You’ve got a great product or service, and you’re dying to start selling it to customers. But any successful marketing strategy has one big hurdle to leap: lack of brand awareness.
You can’t start making sales until people know who you are and what you stand for—and you can’t expect that to happen on its own. Here are 5 proactive techniques you can use to increase brand awareness.
Referral programs
Referrals carry more authority than many other types of marketing because they come from a source that many consumers are more likely to trust: other consumers. You can encourage referrals by offering some form of incentive when people recommend your business to others.
It’s best to reward people with something closely related to your business, such as a discount on future orders. Make your referral program as easy to participate in as possible, with a low entry barrier; simplicity is key. Don’t bog things down with a lot of paperwork or by asking for too much personal information.
Creating guest posts
Enlisting the aid of somebody with a larger reach than yours is an excellent way to spread awareness, but you can’t expect to get something for nothing. Try writing guest posts for blogs related to your industry. It’s a win-win situation; you provide blogs with quality content, and they promote it to their audience.
Your brand’s personality should be evident in your guest posts, but remember to stay within the blog’s guidelines. If you establish a strong rapport with the blog’s owner, you might invite them to create a guest blog for you and further reciprocate the relationship.
Speak at a conference
Speaking at a conference allows you both demonstrate your authority and network with potential partners and customers. Note that these sort of opportunities will likely only present themselves after you’ve established yourself as knowledgeable in your particular field.
When preparing your presentation, consider creating custom presentation binders and inserting extra materials that supplement your words. Include your company’s logo and contact information. If you allow audience members to take these binders home with them, they’ll have a lasting reminder of your presentation and how they can reach you.
Hold an event
Whether it’s a huge blowout or a small, informative meetup, events are an excellent way to get your name out to your community. Events are more memorable than many other forms of marketing, so this is a good technique when you want to make a really strong impression.
When planning an event, make sure to leave yourself plenty of time to plot out logistics and do plenty of promotion. This is especially important if this is your first major event since starting the company; first impressions are difficult to change.
Partner with other brands
Two heads are better than one, and the same is true for businesses trying to increase their awareness. Brand partnerships can be wildly diverse. If you need inspiration, take a look at cobranding success stories.
Any good brand partnership is based on mutual benefit, so just like when writing guest posts, focus on what you can do for your partner instead of just the other way around. Above all, make sure you partner with brands whose values and goals align with your own; the wrong brand partner can do much more harm than good.
Getting your name out there can feel a bit like yelling into a void sometimes, but these techniques can give you an advantage. Use them anytime your brand awareness needs a jump start.
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