A tragic fact is that many businesses fail within the first 5 years. This can be due to many reasons, but what if you’re still working really hard, you still have that fiery passion for the business that you did when you set it up but for some reason the customers are not appearing. Maybe it’s time to look at your brand and ask yourself the following questions:
It’s a good idea to keep an eye on your public image to ensure your customers don’t become bored of it. Even the best logos in the world need a little freshen up every now and then and every business should be changing their marketing materials regularly to keep them fresh and current. What is your shop window like? Whether it’s online or physical shop, has it become outdated? Why not consider creating a bit of PR around your brand by searching for a story in your business, maybe you have a new product launching, maybe you’ve overcome personal struggles – either way it won’t hurt to write a few press releases and send them to the media.
Many businesses open and launch with lots of enthusiasm, then 2 years down the line their product isn’t exactly what they thought it was. Perhaps when you created your business plan you would be selling mostly product ‘A’ and then products ‘B’ and ‘C’ as secondary products. However, since then product ‘D’ has come on the market and everybody wants it. The problem is though that product ‘D’ isn’t present anywhere in your branding so nobody knows you sell it. Your brand is out of date. It makes perfect sense to review your brand annually and just check that your message and vision are still as relevant as they were the last time you looked. Maybe you need a total rebrand or maybe your logo just needs a little tweak – either way, don’t get left behind.
Marketing can be a full time job and there can never be too much of it, however, you’re probably really busy keeping your business afloat that you don’t have time for it. Make sure you make the time because as soon as that quiet period does come you’ll wish you’d done a bit more. Take a day and put together a clear plan of action – who do you want to target? where are they? what do they want? and how will you do this? Don’t be afraid to shout it from the rooftops that you are here and you are good at what you do because if you don’t shout about it your competition probably will.
Keep up-to date with what’s going on in your industry. It’s really important to know your product inside out and to be aware of upcoming trends, what’s on its way and what’s on its way out so you can get there first. Become an expert in your field and don’t be afraid to share your information with others. It’s also worth taking a sneaky look at your competition from time to time to see what they’re up-to but don’t copy them, take the inspiration and offer something different, but better.
Do not become emotionally attached to your brand as it is not there to serve and satisfy you. Just because you like the colour green it doesn’t mean it is right for your business or industry. When creating your brand, think of your ideal customers and research the market place for colours, styles and themes that are popular. Try not to follow fashion too much though as a timeless look will mostly serve you better and allow you the freedom to infuse your brand with your business personality.
For many, change is frightening – will it work? What needs changing? Can I afford it? The simple way to find out these answers is to ask. Ask the experts what they think needs changing in your business. At KuKu Creative we offer free brand healthchecks to a handful of businesses each month which serve as a great tool to business owners in helping them identify where they may be going wrong and what they may need to do to rectify this. The key to a successful business is many things but most of all it is an open mind.
SOCIAL MEDIA BRANDING TIPS
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