Making a Lasting Impression: Key Strategies to Help your Business Get Noticed
Guest Spotlight: IvyHill PR
With so many companies vying for consumers' attention, standing out from the competition can be a daunting task. However, by implementing the right strategies, any business can make a lasting impression and build a strong brand reputation.
Welcome to another guest spotlight! In this article, we discuss key strategies that businesses can use to stand out in today's crowded marketplace with top PR and Brand firm IvyHillPR.
Understanding Your Target Audience
Get to know your customers - this includes their needs, preferences, and pain points- then tailor your marketing messages and deliver experiences that resonate with them.
Gather insights using market research, customer surveys, and social media analytics - then you can develop targeted marketing campaigns and build strong customer relationships.
Delivering exceptional customer experiences and addressing customer concerns promptly can build a loyal customer base and generate positive word-of-mouth marketing. You also need to gather feedback from customers and use it to improve your products and services.
Having a bubble of supporters around your brand can be a game changer. Not only can this group become your cheerleading mini sales team, but they can protect your brand from reputational damage should any tea spill and cause a backlash. - IvyHillPR
Be Uniquely You. Your unique selling proposition (USP) is what sets you apart from the competition. It is the reason why customers should choose your business over others. To identify your USP, you need to understand what makes your business unique and valuable to customers.
Enhancing Your Online Presence
Who doesn’t know by now that having a strong online presence is essential for businesses to succeed. This includes having a website, social media profiles, and other digital marketing channels.
You also need to create engaging content that resonates with your target audience. This can include blog posts, videos, infographics, and social media posts that attract new customers and build a loyal following.
JG: Why is it important to engage with your followers and respond to comments on social media?
IHPR: If a tree falls in the woods and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound? The same can be said for your social media accounts. If you’re constantly putting out content, but not engaging or responding, your audience will fade away. You’re a person, even when you’re managing a brand. People buy from other people. Your personality and approach online needs to reflect that to be effective. No matter how hard it may be to type “Thanks for the feedback. We’ll take it into consideration!” it's important to figure out the best response for your brand before anything goes out.
Creating Compelling Content
Your content should be informative, entertaining, and relevant to your target audience. It should also align with your brand identity and USP. Who is your target audience and what they find valuable? You also need to consider the format and distribution channels for your content.
JG: How can the use of videos, hashtags, and keywords increase your visibility and help you reach a wider audience?
IHPR: The algorithm is a fickle beast, so using every tool at your disposal to reach your audience is key. What topics would your audience likely have questions about or have confusion? Breaking down these concepts, having hashtags that align with where your audience “hangs out”, and putting keywords in your captions can make a world of difference.
Utilizing Visual Elements to Stand Out
Visual elements such as images, videos, and infographics can help you get noticed. These elements can make your content more engaging and memorable, and they can help you communicate complex ideas more effectively.
Consider the format and distribution channels for your visual content - and even consider investing in high-quality visual content.
JG: What are some effective ways to utilize video in social media to get noticed and participate in relevant conversations?
IHPR: Video is one of the most effective ways to connect with an audience member. You can control what’s seen, the mood, the words, everything. It’s much easier to guide someone towards a sale or partnership if they trust you. Videos about day to day operations, the challenges of business ownership, testimonials, telling your brand story…all of it ties into reimagining how you’re able to connect and what resonates with the folks you want to reach.
There are three main types of video: user generated content, evergreen, and DIY. User generated content or UGC is video created by other people where they share about how awesome their experience was working with you or how they love a certain product. It’s essentially free advertising through a new form of PR. All you have to do is create the right conditions and bring the right customers in.
To get UGC, though, you need to establish your brand’s voice and message first. This is where evergreen video (ex. video business card or polished testimonial video for your website) and DIY-style (ex. Highlights of daily operations, less polished, more relatable) come in. You want content that can stand the test of time, but also have regular connection with folks through consistent updates.
Check out these tips and more from IvyHill PR on their Instagram @IvyHillPR