As a business owner you know that it takes a lot of perseverance to get your business growing. You can get started, but you can’t just start a business and leave it the way you began. Having grand plans means that you have to consider how you want your business to take shape and for that, you have to have a growth plan and strategy.
Without this plan, you’re going to be putting in a lot of effort and time with very little return on that effort. You need to ensure that you dedicate yourself to the cause of business growth and watch how you can shape the future of your business as a result. You want to make sure that you have more loyal customers, better profits and the right recognition for the brand you’ve got. For that to work, you need to learn how to lean on your branding to really grow your business the right way. So, with this in mind we’ve got ten ways to do just that!
- Start with deep-diving into your target audience. Do you know who your target audience is? If you don’t, your branding strategy really isn’t going to work. Who are you aiming to impress? What do they come to your business for? These are important questions because it defines your buyer persona. If you know what that is, you’re going to learn more about your customers and then when you engage a Shopify Plus Agency, you can ensure that they know your customer, too. The key here is being able to tell everyone else all about who your branding is designed to impress so that they can elevate your brand and scale up.
- Show – not tell. One of the most important things to do with your brand is to show what you do best rather than talk about it. You can talk all about how amazing your brand is and what it can do but that doesn’t prove your story. Focus on what your brand can do and then lean into that by showing it off. Whatever it is that sets you apart from the rest of your industry should be something you push to the forefront of your messaging.
- Make sure that you have some standards. Your branding strategies are supposed to be honest and correct, not a bunch of lies that you try to push to others. You want to create a true and lasting impression and a part of that will be in ensuring that your message is always consistent and ready to go. You want an all-encompassing standard for your branding; that’s how it gets noticed.
- Look for loyalty. Your customers are going to show your brand some loyalty but you need that to keep coming, which is why rewards are super important. Customer retention is one of the most important things that you need that will grow your brand and that will help to improve and increase your profits by up to 90%!
- Bring your customers into your strategies. When you are growing a business, you have to get some help from your customers to help you to do it. You need their feedback and opinions and you need that to be constantly incoming. It can be a challenge to get that feedback from your customers but if you are showing that you value their opinions, they will be happy to talk you through what they want from you. Asking your customers to help you with your content can be an innovative way to bring your branding to life.
- Go with influencer marketing. Believe it or not, there’s a good reason to use influencer marketing as part of your branding strategies. Your visibility is what is going to help you to show that you know what you’re doing but if you are buried among all the other brands in your industry you’re going to struggle. Your status matters and the best way to achieve it is to do it with the help of local and international influencers. Your brand growth may depend on their audience and the larger their audience, the more exposure you have!
- Listen to your marketing experts. Who do you have on your team that can really bring your brand to life? Those experts in your marketing department are experts for a reason and that means that you should listen to them if they have suggestions and feedback. You want your brand noticeable and that’s by the consumers and the only way to do that is be the owner that pays real attention!
- Social media who? Are you currently using social media as part of your branding? If you’re not, you should be. It’s one of the most powerful tools at your brand’s disposal and growing your business will rely on social media. Platforms online are going to help you to broaden your reach and hit a whole new customer base. You have the chance to inform people about your brand and what you stand for if you have your social media involved.
- Cross the streams. The Ghostbusters always talked about not crossing the streams when in a fight because of the electrical interference and how it could hurt them. Branding is – thankfully – free of Slimer and all of the lasers! Instead, you want to use cross-promotional techniques and gain much better exposure. You want to give your brand credibility and this is one of the best ways to do it. Cross promotion is going to get you in front of a new audience without constant investment.
- Ensure that you are actively listening. What are your customers saying about you? Creating the right work environment will help you to engage with both your customers and your audience. Your branding is going to help you to grow your business but if you’re not listening, you’re not going to get anywhere at all. Ensure that you switch on and actively listen, taking in the feedback bad and good, and then watch your business grow from there.
