New year, a new decade, and new branding strategies from our team to you.
January, the resolution month, is over. Everybody was rushing to the gym and cutting bad habits. We respect and honor that, but that doesn’t mean the grind just stops. Obviously, we want to resolve some issues you can’t fix at the gym. Off the bat, we’re talking about branding. Yes, we know, it’s not as interesting as it sounds, but with a new year and new decade, it’s time to revamp. Generally, it can be difficult for a local business.
We know that other marketing groups still stick with older styles of marketing. We’re not knocking it, but there are other effective mediums to help your brand. The rule of thumb is to keep your company present to the public. Let’s get into it.
Firstly, let’s talk about the most important part of branding – the audience. Knowing your audience makes or breaks these days. Think about it, who and why is someone looking for your company? Know the scope of your local market. Ask yourself why people love your company, then ask why would they not like it. All of these questions explicitly act as factors for branding. Also, is your local market large enough to house you and your competition?
These simple questions can save you time and headaches in the future. To start, think small then go large and broad. Feeling like you can do this? We know you can because you have FXV Digital Design on your side. Let’s break down some branding strategies.
Profile For Your (Perfect) Client Base
This one we emphatically suggest. Write it down and underline it! A business is only as good as its clients. Any company goal is to meet then exceed their client’s wants and needs. We (companies) work for them (clients) and need their patronage. Who is your client base? What do they want and need from your business? Also, what are the services they want to be performed, their age, etc. etc.. Essentially, you can use these questions to create a survey. Take it a step further, and get email information to gain insight. Once you have this information, basically create the products and services they desire. Still, that’s only one piece that can help.
Let’s discuss the actual branding.
What is the Brand Message?
Generally, people think it’s just slapping a logo on everything and calling it a day. The Chief called, he said that ain’t it. Branding strategies are steeper than logos and a nice motto. Essentially, this goes back to the client base. Create something your audience wants and needs to see. Obviously, that should be more important than a slick logo. Think of it as the headline of news. You need to give them the important stuff, then the sweet details. A checklist of what should be added:
- Intended Audience
- Location
- Service
- Features
Furthermore, that checklist hits the branding out of the park. There is no doubt what your company does, and people can identify who you are and why they need you. From there, let’s talk about your voice and tone.
Tone
Accordingly, the tone of voice is how you share your marketing message. Take FXV Digital Design for example – we give you the goods in a casual, simplistic, and sometimes funny style. We continue this tone of voice because our audience resonates with it. Hence why we continue to be cooler than a popsicle in the freezer during the wintertime. Also, make sure you keep your company’s tone throughout all media outlets. You want to be consistent as possible. When you feel you have your tone mastered, it’s time to step up to values.
Have a Brand that has Values, not a Value Brand
Overall, your audience wants to know where your company stands. Communicate these values to your audience. You may be asking how is that possible? Try listing everything your company values. Align these to your audience. For example, FXV Digital Design loves our veterans, and we continue to serve them as they have served our great country. A post, donations, and some volunteer work go a long way.
Small details like this will show your company you care for your community. Even if a potential customer does not use your services, they may champion your business because of your values. Let’s get into the tech side of these branding strategies.
Local SEO
SEO is everything for a local business. Search engine optimization aka SEO is the digital cheat code. Basically, it takes new information from websites and puts it on search engines like Google ahead of your competition. Generally, search engines want the newest information available. It finds it through keywords and readability. Above all, your website should be peak SEO. Include local keywords that are popular and have posts filled with links. Undoubtedly, it is a grind. The right keywords and experimenting with your formula will take time to perfect the funk. Also, SEO algorithms are subject to change.
Look at Instagram’s algorithm; posts that are 4 days old are sometimes optimized more than recent posts. We mentioned search engines look for fresh material to add. That plays a massive part in branding strategies – content is everything.
Content is King
The Big Cheese, Freddy Vasquez, once said, “As soon as they forget about your business, you’re dead,”. Wise words from a decent man. We know it is nearly impossible to create content every day but consider making some on a schedule. If not possible, hire someone to post content. Perhaps every Friday you share a fun fact, or every Monday you add a new post to Instagram. For a business’ website we endorse a blog.
A blog page is immense for branding and marketing strategies. This is a direct link to your audience. Write about the things they would want to know. Also, write things that interest them, perhaps topics that can tie what your company is about with informative ways of telling the information. We get asked all the time, “what does your company do?” and we answer through all these blog posts. Of course, we have to talk about relationships when it comes to branding strategies.
Partnerships and Relationships
Yes, we know this is about branding. FXV Digital Design thinks these two need two separate paragraphs. Partnerships matter to the highest degree. A partnership can increase your audience for both businesses. Also, establishing partnerships can create work via word of mouth. Another route may be helping local officials and influencers. They have some pull in the community and could earn your company’s trust and loyalty. It’s all about being mutually beneficial. If you are a digital marketing firm, you may basically need a photographer.
So, when it comes time for a photographer to have a client who needs a website and branding consultant, they can offer your company’s services. It is crucial you understand the benefit of those around you. Finally, demonstrate and explain their values and services.
Relationships in a local community emphatically keep your company intact. The local market is what your company is trying to tap into. So, why not build your brand and trust with other local companies? Show these businesses that you’re down with them. We suggest teaming up with other brands that both companies have similar values. Generally, many companies that may have similar values can be found in networking groups in your area. Public opinion and trust make or break a business. Overall, our clients come to us because of our reputation (not to flex our muscles).
Our Final Thoughts
We know these are some tricky tactics to utilize. Not every audience may be on social media, however, that is no excuse. Companies adapt by finding what the target audience media is. The older generations may still use newspapers while the younger generation may use Twitter or Instagram. Finally, it’s important to know that some of these ideas may not work at first. Branding is an ever-changing game. We all have to rethink our marketing to fit local needs. Because of these changes, use certain styles of branding to find an outcome. As always, FXV Digital Design is here to help you create and be great.
Contact us today and let’s talk about how 2020 can be your year. Let’s create something awesome today.