After spending time to create your brand and design each component, you'll have to get the word out about it and create what is called "brand awareness." Creating brand awareness can be done in a myriad of ways - and some methods are better than others depending on the characteristics of your brand. We’ve put together a list of some different ways that you can raise your brand awareness. See how these different methods could work for you:
Partnerships and sponsorships. Working with another brand with a large audience will benefit both of you as you have the chance to expose your brand to each other’s audiences. Typically a partnership or sponsorship should make sense and both brands should be able to resonate with audience members of a specific event or project, so that should be kept in mind when seeking out potential opportunities.
Referring a friend. Setting up a referral system can be a great and easy way to increase your brand awareness. Arrange some sort of incentive to encourage your audience members to introduce your brand to a friend or two. For example, popular ridesharing program Uber lets its users create a referral code to give their friends a free ride with Uber up to a $20 value; if the friend uses the offer, then the user also receives a free ride. Programs such as this one make it very easy to get the word out about your brand – plus, word-of-mouth is one of the strongest forms of marketing there is.
Creating and sharing engaging social media content. When your online followers like the things you have to say, they’ll want to share it with their friends and followers as well. By creating content for social media that is engaging and relevant, you’ll have the opportunity for your brand name to reach a large audience as your audience members share it on Facebook, retweet it, or even give it a “like.”
Working with influencers. With the increasing popularity of social media and the Internet, there are influencers left and right. YouTube celebrities, bloggers, Instagrammers with thousands of followers, Vine stars, and more are all potential people to work with to help get your brand name out there. Often these influencers make their living promoting quality brands so establishing strong relationships with influencers is mutually beneficial.
Press releases. One way to raise brand awareness is to get your name out in the news. If you have an interesting and relevant story to share about your product or service, there’s an opportunity for your brand awareness to grow.
Hashtags. There are many opportunities to create brand awareness through the art of hashtagging. You can create your own hashtag that is unique to your brand. Keep in mind, this can take a bit of time to be most effective. Also, paying attention to popular and trending hashtags can present you with many great opportunities for engagement and the chance to get your name out there. Just be sure to always double check your hashtags and their meanings before you go ahead and craft that perfect tweet or Instagram post.
Free stuff! Whether it’s food samples at Costco or t-shirts at a sporting event, more often than not people enjoy things that they don’t have to pay for. By handing out fun items at a trade show or local event, you’ll be able to reach potential audience members easily as you incorporate your brand logo into free merchandise.
Increasing your brand awareness can be done in several different ways - and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. However, combining a few of these ideas and discovering your own methods will help you get the reach that you need and expand your audience in an authentic way.
When it comes to your branding, Serendipit Consulting can help. Whether you just need a push in the right direction or you need help building your brand from the ground up, our team of experts can assist in developing the story that you want your brand to tell. Learn more about our different branding services and give us a call at 602-283-5209 for a free consultation!