Build Your BrandMarketing to Launch Your Companyby Stephanie Creech Screech Marketing
As an entrepreneur, you have a vision. Often that vision translates to your marketing. You may have strong feelings about some components, while others, not so much. Being consistent is essential to building a recognizable brand. Here is what you need to get started...
LogoEvery company needs a logo. Simple or complex, it is the first step to building your brand. Designs evolve, trends and styles change, the same can be said for logos. Key components to consider include: image, font and color. Detailed images are difficult to scale. Serif heavy texts are hard to read. Complicated color will complicate your life.
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Business Cards
Even in today’s digital world, you still need a printed business card for meetings and networking. Your card can be traditional in look and feel, or contemporary, utilizing die cuts. Either way, it’s a necessary piece in building your brand. Ready to go beyond print? Add yourself as a contact in your phone. Include your email, website and social media links. When the opportunity presents itself, it’s an easy way to share all your contact information, and grab someone’s cell number for future correspondence.
Website
Your website is your biggest digital marketing effort. It’s an overview of your company and your product/services. If you have a company, you should have a website. From simple to complex and anywhere in between, website designs keep progressing, so you need to progress with the times. What was new five years ago, looks dull and boring today. Update your website regularly with company highlights, new product announcements, and customer testimonials.
Slide Decks
A Slide Deck is what use to be called a Presentation. A presentation contains slides, hence slide deck. Start-ups looking for money need a Pitch Deck to outline their product, market, business model, competition, team and financials. Launching a platform? Us a slide deck to gauge interest in pre-demo meetings. Are you in a service industry? Use a slide deck to highlight your uniqueness, introduce team members, and outline your offering. Slide decks can transition manually or be automated to run continuously. You can even add video. From Simple to flashy, your options are endless.
Printed Material
Print is not dead. It’s very much alive. Whether it’s a leave behind piece for your sales team, something to hand out at a tradeshow, or a coupon for your customers, printed collateral will help you build your brand. Print in smaller quantities to keep your material fresh and content relevant. Experiment with different sizes and shapes to differentiate yourself from your competitor.
Social Media Channels
To successfully build your social media presence, you need to first identify where your potential clients hang out. Once you identify the best channels to reach your prospects, you need to create a company page. Build your profiles using branded images and concise descriptions. Engage your audience by sharing useful and valuable content. Interact with your followers and anyone who mentions you.
Video – Intro or Product Highlight
The average attention span is about 8 seconds. That doesn’t mean you need to say everything you want in 8 seconds. It means you need to grab someone attention in the first 8 seconds, if you want them to continue to be interested. When it comes to video, 8 seconds is stretched to about 60-80 seconds. Use video to introduce your product or highlight your services. Create training videos for vendors/staff.
Digital Campaign
Email platforms offer a centralized location to build and manage campaigns. They also keep you compliant with CAN-SPAM laws. Integrate with your CRM and manage customer relationships, improve communication, and connect with leads. Connect to your store, and capture order information and automate follow-ups.
Now that you know what you need, it’s time to build your brand. Partner with a small business marketing company to design and execute your plan. Integrate with a CRM to track results and measure your Return on Investment.
