I had a fascinating conversation with the national president of a specialized college recently. Her profession’s major opportunity (and obstacle) is to increase awareness among non-users. They were competing with their own invisibility.
Awareness is the first tenet of marketing. Accessibility, or how they do business with you and what the experience is like, is the second tent. This builds your brand, which is your customers’ perception of your quality.
Businesses, organizations and non-profits of all sizes need to be concerned with increasing their own awareness in positive ways.
Here are some low cost ways to promote your business and increase your awareness:
- Issue press releases to the local and national media on how you are unique in business and how you are a valuable contributor to your local community and economy. Perhaps you’ve developed an innovative process or product that makes things easier, safer, faster or cheaper.
- Promote your customers’ successes on your website, blog and newsletter. It’s not just about your own success, but how you help others be successful, according to Dale Carnegie.
- Reward your most loyal and profitable customers with something to acknowledge how important they are to you. My massage therapist, Amy, gives me gift certificates that I use to give to others, which reminds me of others who would like one so I buy more, which continually promotes her massage business – that’s smart.
- Take your best clients and customers to lunch, find out what’s on their mind, and give them some ideas on growing their business.
- Ask your customers for testimonials. They can be written, audio or even video. Third party testimonials have much more credibility than your own voice.
The most successful businesses, like Apple and like many in your community, don’t compete against their own invisibility. They build legions of advocates who increase awareness in the market, often for free. We watch the million dollar Superbowl commercials for entertainment value…we buy based on our friends recommendations…friends who are aware of good companies.
Copyright 2010 All Rights Reserved. Phil Symchych.
