“Show, don’t tell” is advice often lobbed at authors and screenwriters. It’s best illustrated by Russian novelist Anton Chekhov’s famous quote, “Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.” But novels and scripts aren’t the only places where showing and not telling are essential. That’s what your company’s branding is for.
Many people think branding is the logo and colors used for websites, swag, and fliers, but it goes much deeper. Most companies aren’t going to be Apple or Nike overnight. Branding is an opportunity for you to show potential buyers who you are, not just tell them.
Branding is reputation and recognition.
Here are several reasons why building your business brand is critical.
Unique Selling Proposition
Your unique selling proposition, or USP, is what will sell your business to potential customers. It needs to set you apart from similar companies in your industry since there will always be competition. But there isn’t a single script you can follow to determine your USP. It involves an almost spiritual quest to determine what truly makes you different.
Since we’ve determined branding is one part recognition and one part reputation, an easy-to-recognize USP is critical to your growth as a company. Your USP should target a specific need for your ideal customer. So try this three-step process to determine your USP:
- Who is your perfect customer?
- What do they want?
- What motivates them to make purchases?
Check out these great examples of USPs in action.
Marketing Strategy
Once you know your USP, you must develop a marketing strategy for your brand. How do people find out about what makes you unique? Here is where “show, don’t tell” comes in. While you can have a catchphrase that sums up your brand, you need to back it up with a website that showcases your products or services in a creatively visual way, provides testimonials or recommendations, and keeps people engaged and coming back.
At DPEG Marketing Company, we know this isn’t a one size fits all solution. That’s why we work with each company individually to determine their USP and design a website and marketing plan that will match their industry, brand, personality, and goals. We do this through web design, copy, email marketing, and original blogging.
Market Trends and Competitors
One of the best ways to find out how to make your brand stand out in the marketplace is to conduct a competitive analysis. What other businesses exist in your space? What are their market shares and USPs? What can you learn about your business and what potential customers want by reviewing this information?
It’s also important to look at market trends. Failing to keep up with trends can mean your reputation suffers and you fall behind your competition. “This is the way it’s always been done” is no longer a positive marker for your business, you have to adapt, or your client base is likely to follow organizations that embrace the most current technology or trends.
Consistency
There is one last puzzle piece that has the most significant impact on your branding: consistency. For example, at DPEG Marketing, we don’t consider social media the best platform for selling, though it can facilitate sales. The biggest reason to commit to social media is to consistently share your brand to appear in front of a large audience.
Many companies pull back from social posts because they don’t see an instant return. That decision impacts every aspect of your business. Consistent posting on social media builds your reputation and makes your brand more recognizable.
This is also true for creating online content such as long-form blog posts or video marketing. It needs to be consistent to be effective. There’s a practical reason for sure. Blogging helps increase your website’s ranking on Google as the search engines consider regularly updated website pages necessary. But it also provides consistency for your website visitors. They know that every Monday, new content appears, and they’re more likely to come back. Over time, that can result in converted customers.
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone
DPEG Marketing Company has 8 spots open for website design in 2023. We partner with tiny house, agriculture, outdoor, and equine businesses to help them grow. We can help you refine your USP and create your brand story through your website, social media, and blogging. You can build your reputation and be recognizable with the right systems.
Contact us for a FREE consultation by emailing [email protected] or calling (828) 333-3816.
