I am sure that like me, you have probably read something and reread it several times to the point where the text all starts to look the same, and it all becomes a blur. For most people, the same thing happens with your business brand. It is your baby; your blood sweat and sometimes tears. You love what you do, and you think your brand image reflects you and your product. Hopefully, it does. Here are ten tips to promote your brand and gain a following.
Open Up
Too often websites and specifically a company’s "About Us" page talks in general terms about the business and not the individual or the heart of the business. People follow, do business and build relationships with people they know and trust. By sharing a little about you, your personality, and your likes it will help to gain a following and connect with like-minded event professionals and clients.
Have an Authentic Voice
“People follow authenticity. They are searching for it,” says Karissa Thacker, psychologist and author of The Art of Authenticity. That's why it's imperative to be yourself, in your writing and social media. Be sure the person you introduce your ideal audience to is the same person they will get on the phone with, and the same person they're going to be working with on the day of their their event. Continue to include little glimpses of you in all you share. You can quickly lose a following if people are not engaged or you consistently go off brand.
Get on Point
Do your business cards, digital signature, collateral material, website, and social media really represent your brand? Is it all designed to attract your target client? It is cohesive and tell your story? If your followers begin to see that you are not living up to your online hype you can quickly lose them. Have a trusted industry colleague, ideally in another wedding market look at your work and share feedback. Family, friends, and staff are not detached enough to give you honest feedback.
Be Your Brand
You are your brand! Like it or not as soon as you walk into a networking event you are being judged. Does your brand have a color palette and are you also incorporating it into your wardrobe to stand out. If you are a luxe brand, do you look polished and upscale? Are you memorable at networking and industry events and not in a good way? Needing a mint, inappropriate language or comments and overindulging are sure fire ways to tarnish your brand and lose your following.
Freshen Up
When was the last time you changed out text and images on your website and online listings? Freshening up your writing and pictures ensures that you stay on brand, but it also helps your SEO and creates interest and new followers.
Review Your Reviews
Online reviews are huge! Being part of an online wedding portal like Aisle Planner has great SEO benefits. They work to make sure you are seen by thousands of couples and you want to be proactive with your reviews. Like it or not, your brand is whatever your clients say you are in social media reviews. You want to read your reviews on a regular basis. Look for comments that you think best represent your brand identity and promote them as quotes on your website, in a blog post and on your social media. If there are comments that do not reflect what you think your brand is, work hard to change them.
Additionally, remember to address your online comments. People like to see that you take comments seriously and treat them professionally. Always address a negative review by acknowledging it; short sweet and professionally is still best. Take the conversation offline by asking reviewers to contact you to discuss it privately.
Don’t Be Afraid To Share Advice and Tips
Sharing simple tips and advice is not giving away the farm, it is showcasing that you are an expert in your given field and a standout in your market. Tips and expert advice attract a following of potential clients and wedding professionals as well. It shows you have substance.
Be A Trend Setter
Stop reporting the news and start making the news. Look at your work and something unique and different you have done for one wedding and other couples have seen and asked about. Start promoting it on your social media, if more than a few people are doing it you have started and new trend.
Think Small
I know that sounds counterproductive to promoting your brand, but sometimes you have to start small. Submit planning tips, top ten lists or industry advice to a small local publication. That small hometown paper may not seem like much, but they are starving for content. You can brand your business in the local community and media follows media; their online presence can be picked up by much bigger outlets.
BLOG!
Driving followers to your website and converting them to sales or productive business relationships is your end game. Blogging allows you to showcase real weddings, expertise, tips and trends, reviews and your personality on your own site. Consistent blogging with the right keywords will attract search engines and traffic building your brand and following.
Hero photo courtesy Kellie Daab
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