it anymore.
The reality, however, is that you have to work every day at getting your brand in front of people so they recognize you, and more importantly, remember you when they need your product or service.
Studies differ on just how many marketing “touches” it takes before a prospective customer follows up on your Call To Action, but you can probably guess that a number of touches are necessary. Your brand message is competing with an astonishing amount of other information swirling around all the time, but there are people out there who really do want to buy what you are selling. The trick is to be in front of them at the precise moment when they need your product or service. Communicating your message frequently and consistently will greatly improve the chance that your brand will be “top of mind” when prospective customers are ready to make that “buy” decision.
In addition to the logo-emblazoned shirt or truck, face-to-face networking can be one of those marketing “touches.” You’ve never seen a person walk into a room full of potential customers, jump up on a chair, and start yelling about a service or product. But you have probably been pinned down by an aggressive person who shoves their brochure into your hand and begins rattling off every feature of their product. Neither approach is attractive, nor effective.
People prefer to buy from someone they know, someone they like, and someone they trust. That means you want to build a true relationship, which starts with conversation. When approaching someone face-to-face, you verbally introduce yourself and your business, assisted by the visual of that logo shirt or a name tag. It’s common at networking events to be asked about your business, of course, so it makes sense to be prepared with a clear, brief brand message.
To keep someone engaged beyond these pleasantries, you’ll need to offer them something of interest. Maybe you’re lucky enough to be blessed with charm or know how to tell a funny story, but you could also share a piece of professional advice or offer to make a useful introduction. Whatever your tactic, the point is to make a personal connection so you can start building that trust relationship.
Digital networking works the same way. You are still trying to build a relationship so that your prospective customer knows you, likes you, and trusts you. The conversation, however, is on your website, your Google Business Profile, and your social media platforms. These are the places where you tell the story about how your business began, where you introduce your team, and where you explain your mission statement.
To keep the conversation going, you’ll need to post new content regularly and often. And, just like when you are talking face-to-face, it helps to keep your audience engaged by offering them something of interest. The best posting strategy is to mix it up. Pass along an interesting fact one day and share a bit of information about your product another day. Offer content that is useful and educational, punctuated occasionally by something funny or personal.
Keep in mind that this is social media. Bombarding folks with a series of ads is not social and you risk driving prospective customers away before you’ve had the chance to build that trust relationship. Once your audience has tuned out, you’ve lost the opportunity to be “top of mind” when their need for your service arrives.
People love to browse and shop – and buy! But they hate being sold to. Like any relationship, the one between you and your prospective customer needs careful tending to help it grow. By building your business brand the right way, you become a trusted partner rather than a pushy salesman. The Sprocket Website team has a great track record for successful brand-building and we would love to put our experience to work for you. Call us today and let's talk about the right digital marketing plan of action for you and your business.
Read the next post in this series.
Photo by Pressmaster from Pexels
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Kate Gingold
I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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I have been writing a blog with web marketing tips and techniques every other week since 2003. In addition to blogging and client content writing, I write books and a blog on local history.
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