You enter the marketplace knowing that you have a unique, quality product. You set up shop and nobody comes. They go by your place of business and look at you with a puzzled expression.
Where do you go to make things change? What do you do? The first thing is, you need to create a strong identity and put it out so people will know who you are when they see you. You have to become the go-to place for meeting a particular need. You have to become a familiar face in the commerce community.
Your broadcasting antenna could be working right now. But the signal could be very weak. You have to boost the signal and reach the right people with your marketing content, increase the range.
You have to get on the air and get your message out.
Establishing a Brand:
The first thing is, you have to give yourself a face, one that can become familiar in the community of needy customers. When you build a brand, you produce a promise to customers.
The brand must tell potential customers what they can expect from you. What can you do for them–what needs can you always be counted on to meet? You must find a way to broadcast that promise in quick symbolic form and broadcast the symbol of your business and your promise in a way that people who may need you can find. You don’t have to be absolutely unique and original in your branding, but you have to be noticeable in a community where there is sufficient need that you can meet.
First, figure out who you are? What is the product or service you can always deliver. If you know yourself and your product you can decide who your target market is and how to go after it. You can’t be all things to all people, your brand has to fit you into a distinct class. Your products must be a limited set and you have to show yourself as an authority on that area of customer need.
Write a mission statement that explicates what you want to do and what ability and equipment (equipment in the larger sense) you have to meet it. The mission statement should be short enough that you can translate it into a sentence.
Create a logo or trademark that makes the promise you want to make. In the 1800s, you might have been a blacksmith with an image of a horseshoe hanging over your shop, or a hatter with a picture of an outstanding hat mounted over your door.
Put together a package. Your website, packaging, and promotional materials should be in line with your logo.
Join the Business Community:
In modern business, there are two “Main Streets.” One is in your physical location, face-to-face with customers, prospective customers and other business leaders. You have to make yourself part of this real life business community by joining business groups and becoming familiar with the real life community. Create signage, take out advertising incorporating your brand and providing information about whereto contact you. Make sure you have a good mechanism to receive calls and are able to respond to all calls quickly.
The other “Main Street” is on the internet.
Inbound marketing, if you look at it in a certain way, is another word for the internet business community. You have to take part fully in the internet business community making sure get seen. Become part of the blogger community. Demonstrate your abilities and expertise in the blogs and in your participation on other people’s websites. Through your participation in the internet community, potential customers find your website and your sales funnel that acts as an automatic sales professional.
You will also need an inbound marketing website which incorporates your brand identity. Your inbound marketing website must have a sales funnel design. The funnel leads prospective customers through increasing levels of commitment until they reach a call to action.
Building a prosperous business and strengthening your business signal takes time. You have to become part of both main streets and establish your brand in the community, encourage links to your website by creating blogs and writing comments that show your credentials, that prove the promises made in your brand.
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