Effective marketing often looks like it comes ‘naturally’ but icebergs are natural too – 9/10ths of what makes them what they are is silently beneath the surface. To market your service effectively, you need to work hard, with a clear vision. Rather than have just one straightforward technique for sure-fire success, it’s sometimes about having all the balls in the air and learning how to juggle. The marketing of any successful business begins with the creation of a strong brand identity. You’ve probably read that before. But what does it really mean? Branding a business is about much more than paying a graphic designer to create a logo design or the colour of the font chosen on your business card. Your brand defines your business – to yourself, your team and, importantly, to your target audience. Done well, your business brand should showcase the core values that matter and be an honest and clear representation of everything you stand for – just be careful to be authentic and, just as importantly, carry that commitment through everything your business touches. The Definition of Success Defining your brand properly helps build long-term relationships – like a passionate true love that only grows better with time. Why? Because the more well-considered and strategic your branding is, the more likely it is that your target market will connect with it emotively – something that inspires loyalty, the flow-on effect of referrals that come from word-of-mouth advocacy AND can actually help you protect your pricing, even when your competitors use discounted promotional offers to generate their own sales. Get your branding right and you have created something that lasts – an ideal launchpad for a fresh suite of services. Find Your Voice – And Let It Be Heard Creating a consistent tone of voice is critical to your brand’s marketing success. When your clients know what to expect from your business, they feel confident and more secure. But just to be clear – this is not about regurgitating the same message again and again. Consistency in brand marketing is about maintaining your values and making sure those key messages align with who your brand is and what is aims to achieve. Don’t be afraid to stand up for boldness and innovation. Today’s clever marketers understand that branding is about genuine engagement – and being fluid enough to plant the seeds of intrigue and then let your clients uncover more information for themselves. Set Your Sights With Laser Focus How do you really find your niche? There’s no simple set of instructions – no map to lead you to this holy grail treasure chest of brand success. The best niche for you probably won’t hit you on the head in some glittering epiphany. It will take research. Trial. No doubt, error. The best way to hone in on yours is to ask yourself some critical questions – and be honest with the answers. The first one is the most important: Who do you want to do business with? Really? As tempting as it is to think you want to do business with everybody, the truth is: the more you niche your offering, the more success you can have. Invest for Success Quality visual images, professional copywriting and digital strategies that help communicate your message in the most professional way are an investment in your professional future. So many business owners set themselves up for failure by scrimping on the important foundations for their brand to build on – a kick-ass website, engaging written content and beautiful images. Result? A brand that limps from the starting gate, without showing anyone its true potential (first impressions really do count!). And the happy thing to remember about marketing? Being creative can get great results. Have fun with it but just be careful to stay ‘on-brand’ and within your niche. Your business will keep flourishing and your customers will thank you for it.
