When we talk about brand promotion, the brain gives us the experience of such dinosaurs as Adidas, Reebok, Pepsi or Gillette and the like. It is widely believed that successful brand promotion is, firstly, expensive marketing activities, and secondly, an option for global brand strategy consulting services players. But it is not so.
Brand promotion strategy: hidden marketing and diplomacy.
Brand promotion on the Internet is not only about marketing, but also about the ability to negotiate, the skill to tell about your product, as well as the ability to win over, find supporters, and allies. Ineffective promotion, diplomacy and unobtrusive self-promotion are mixed in equal proportions. Even modest diplomatic skills allow one to succeed in this field.
Your brand is not a brand book and logo. In a broad sense, it is a relationship with customers. The way you behave and act. Even perfect visualization does not compensate for the brand’s overstated PSI, ignorance, rudeness in communication and rejection of criticism, which turn out to be a bitter filling for your “candy” in a beautiful wrapper.
Creating a long-term harmonious relationship with one person is a huge work. And if there are thousands of such people?
Dodo Socks, a young brand of bright socks, recently launched a line of underwear. After the first batch was sold out, buyers pointed out minor flaws in some models. Based on the comments of their customers on social networks, the company made a number of improvements: they fastened the seams and shortened the harness of the tops in small sizes. Using this unpleasant incident, in the end, the brand managed not only to avoid conflict but also to make its underwear more comfortable. Clients – felt the involvement in the process and the opportunity to influence the result.
Dodo Socks needs social media not only to launch ads and inform subscribers about new products in the range. This is a direct communication channel through which it is convenient to receive feedback, build a two-way dialogue, analyze and thank customers (even targeted) for helping to make the product better.
Promotion of the company’s brand: not “sell” the product, but establish communication.
Free access to free communication channels, a variety of platforms and strategies for promoting a brand on the Internet allows you to choose exactly the combination that best reveals the benefits of the product and allows you to convey the company’s values.
The main tools for promoting a brand on the network are social media and online services. So far, nothing better has been invented for communicating with the audience and promoting your values. The brand’s presence in social media – Facebook, Vkontakte, Instagram, Youtube, Vimeo, Behance, Twitter, crowdfunding platforms – Kickstarter, and marketplaces – Yandex.Market, Amazon, Etsy open up complete freedom of creativity and forms of communication with the audience to form a positive company image and management brand reputation.
And so, you have created a new product – a product or service. You have registered your brand and now you want to make it recognizable in the local market or in your niche. Below are a selection of good, working online brand building tips for small businesses and small businesses to get out of the sandbox and stay away from the heavyweights.
Brand management strategies on the Internet and forms of building communications:
- Change agent. The world is changing. Talk about change, your attitude towards it and your role in this process. This is how you associate the brand with the future. Accompany this with information campaigns or promotions in the media and social media.
- Progress to the masses. Communicate through various media channels how many people are passionate about new ideas and trends that your brand represents. How many people have already felt this progress thanks to your brand.
- Teamwork. Acts very convincingly when employees represent, promote and protect their brand on social media. There are only two main conditions: a) it should be an invitation, not a labor service; b) employees must truly share the values of the company. Risk – Sometimes employees do not know how to behave with restraint in social media and can damage the brand’s reputation. Even trolls and haters shouldn’t get negative in return.
- Direct dialogue. Clients should be able to conduct a dialogue directly through the most convenient communication channel. Otherwise, they will lead a monologue in the form of negative reviews. Follow posts and comments in your communities and try to reply as quickly as possible. Facebook informs about the average waiting time for a response for a reason.
- Communications. You should pay no less attention to communication with clients through social networks than to work on your own communication channels (mail, website, hotline). Social networks today serve as a fully-fledged communication channel, not entertainment.
- Inspire and encourage the most dedicated. Emotionally and visually, using specific examples, demonstrate the benefits of your concept. A good idea will surely attract supporters who will spread and defend the tenets of your brand, like the monks of Age of Empires chanting Wololo to enemy units.
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A brand with history. People love stories. If the story is really good, it will be remembered and shared. Create a compelling story to highlight the benefits of a new vision.
- Closer to the point. Abstract constructions don’t work without concrete examples. Contact the consumer directly, talk about his problems and their solutions. When talking about product benefits, talk about customer benefits.
- The face of the brand. Develop your personal brand and promote your company brand through it. Many brands have an official spokesperson who articulates the main ideas and mission. Often (but not always) he is the founder or owner of the company. Tesla has Elon Musk. Microsoft has Bill Gates. Apple has Steve Jobs. Amazon has Jeff Bezos. It works well. But there is also a risk – a scandal (like a smoked joint of the Mask or an affair of Bezos) or the departure of the “face” strikes a blow at the brand.
A correctly chosen and implemented strategy helps to highlight the advantages and differences of your brand, find supporters and attract the attention of users. As a result, increase the credibility of the company and expand its market share. In this case, it is not necessary to be limited to one or several strategies. Combine them.
Brand reputation management is a component of protecting your business.
Many come to the management of brand reputation on the Internet, through negative experience – the need to remove negativity from YouTube, eliminate the consequences of an information attack or “stuffing” competitors. This can be done with great efforts and costs for the business – time, money, image.
Long-term and work to strengthen the online reputation of a business on the network can significantly reduce these costs. Moreover, you can always engage your ardent supporters to defend your brand from attacks. It won’t be difficult if you’ve always been open and honest with them.
Avoid gambles and be mindful of the risks. Shocking and vulgarity is not your method. If you outsource reputation management work to a company, always review the work.