Getting ahead in business is all about image. Consumers have a choice of more options than ever before in ever-competitive and expanding world of business. It’s no longer a matter of which products are good or even which products are the best, but which brand appears to be the best. When you and your competitors, within your respective industry, are all offering a near-identical range of goods or services, then it’s impossible for potential customers to make a decision based on that online.
Consumers must decide which brand appears to be the most appealing throughout its marketing, presentation and promises, as this is the only way to differentiate between companies and make a purchasing decision. If you’re wondering what your business could be doing to improve its brand image and reel in a larger crowd of potential customers from its target market, then here are some pieces of advice to improve your image.
Look at the competition.
If you want to know what works and what doesn’t work within your industry, then you need to be looking to your competitors. If any of them have achieved success with recent marketing campaigns, you need to be picking out elements which seem to be recurring across the industry, as these are most likely helping other companies within your industry to achieve success. You need to be thinking about what the customers want, and the best way to do that is to simply look at the results.
Internalize your image.
A brand’s image can’t be genuine or believable if it isn’t real. The brand needs to be internal. If you’re portraying your business as a warm, welcoming, enthusiastic and passionate organisation, then your employees need to fit the bill; your company needs to be enthusiastic and passionate within the office as well as on its social media pages. This means not only hiring the right people, but going out of your way as the business owner to ensure that the working environment is vibrant and comfortable whilst also promoting socialising on a personal and business level. Installing a pool table or other quirky things in the break room might help workers unwind on their lunch break and create that relaxed company feel.
Online branding.
Your online image is the most important thing in the modern age. Most of your potential customers will search for goods and services related to your industry online, as it’s far easier than heading off into town or the city. You need to be ensuring that your presence online is noticeable, but also impressive; your website shouldn’t just be using responsive layouts and sleek designs to rank highly on search engines but to entice visitors when they do stumble across your page. Your business could always look into an seo agency, of course, if it is struggling to optimise its website for the best ranking on result pages. The point is that digital marketing is far more important than traditional marketing in the new age.
Direct customer service.
You should be using social media in an engaging, personal manner; the internet isn’t just another platform for your business’ adverts and sleek designs. You could be making direct contact with your customers, whether they’re current or potential, as this will also improve your image and show the business to be reliable, approachable and caring of its customers.
Nigel also contributes to Jerry Mooney Books