Starting and running a business is kind of a big deal. Not every brand will be successful and not everyone is designed for entrepreneurship, this may sound harsh, but it’s reality. Growing a business requires you to lace up those shoes, sorry no Velcro allowed. Interested in knowing what all successful brands have in common, keep reading.
1. Awareness
Knowing your target audience is half the battle. If you want to grow your brand, it’s important to know who you best serve. Who will benefit from working with you or buying your product? Don’t be shy in letting people know what problem you solve. Unless you’re a large superstore, you are going to have a specific target audience and you have to be clear on who fits in that box.
Trying to appeal to the masses will quickly dilute your brand causing confusion among your target audience and reduced earning potential. If you are a new business, it’s recommended to start with a smaller range of products or services and as you grow, you can add onto your list of offerings.
2. What’s Your Story
Great brands know how to be memorable and relate-able. People love a great story, don’t be afraid to share your story with your audience. Keep an eye out for a future blog on how you can deliver your story.
3. Brand Identity
A successful brand knows where they fit in their industry. It’s important for you to know and showcase to your audience how you are different from the competitor. What is it that you offer that no one else does? This doesn’t have to just be your product or service; it could be how you interact with your audience, how you deliver your offer or an added personal touch.
4. Consistency
No one likes instability. Staying consistent can be really difficult especially for brands or companies that feel as though all of their hard work is going unnoticed. You have to stick it out and keep pushing your agenda if you want to see growth. We want to know that if we invest time, energy and money in supporting you, that you’ll be here tomorrow.
5. Audience Participation
Get your followers involved. Deep down we all like to feel as if we’re a part of something amazing. You’ll notice that brands like Nike and Starbucks are always having online contests to get their followers engaged. Don’t leave them out of the conversation.
6. Simplicity
Don’t over complicate things. Your message needs to be as simple and as clutter free as possible. When people look at your brand, they shouldn’t have to think deep within themselves to understand or uncover some underlying message.
7. A Supporting Cast
No brand can grow without the help of a supportive team. We all feel like we can be a one person show, but in reality, to expand, you need help. There has to be someone behind the scenes helping to mange your social media profiles, managing your email lists, sending out newsletters, etc. while you’re out there being the face of your brand. Not having a budget for employees is not an excuse; you can always use interns or virtual assistants.
As always, I hope that this article has been helpful. Have questions or thoughts you’d like to share, don’t be shy, leave them in the comments section below.
To Your Success,
