In today’s marketplace, it can be hard to separate yourself from the rest of the crowd. A multitude of marketing avenues exist for small businesses through social media, blogs, and more traditional, community-based means.
You’ve made the choice to start a business; now, how do you make sure your brand stays unique, accessible, and brings potential customers your way?
1. The Great Idea
The idea is key. It needs to be a one-of-a-kind idea that will excite audiences and make other small businesses ask, “Why didn’t we think of that?”
Much of a fledgling small business’s success stems from finding the perfect niche for their product or service. While developing a product that’s absolutely perfect for the entire world might be ambitious, you can overgeneralize your product and quickly find that, in seeking mass appeal, you’ve created something bland and unfocused.
For example, if your business focused on booking hostels for travelers who were out experiencing the world, you could find a niche within that market. Rather than targeting the whole hostel market, you could focus strictly on offering hostel bookings at “green,” or environmentally friendly, hostels. You’ve appealed to the traveler – and to his or her sense of environmental integrity and balance.
A simple, specific focus has now become a unique experience. In trying to find that niche and reach the intended audience, you must do your market research. Know exactly whom you want your message to reach.
For instance, don’t target motorcycle riders when promoting car mats. You don’t want to waste your time promoting a business or product that’s not needed.
2. The Name Game
The next step, after finding that great idea, is to establish the name of your venture. Many young entrepreneurs make the mistake of paying exorbitant agency fees to settle on the best brand name.
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