Not everyone has the ability to spend
millions on advertising and become a
household name. Especially when you're just
starting out, but you do want customers to
remember your brand first whenever they
think about a product you make. So how do
you brand yourself like Coke, Nike, Yahoo,
KFC, or Dell? Here are 3 easy ways to put
your brand in the minds of your customers.
1. Brand your small business online
presence. Whatever your company name is, you
should also have the .com name. If you run a
real-world brick and mortar location named
say... Last Drop Coffee Shop, then you
should also register lastdrop.com and
lastdropcoffeeshop.com. Even if you just put
up an informational website rather then
selling coffee online, having the extra
facet to your brand name can only help.
If you are a self-proprietor, or hold a
position such as realtor or insurance agent.
You should have yourname.com. Some companies
may give you web space like companyname/yourname.com,
but if you need people to remember your name
then register it as a domain, and slap it on
your business cards.
2. Get your small business on promotional
items that people use every day. Giving out
calendars, pens, notepads, coffee mugs,
clocks, or calculators with your brand on
them is a great way to be remembered. Most
people don't staple your business card to
the wall, but a good-looking calendar can be
in front of a customer 365 days a year.
When buying promotional items, think
about the things you use often. Try to be
different too, if you give out pens use high
quality ones, not a cheap one that will get
thrown away.
3. If you can't tell the world about your
small business, at least tell your neighbor.
Look at your local market first. For the
cost of putting your name in front of every
person in the state, you could get your name
in front of everyone in your town dozens of
times, and repetition is the key. No one
remembers the things they hear once;
everyone remembers something repeated every
day.
For the cost of one super bowl
commercial, your businesses commercial could
be played 20 times a day, for a full year in
front of a local market.
There is an almost endless source of
local marketing for your small business.
Local newspapers, radio stations, phone
books. Also check out more unconventional
spaces. How about a banner on the left field
wall of your local minor league team, or a
press release in a regional journal.
When figuring out how to brand your
business, try looking through the eyes of
the customer first. Where do they look when
they want your product? Do you sell
something consumable, when will the need to
purchase again, and what's the best way to
keep your business name in front of them. Be
creative. Find more information on small
business needs at
Small Business
About The Author: Adam K has been
involved in business advertising and
marketing for 11 years, and has help
businesses from fast food to fine dining and
schools to social clubs make a name for
themselves across the United States.
His small business site for articles,
information, links, latest news and more can
be found at.
emazin.com/small-business |