Get Off the Ground Running - Branding Tips for Startups

One of the most important things you can do when you start up a new business of any kind is to develop your brand.

13:55 25 April 2016

Your goal should be to become recognisable by your name as well as your product line, and even discounts and cheap prices won’t do as much for your success as brand will do. Consumers of today are tired of nameless, faceless companies and are looking to engage with the brands they do business with. Want to engage your audience? Developing your brand is the very first step.

Step One of Developing Your Brand – Trust

There are literally tens of thousands of businesses out there that come and go every single year. It’s hard to trust a new business if you can’t be assured they’ll be there tomorrow or the day after. What about online merchants? One of the biggest deterrents to building trust is a poorly developed or intermittently inaccessible website. Once you are ready to make the commitment to launch an e-commerce site, make absolutely certain you have a good presentation and reliable hosting. Check this site out for proof that you really can get cheap web hosting that is guaranteed to be live 99.999% of the time.

Build a Strong Social Network

One of the easiest ways to develop your brand is to go social. Build a strong social network with hundreds, if not thousands, of followers. This will take some work so be sure to set aside at least an hour each and every day to post on Facebook, or Tweet away on Twitter. They don’t need to be long posts but they should be well thought out and you can even post sales or specials you are having. However, it isn’t all about you because your followers want to be heard. They want to know that they matter, so make sure to respond to as many comments as possible. If you don’t want to be just another nameless, faceless brand that will fade into oblivion, engage your audience through social media.

Have You Considered Direct Marketing at Live Events?

You may not have a brick-and-mortar storefront but you can still get out there and mingle with your potential customer base. Many online vendors have taken up direct marketing at industry events. If there is a show or conference in your area dealing with any aspect of your niche, set up a booth. Get out there and let them see who you are, what you have and how your product line can benefit them. Or, you can hire a marketing firm that will be your face at these events. They will take your products live, demonstrate them, talk to people as they pass and build a huge contact list that you can follow up on.

 

Remember, consumers want to know you and the quickest and most effective way to do that is to build a strong brand. Whether you deal directly with your customers face-to-face or are a faceless entity on the other end of cyberspace, they want to know you. Get out there – get social and engage.