Effective Public Relations for Small Business
Compelling, consistent brand messaging is essential in creating the experience your customers want to have when they interact with your brand. Your company's message must align across all channels of communication that are relevant to your customers or you risk losing them because there will be no clear point of contact.
Consumers expect relevant content, whether it's a website, social media channel or email. Your brand's message is the end-product of the content you're creating and distributing. If you don't know what your company stands for, how can you possibly communicate it to your target audience?
Here are some tips on communicating effectively online:
Know Who You're Talking To
Do the proper research to make sure you know your target audience like the back of your hand. Research their behavior, preferences and interests so you can create content that speaks directly to them in a language they understand. When creating content, ask yourself: What's in it for my customer? How does what I'm saying help them accomplish something meaningful in their lives?
Brand Consistency
Consistency is key in branding. It's been said that a brand is only as good as the last thing it did. So make sure to always follow through with what you say, even if your action goes against your original plans. In other words, once you've made a commitment, make sure to stick with it.
Be Consistent Across All Channels
Whether it's a website, social media page or email, your messaging needs to be consistent and relevant across platforms and device types (i.e., mobile and tablet). Your customers expect consistency with the user experiences they encounter online; they don't care which platform you used to deliver your brand message—they just know they expect a brand experience when they visit your social media page and when they're on your website.
Be Consistent With All Content Created For Public Consumption
For example, if you release a print ad in an industry magazine that promises to do X and then deliver Y, make sure that it's true online as well. You can launch online ads to promote your brand through social media pages, blog posts, websites or web banners.
Create Quality Content
If you want customers to engage with your brand, you have to create useful and valuable content for them. People are more likely to buy from a company that shares information that's relevant and engaging.
Don't Be Overly Promotional With Your Content
Give, give, give and then promote your brand's message in an interesting or relevant way that shows you're more concerned with providing value than selling a product.
Continue The Conversation
You need to capture people's attention to maintain their interest, so always be on the lookout for creative ways to continue the conversation online.
Remember The 80/20 Rule
20 percent of the content you create will bring 80 percent of the benefits to your brand. So don't get caught up in creating a ton of different pieces of content just for the sake of it; instead focus on making sure that every piece counts.
Never Stop Learning
The minute you think you know everything there is to know about branding, or social media marketing or search engine optimization is the moment your company starts failing. Always keep learning and improving.
Make Sure What Works On One Device Doesn't Fail On Another
Consistency is key in branding, but different platforms require different strategies. For example, if you have a website with a call-to-action button that leads to the user getting walked through the checkout process, make sure it works well on mobile devices so your customers can complete their purchase anywhere.
Don't Be Afraid Of Failure
Brand building and marketing require taking risks. So don't worry about trying something and failing. Instead, take risks and learn from the mistakes you make along the way.
We've talked about the importance of having a strong brand vision and how to communicate that online. You should now be able to take your business from good to great by following these tips. But don't worry, this is not all you'll need! Our team at Sharp Tack Media can help guide you through creating an effective marketing plan with our Free Consultation service so contact us today if you want to get started on increasing sales for your business.
