Generating brand awareness is a key stepping stone in building customer relationships; by establishing a brand identity, you can build your reputation and become a trusted name in the industry.
Especially in difficult times, having a name consumers know they can trust can build stronger and longer-lasting relationships with consumers.
As of June 2021, the majority of companies report that their marketing strategies have completely changed or somewhat changed after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ongoing pandemic has many people spending much more time inside, and many are looking for new sources of reliable information and entertainment. Especially when many people are confused and concerned for the future, this is the right time to share important information and build genuine relationships with target audiences.
What can your business do to offer value to your target audience while increasing brand awareness?
3 Steps To Building Brand Awareness
Carefully craft every aspect of your messaging in order to develop a relationship between your organization and the consumer. We’ve boiled it down to the 3 most important steps to keep you on track.
1. Choose A Direction
The current state of affairs has forced businesses to pivot and change their marketing strategy. Some may only have to make subtle changes whereas others may need to commit to a full shift in direction.
Many have become discouraged that current circumstances have slowed business, but for those with the available resources, this is the perfect time to focus on improving your relationship with customers; there are many opportunities to focus on brand awareness, engagement, and top-of-funnel content.
Inbound marketing suggests a mix of content focused on different buyer stages. It might not feel right to be focusing on the decision stage right now. That’s fine! Take the time to evaluate your current content and write some new content that focuses on brand awareness. Though it can be tempting to focus on the buying stage, the stages leading up to a customer’s decision making can be the most important in establishing a lasting and trusting relationship with that customer.
2. Utilize The Power Of The Internet
People are online now more than ever. We can’t be together physically so we are connecting virtually; many social media sites have seen a recent surge in use, particularly Facebook which has seen a 27% increase in use since the beginning of March 2020. This includes businesses as well; we’ve noticed an uptick in activity across our clients’ content as well!
With so many active users, it is the perfect time to keep your name in front of your audience. With the right content, you can offer valuable information to your audiences without the constant reminder of what is happening around them. Providing educational resources and a source of entertainment will add value for your audience while keeping your brand in mind.
Even if you can’t meet with customers face-to-face, the internet gives you the power to share endless types of content; no matter your brand, you can use the internet as a platform to increase brand awareness while offering valuable content; the more relevant and helpful the content is to users, the more likely you are to stay at the top of their minds.
3. Stay On Brand
We have always stated that all marketing should be helpful and valuable to your audience, now is just the time to focus on what makes sense. Think about the experiences of your customers and what type of content would be most meaningful right now.
Staying in touch when we can’t meet physically is one of the most important things people need right now; consider sending out an additional newsletter, or venture into new media by creating at-home videos, and share anything that will make your audience feel more connected; this will also help you stay in mind for when things start moving towards normalcy.
The main goal of building brand awareness is to increase the reach you have to interested audiences, which means staying on brand is most important. Don’t switch up your voice or your message to try and get people to follow you if it doesn’t make sense for your company. Continue to share and create content that is on-brand. You should still try to get creative with you content, just don’t do something that isn’t in line with your historic marketing.
If your business is unable to provide its usual value, it’s worth considering alternative ways to keep your customer relationships strong. For example, many people are still nervous about working out in gyms; to stay relevant with their customers, as well as provide resources for anyone looking for a fitness regiment, many gyms have added a virtual format where they host live events, feature members on their social media, and are strengthening customer relationships through the pandemic.
Get Creative And Connect
With a little creativity, this shift can work for any type of business. If you are a bakery – share a recipe; if you sell furniture – create a few tutorials on how to change up your space with existing furniture and a small addition (like a plant or poster); a Realtor can start sharing blogs that focus on what people can do easily to spruce up a home (and be ready for when the market picks up again). No matter your brand, there are ways to offer fresh and relevant content.
These can be very uncertain and confusing times, but we have the opportunity to connect with target audiences in ways we never have before. The current crisis has greatly changed the way we go about our daily lives, which means all types of consumers are looking for ways to adjust.
Every business now has the opportunity to reach out to prospects and offer valuable information that can help get us through this. By spreading brand awareness, you can show your target audiences that you are still here during difficult times and have something of value to offer to the consumers you rely on.
Even if we can’t connect physically, our online communities can be a helpful resource for each other.
Thanks for reading,
Laura
Editor’s note: This blog was originally published in May 2020 and has been edited and updated in December 2021.
