But to stay ahead of the competition and strike a balance between ‘emotion and promotion’ requires some out-of-the-box thinking. So, what can marketers do? In this article, we’ll show you some subtle yet clever ways to build brand awareness and amplify your presence.
1. Use social media effectively
Social media is a great way to connect with new and existing customers online. From Facebook and Instagram, to LinkedIn and Twitter, there’s a platform out there for every type of business to utilise. Make sure you post interesting and compelling content that is relevant and aligns to your brand’s aesthetic. It’s also perfect for launching contests or polls, whereby followers can directly get involved and share with their friends and family for a higher engagement rate.
2. Collaborate with other businesses
Teaming up with complementary businesses can help both of you promote your brands to a wider audience. This could involve tagging each other’s businesses on social media or your website, hosting an event together, or joining forces to launch a new product together. A good example would be Louis Vuitton designing an exclusive four-piece set of suitcases and bags for BMW’s new sports car, BMW i8.
3. Get involved with local events
Getting involved with local events in your town and city is one of the best ways to build brand awareness and support your local community at the same time. You could sponsor an event with your own booth at a trade show or fair for in-person meetings, or hand out promotional materials at a local 5K race. Remember to sponsor responsibly, find something that aligns with your brand identity and core values.
4. Give away freebies
People love free stuff, so why not use that to your advantage? Giving away branded items like t-shirts, pens, bags, or water bottles sparks interest and gets people curious about what you do. It’s one of the oldest marketing tricks in the book, but works a treat for building brand awareness offline, especially when customers have a constant physical reminder of your business in their bag or pocket.
5. Partner with influencers
Finally, if you can partner with an influencer who has a large following in your target market, then this gives you the power to increase brand awareness in a subtle, yet clever way. Shoppers are more likely to trust the words of influencers for advice and recommendations when it comes to making purchasing decisions. Therefore, they can help to promote your brand on their social media channels, do a review or mention of your product or service on their blog or YouTube channel.