If you feel like your brand is old news and outdated, it may be time to make a few changes. Our world is incredibly fast-paced and is constantly reinventing itself so in order to be relevant, you have to be able to keep up. Read on for tips and tricks to make your brand more relevant and exciting in today’s world.
Never Be Afraid to Change
The first thing you have to do in order to stay relevant is to be willing to change and adapt. The world keeps evolving and so must you. Instead of fearing change, embrace it. Let it make your company bigger and better. You must be willing to take a chance. The things you try may or may not work out, but you will learn how to better lead your company into a changing world by your failures and successes.
Take a Stance That Matters to You
The rising generation is consistently impressed by brands that give back to the community. If you don’t already, find a cause that you support and donate your time or money to the non-profit. Optionally, you can start your own non-profit organization as a branch off of your company and give it a small budget every year. Make sure that you let your customers or clients know how you give back to the community by publishing stories about your philanthropy on social media and in your company newsletters.
Do Your Audience Research
In order to sell to your target audience, you have to understand them. You need to understand what they want, what they need, what kinds of activities they’re involved in, what types of things they connect to, etc. Take some time to do quality market research so that you can understand your customers. Conduct interviews, surveys, focus groups and take a look at secondary research to get a better grasp of your customer’s needs and wants.
Make Your Branding Materials Stand Out
When you are adapting your brand, it’s important to remember that there are thousands of similar companies that may be competing for the attention of your same audience. As such, the worst thing you can do is strive for the lowest common denominator and do what everyone else is doing. All of your branding materials should have a unique element that helps them stand out. To help you think about how to do this, here’s an informative article about how to make your business signage stand out.
Align Yourself with Innovation
As a society, we are constantly seeking innovation. If you can invent something new, or even just re-invent the products you already sell, you will make a mark with your customer base. Sit down with a group of your brightest employees and have a think tank meeting to see what you can come up with that is new and exciting.
Utilize Social Media More
Our world is incredibly connected through the internet and social media. If you do not have an account on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, Google Plus, etc. you are missing a lot of marketing potential. Use social media to put your brand in front of your customers every day. Learn how to boost a post on each social media platform, and how to share engaging content with your consumers. If you are unsure of how to use social media as a marketing tool, you can take a seminar online, or you can hire a social media specialist.
Think of Your Branding Like Entertainment
You don’t need to get up on your desk and dance like a ballerina, but you do have to keep your brand buzzworthy. People need to be able to talk about what you are doing without talking about the same old news. Have regular events, product launches, contests, announcements, and more to keep people asking “What will they do next?!”
Every Brand Is a Story: Tell Yours!
We as humans connect to stories. We want to hear inspirational stories, touching stories, stories of people, etc. If you have success stories with your brand, share them. Don’t be afraid to share the story of your company as well. Where did you start, where have you been, and where are you going? You can also tell your employees’ stories as well, as the real people behind our favorite brands are more compelling than a cold corporate face. The most important thing is to be authentic.