Additional ways to promote your brand
We all absolutely love promoting our brands on social media. And it's one of the biggest ways to get exposure and gain brand recognition during this digital age. Whether it's Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, or YouTube, social media has become a leader in customer engagement. However, there are other ways to promote our brands outside of social media to help our business to grow and gain access to more Customers. Here are just a few.
1. Appear in a Podcast
There's an entire network out there waiting to hear about you and your Brand. What better way to reach them than to get exposure through a podcast. You can reach a population you may have never been able to reach before and have a great time in the process!
2. Collaboration with Others
Cross pollination cannot be underrated! Which audience are you searching for? Find someone with similar ideas and collaborate. You will grow your circle, they will grow their circle, it's a win-win situation. What do you have to lose?
3. Website
An amazing Instagram page is nice. However, if you don't have a great website as the original window, you're losing a large amount of promotion. Many Customers look for the main website prior to making a purchase. If there's no main website available, they may not make a purchase. Your website should be searchable through google, it needs to explain who you are, what you do, and what your business is all about. And though it may seem like a small detail, ensure that your copyright date has the correct year on the bottom of the page. A client is less likely to purchase from a website with an outdated copyright date. They may wonder if the site is maintained.
4. Press Coverage
How on earth do I get that? You're not the only one wondering. However, there are a few tricks to the trade to get bits of coverage. Do you have an event coming up? A charity sponsorship? Something amazing you'd like the public to know? Why not create a press release and send it out to the local media. It's not a guarantee that it will be picked up, but unless you try, the answer is no.
OK, we said we're promoting opportunities outside of social media, however are there reporters or journalists on social media? Take advantage of that! Follow reporters and publications that you want to be featured in. This will allow you to familiarize yourself with their style and better understand what they're searching for. If you better understand their preferences and what they're searching for, it may make it easier to submit press releases to them or get coverage from them in the future. And who knows, if you comment enough on their feed, they just may follow you back!
It helps to have a ready-made Press Kit or Media Kit on your website. This should include all the important details and visuals that a reporter might need to get your business in the media. Press materials should include company or business facts, awards or recognition, customer testimonials, logos, photos, contact details, head shots, social media handles, or anything you would like to share with the press. Not only does the Press Kit assist the media, but it may also benefit brands or collaborators that may want to work with your business.
5. Reactive PR
This is all about responding to the needs of journalists. There are always journalists and websites looking for comments from authorities and experts in particular areas. Make yourself available as a quotable source. One way to locate individuals searching for a quotable source is by searching the hashtag #JournoRequest. If you're into fashion, search #FashionJournoRequest, and so on. Then there are the websites that you can sign up for as an expert in your business network. There are websites that journalists use to find experts to obtain quotes for their articles, or to obtain information from an authority source. Some websites to consider signing up for are Help a Reporter Out (HARO), SourceBottle, RadioGuestList, and others.
6. Pop-Ups, Vendor Events, and Fairs
Face to face contact is always a winner! There's nothing as exciting as outside events with the public. You can put your product directly in front of potential customers and explain all the details right there in person. Direct contact is always the best way to make a connection. Customers are at the event looking for products, so stopping by your booth is not unwanted solicitation. And of course, the events are always enjoyable.
7. Become a Guest Blogger
There are many websites and companies searching for guest bloggers. Perform a search in your social media or online for these opportunities. This will allow you to reach an amazing large audience and gain followers for your own personal blog or social media outlets. You can establish yourself as an expert in your field and share your knowledge with others.
There are various ways for promotion, and this only highlights a very small number. Whichever way you decide to promote your brand, make sure that you enjoy it.