Many believe that a brand and business are one in the same, but in reality, they are, many times, less akin. Upon starting a business, one needs to be thinking about how to get the business out there. Once the attention is brought to one’s business, the next order of business is to get people to support and be repeat customers/clients. This is where establishing a brand comes into play. A business’ brand is essentially its identity. For instance, it should be easy for prospective clients to know what your company stands for, and what your company sells or what are the services that your company provides. But, branding also starts with you – you as in the founder and/or CEO of the business. Simply by hearing the name, Mark Zuckerberg, you instantly think about Facebook (or Meta) and you picture his attire – plain t-shirt and denim jeans. The images and thoughts associated with his name are a product of marketing and branding. You too can have a more identifiable, renowned brand through obtaining press, utilizing social media, and setting up events or sponsoring events.
Press
Being mentioned in a news article or appearing on TV was once seen as an unattainable feat; however, that is not the case anymore. Obtaining press helps to tell the world that you are legitimate and have been recognized as an expert in your field. It also helps to build an internet presence, build search engine optimization (“SEO”), and rank higher on Google, which in turn will bring in more customers/clients.
There are many media outlets that will gladly feature you and your business completely free. The steps are fairly simple. First, you need to have a legitimate business. Make sure that you have all the proper paperwork necessary for your business (consulting a lawyer may be helpful) and a website. Although websites are less visited compared to social media, they are still very important because it gives potential clients/customers the full picture of your company. It gives people something tangible and verifiable. Next, you will need to craft a pitch. Your pitch should be fairly short and to the point. Then, you need to research and identify the proper websites, programming, podcasts, etc. for your brand. If you in the music industry, you may not want to contact sites that only features cryptocurrency content. Make sure to stay on brand as being featured on sites not like your brand may taint your brand. Additionally, reaching out to media outlets that have nothing to do with what you or your company does only agitates them. Remember to always be courteous, and do not be discouraged if you get a “no” or get ignored. There are plenty fish in the sea, so stay resilient. There will be plenty of support from the media outlets if you have a brand worth backing, so keep on keeping on.
Since pitching to media outlets can be challenging and daunting at times, there is always the option of hiring a public relations company (“PR company”) to aid in the process. Although going through a PR company may cost money, many will work around your budget. There are a lot of benefits as PR companies tend to have more access to more major media outlets, so it may behoove you to set aside money in your marketing budget to get you and your business to the forefront and enhance your brand.
Social Media
Although social media tends to get a lot of flak, social media is one of the best ways to build a brand. Because social media is ingested by so many and there are countless social media applications now, you can easily maximize the potential. Pretty much everybody is on some sort of social media. Social media tends to be real time and gives you the opportunity to control the content that you put out. This control is key to establishing your brand as you can directly “talk” to potential and current customers/clients and show them easily who you are and what you are about. Think of Keanu Reeves. He wore the John Wick costume everywhere that he went in public to the point where John Wick became synonymous with Keanu Reeves. Some people almost forgot about Neo (Keanu Reeves’ character in the Matrix). Now, think of Jay-Z. During Jay-Z’s “Jigga” days, he was known for his baggy pants, tall tees, and New York cap. But now, as he wants to be taken more seriously as a businessman rather than seen as a rapper, you only see Jay-Z in suits.
Through the use of social media, you can put out content that burns certain images and ideas into prospective and current clients’ minds whenever they think or hear about you or your company. Furthermore, the ease of use makes it easy to directly interact with the public. Thus, making people “feel” you and your company, and feel more in tune and apart of something.
Events
Setting up in-person events and conferences are a great way to get your name and your company’s name out there. It is also a great way to tell people face-to-face about you and what you do; therefore, aiding in building your brand. The events can be like a listen and learn where it is only you speaking. It can be a panel where you have other similar companies speak, which in turn helps others easily understand your brand. You can set up a conference where you or your company is the sponsor. There is simply the option of setting up a booth and handing out products and/or your business card. And, as we have seen because of the pandemic, virtual and hybrid events are excellent because you can reach a wider audience. Charitable events are also an excellent way to show the public that you and your company care about the community and stand for something greater than the almighty dollar. Lastly, speaking of the almighty dollar, setting up events is one of the best networking strategies, so as you build your brand, you will also line your pockets. Your network is your net worth.
