Published Thursday, October 31, 2019
The idea of an, “If you build it, they will come,” approach to starting or growing your business is tempting to believe but almost never true. If your business relies on community members to be customers or clients, taking real steps to ensure the locals know you exist is vital.
You've worked so hard on your business, and giving your brand the attention it deserves is important. Today, we’re sharing some of our favorite strategies that might work for you.
Your brand isn’t just your name and logo. Advertising guru David Ogilvy defines brand as “the intangible sum of a product’s attributes.” It’s the way that your business is perceived by anyone who comes across it.
A helpful exercise that MatchBOX cofounder and 10 IN HOUSE Strategy & Design owner Jason Tennenhouse suggests is imagining your brand as a person, Feeling adventurous? Give it a human name:
What does it look and sound like?
How does it dress and talk?
Where does it shop and eat and who are its friends?
Can you answer these questions, and do you like the “person” you’re imagining?
Perhaps showing up where they are means meeting their needs before they become customers. Does your demographic need something that you can help them with as a first-interaction with leaves them feeling like you offered something of value?
Hosting a workshop, office-hours, or a free consultation could give you face time to build rapport and give you cred as a business that's genuinely interested in helping your customers or clients problem-solve.
That's where loyalty comes from.
Understand your demographic and then meet them where they are.
Are your customers parents of young children? Get your logo on the back a local soccer or basketball team’s jerseys.
Small businesses? Join or sponsor MatchBOX or a BNI group.
You can be a title sponsor for a fundraising event, host a food drive for Food Finders, or have your logo placed on the rink-walls at the next Lafayette Roller Derby event. Being thoughtful and intentional about what you put your name on will increase awareness and visibility, and let the community know that you care about the good work that's happening in Greater Lafayette.
