Competition exists in every industry with dozens, if not hundreds, of companies vying for the attention and dollars of your target market. To set yourself apart, you must work hard to create a powerful business image. Below are 5 tips for creating and maintaining an image that will distinguish you in the marketplace.
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Brick and Mortar Office
Few things will tell customers that you are an established, robust business, like a brick-and-mortar office with a receptionist and conference room. Typically, a lot of overhead costs go into office spaces – rent, electricity, IT, etc.—before the payroll cost. If you want all the benefits of an office location with zero hassle and minimal cost, you may look into virtual offices in central locations.
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Articulate Your Value
What do you bring to the business world that no one else does? How do you serve customers? Where do you meet them? How do you interact with them? To articulate your value as a business, you must understand what you offer that makes you unique in your industry. This may take some soul-searching and some competitive research. Don’t be afraid to look at brands you admire and see how they articulate their value, then apply those concepts to your business value proposition. Set a reminder in your calendar for a few days every six months to review the current state of your business against your value proposition. You may find that some things are out of alignment and need tweaking.
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Develop Your Brand Look and Feel
Once you understand your value, you can use that information to dictate your brand’s look and feel. What colors best represent you? How does your brand voice sound when it interacts with customers? What kind of website creates the desired customer experience? What logo showcases all of these pieces the best? Your goal should be creating a consistent tone that aligns your creative elements and value proposition.
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Know Your Target Market
Knowing your target market goes more in-depth than demographics and location. You need to understand what drives them, what they care about, and what stories have impacted their lives. This information will help you create messages and interactions that better serve them.
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Be Socially Responsible
A big part of building a powerful business image is showing that you are a well-rounded, genuine company that consumers can trust. Reach your customers in an unexpected way by demonstrating your commitment to social responsibility. If you are passionate about a cause or commitment, post it on your website. Use social media to encourage your employees who invest in that cause. The more pictures, stories and events your company is a part of, the more you solidify your authenticity and trustworthiness.
You can be a force to be reckoned with in your industry by creating a business image that sets you apart. Demonstrate you are a power player with a virtual office that gives you credibility. Understand your value so that you can not only articulate it, you can design your creative elements to reinforce it. Know everything about your target market so that every interaction shows them you understand them. And don’t be afraid to show customers you are the real deal by being socially responsible.