In 1998, Google became an incorporated company. Nearly two decades later, the local business world has obviously recognized the value of showing up on this giant. It appears they’ve finally realized that consumers have traded in their phone books for iPhones and only search for what they need there. So how do you stand out as a business? Beyond utilizing SEO to show up (something we’ll talk about quite a bit on this blog as well), the simple answer is branding.
Branding helps you stand out in a sea of competitors. When done well, it builds more trust and authority for your business, making it easier not only to convert prospects into customers but also to charge higher prices while doing it.
To brand your business successfully, you need to contemplate several important variables. To start, you will want to develop a logo, preferably one with an original symbol. This symbol can become synonymous with your brand and should help your customers understand who you are.
In branding, consistency is key. One of the greater brand marketing sins is to keep shifting your businesses identity like a chameleon. When you change your identities colors, fonts or symbols, it's confusing to the customer and breaks trust. We all like what we know. So if you do find the need to change your brand, let them know you’ve shifted and roll that new identity out with purpose.
Websites play an essential part in branding. Any local company that is serious must buy a professional website where all the useful information that the visitors may want is available. The site must boast the business's theme, colors, the symbol and another info which will already be regarding the website. One could also argue that the tone in which you speak and the message conveyed on your site is a part of your branding as well.
To boost the brand of your local company, become active in the local communities. Attend gatherings, and no, you do not have to wait constantly for an invitation. It is possible to either simply make an appearance on the exact date of the function, particularly when it touches in your line of business. Or, you can request an invite. Attending these type of events occasionally isn’t enough. You must be consistent. Which brings me to my next point - social media.
Social media is a huge branding tool. You get to speak to your customers on a regular basis through sites like Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, Pinterest, and Tumblr. You can help them learn more about your company, who it’s helped, and how it can benefit them. You can help your customers identify and grow closer through your brand via social media. Just please know this isn’t a tool for sales. It’s a tool for exposure. Use it to remind your followers that you’re around and to help build a positive image for your company. If you insist on selling through social media, do it extremely sparingly (1 out of 10 posts, and in a round about way).
Actively applying all of the above will not only make your company more likable, but it also builds trust and authority for your brand, which as I mentioned before, raises sales conversions and allows you to charge premium fees. Naturally, this is only scratching the surface, so if you want to learn more about branding your local business, feel free to bookmark this blog and check back often for more articles or contact the author to find out more about our services.
Also, here are a few more tips from a fellow brander.
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