It’s not easy to create a memorable brand people will recognize. It’s the monster companies like Amazon and Apple that tend to rule in their respective markets. However, even the smallest business can create a name for itself and become the go-to business customers think of first. Remember, even the most recognizable brands had to start somewhere.
You’re no different from them in this respect. We’re here to tell you, you can build brand awareness and become the company your ideal customers think of when they need whatever it is you sell. Here we share six innovative marketing tactics to increase brand awareness and create a unique personality that resonates with your target audience.
1. Advertise… Offline
Advertising is a given, but to make your brand stand out, you need to do something different. Offline advertising still holds clout, especially for smaller, local businesses. You know that guy, the face of that grinning real estate agent you see on every bus stop bench? He’s local, he’s well-known, and if he’s lucky, he’s trusted. Advertising offline brings a lot of value to your brand equity because you exist in the real world, not just on a glowing computer or phone screen.
While the bus stop bench is an example of offline advertising, you can get involved in some really grassroots approaches that make you recognizable in your community. It’s the little door hanger menu people find when they come home too tired and hungry to cook or advertising landscaping services in an area where perfectly manicured lawns increase house values. It’s the poster hung in the windows of other local businesses that increases trust.
It can also be your brand on the soccer uniforms of a local kid’s team or a charity drive you run every holiday season to collect food. These are the types of advertising tactics that build brand awareness as they create a personality that exudes generosity, helpfulness, kindness, community spirit, and friendship amongst the business community.
2. Encourage Referrals
Referral programs rely on good old-fashioned word of mouth, with customers telling other customers about how great you are. This is important to brand awareness because it helps build trust. People are always more likely to choose a brand their friends, family or co-workers are willing to recommend, and with a referral program, you increase this power. You can offer referral incentives, such as discounts on the next purchase, free products or services, exclusive offers, etc. You build a customer base that requires less investment in advertising, so any money invested in incentives provides an impressive ROI.
3. Participate In or Create Events
This might seem so old school, but as with our offline recommendations, it’s all about that boots-on-the-ground, guerilla grassroots approach to spreading the word about your brand. The key is to align yourself with events that make sense for your brand and that will also reach a larger percentage of your target audience. You reach more people at once and ensure the right people can interact with your brand in a more meaningful way.
For example, if you run a veterinary office and participate in a local pet adoption drive, you demonstrate your commitment to animal well-being and meet people in the area who share that commitment. If you sell fitness gear and you participate in a local fun run, you show your lifestyle is the same as your customers and create a sense of camaraderie. Sponsorship of local teams also creates goodwill in the community and works for almost any brand.
Considering the importance of social responsibility for brands today, event participation and sponsorships offer ample opportunity to enhance your public image with the things that mean the most to your brand. But it is not just community events. If your business is not reliant on local customers, you can increase exposure through events such as sponsoring a noteworthy industry podcast. So, while supporting charitable events is important, being involved in high-profile industry events establishes brand authority and increases brand recognition.
4. Remain Relevant
You yourself have to remain aware of what’s going on in your industry. Nothing is worse than a brand that rests on its laurels and fails to understand what’s going on around them. You should be very involved in ongoing learning, following industry leaders, reading up on trending blogs, and keeping up with news related to your industry. If you don’t do this, you will lose touch with your audience and fail to remain relevant in your own industry. This not only helps you remain relevant but also provides plenty of fodder for building your content and social presence.
You can post the latest news, amusing stories, videos and more to show you are in touch with your industry and customers. It also offers insight into changing marketing trends so you don’t miss the boat on the most effective ways to reach new audiences. Do you want to be the Mr. T of your industry, still wearing the gold chains and mohawk in 2023, or someone more like JLo, who continues to change and set new trends?
5. Keep Things Social
This might seem obvious, but it’s all about how you use social media that counts. As the name implies, “social” media is about connecting with other like-minded people and building relationships. It’s like the slow burn of brand awareness, allowing you to create a persona that becomes more and more recognizable to your audience. The more effective you are at creating that personality, the more reach you’ll see among your audience.
This is the place where you explain who you are, why your products exist, how they came about, the things that are important to you, and reveal the unique personality traits that make your brand your brand. It should never be about blatant sales but instead about consumer awareness and relationship building. You have to earn trust and understand being followed is actually a privilege. It isn’t just about posts but also engagement and ensuring you remain engaged in what your followers have to say. Responding to comments, sharing posts and following other accounts keeps you present and involved on social media. This is one of the best ways to communicate with your customers and followers. To boost your reach, you can also invest in paid social media ads so you can increase brand awareness even faster. You can also increase street cred by working with influencers and getting mentions or endorsements from the people who have a direct impact on consumer behavior.
6. Improve Content
Content tells people more about your brand and what makes it better than the rest. It creates an ongoing narrative to engage your audience while sharing more intimate details about your brand personality and how you came to be. Whether you blog, create videos, share easy-to-read infographics, or seek out guest blogging opportunities with other authoritative brands, your content must remain a constant drumbeat that brings you closer to your target audience.
The more focused you are on inventive tactics to build brand awareness, the more you stand out. Your goal is to find better ways to make connections and build longer-lasting relationships that organically lead to more and more recognition with the right people.
It might seem overwhelming to begin the process of developing a marketing plan. Hopefully, we’ve helped identify some ways to build brand awareness into your plan. If you need a little help building a marketing plan, we’re happy to chat.
