Your business is your brand. It’s not only a seal of quality but an implicit promise to all of your clients or customers. It’s a statement that says they can expect a certain standard of service, a certain quality of product and a very specific business culture and ethos.
It’s this brand that marks you out as different in a marketplace that has never been so densely competitive. It’s also what keeps your customers coming back time and again, because they’ve invested not just in your product but in you.
Whatever initial success we find in business, we can usually find that it fades, (taking our profits with it) if we don’t make efforts to move with the times and remain relevant in a cultural landscape that has in increasingly short memory. Think of all the big brands; the ones that we consider too big to fail. How many times have they changed their logo, their slogan or their consumer focus?
How many times have they undergone a complete top down reorganization in order to move with their times? Those that haven’t have been consigned to the business graveyard (we’re looking at you, Blockbuster video!). Staying cool, relevant and on the bleeding edge of your industry is pivotal in the success or failure of your business. Here are some ways in which you can help yourself do just that…
1) The market research never stops
All entrepreneurs are red hot at harnessing the power of market research in the early stages of business. It’s what provides proof of concept for their business plan, and plays a huge part in the formative stages of shaping their brand.
Unfortunately, most also abandon it when their businesses begin trading, losing themselves to the operational side of their businesses. Market research should be used throughout your business’ development to ensure that you remain cool and relevant in the eyes of your consumers.
2) Embrace social media
Cool businesses are always part of the conversation. Thus, they ensure that they’re never far from the minds of their target market. You can achieve this by using the best SEO tools to ensure that users can find you easily, but one of the most fun and engaging ways to do this is on social media.
Nearly all businesses have a social media presence, but all too many neglect it or fail to harness its usefulness as a platform for communicating with clients, customers and prospective leads. Social media is like any other tool, your gain from its use is in direct proportion to your ability to use it effectively.
3) Always Be Trending
No business exists in a vacuum and the savvy entrepreneur knows when to hitch their waggon to trending topics in their industry and beyond. It’s why comic book retailers throw a sale every time an Avengers movie comes out and why fashion retailers are sure to put the latest trends front and center in their displays.
Keep an eye on what topics are trending on social media and try to tie them to your business in creative but meaningful ways in your content marketing or in the products, services or special sales events that you offer.
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