As a business owner, building a brand is one of the most important aspects of creating a business plan. The brand that you build for yourself is what shapes the perception of your business and can ultimately determine how well your business does. These days it’s imperative for businesses to have an online presence, and constant communication lines open for their customers. Creating a brand that’s noticeable doesn’t have to be as in-depth as it seems, and is easy to maintain once an identity is created.
Here are 7 virtual branding tips that will help make your business shine:
- Be present on every social media platform that makes sense for your business – Not every platform is needed for every business, but make sure to have a presence on those that do make sense. Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Linkedin are what we suggest focusing on. Be active, make sure to engage with your following, and tailor content to each platform.
- Create a branding kit on Canva or Stencil or Adobe InDesign – In order to establish your brand, you’ll need to create a logo, pick specific fonts, and a color palette. Having these set and used across the board plays a huge part in making sure your brand is noticed. Sites like Canva allow users to save branded profiles that allow for easy creation of graphics and content for your business.
- Find a niche and stick to it – Figure out what it is that you can offer your customers that no one else can. What sets you apart? Once you figure this out, then you’ll be able to focus on a clear direction. Check out our branding questionnaire to help you narrow down your strengths.
- Give your brand a clear voice – Once you’ve found your niche, then creating a voice is simple. Will your brand have an educational tone; will it revolve around story telling or the community? (Tramadol) Decide on a voice and use it to communicate with your customers and social media followers. Communication and engagement is imperative when building a memorable brand.
- Have a website and keep it updated – When it comes time to try out a new business, most consumers turn to the Internet to do research. If your business doesn’t have a website that comes up in the first few search results, that can cause potential customers to question the legitimacy of your company. Build a simple website that is clear and concise about what you have to offer and what types of services or products you have available. Post weekly or monthly blogs to help boost search presence. Feature company news, testimonials, and whatever specials you may be running.
- Send a newsletter – Similar to having an updated website, sending a newsletter (whether weekly, monthly, or seasonally) is a great way to connect with your customers and put yourself top of mind. In these newsletters, be sure to start with an introduction letting your fans know what’s new and what your business has been working on since your last update. Include a special offer or some kind of incentive when possible. Feature your most recent blog or social media posts as easy content.
- Connect with other businesses in your community – Consider joining Facebook groups of like-minded business owners or your local business association. Attend events and do more than just hand out your business card, put in the work and network – this is the best way to be sure that your branding is paying off.
If you’re looking for more on how to work on your virtual branding, take a look at our branding questionnaire. It’s a list of branding and marketing questions put together by Miss Ink to help businesses and professionals to demystify some of what’s going on with their communication efforts. Consider it to be a self-study — there are no right or wrong answers. Think you need a digital marketing expert to personally guide you? Give Miss Ink a call at (305) 537-6465 to schedule a consultation.
