Branding is as much about controlling your perceptions of your products as it making sure people are buying the product in the first in place. This is the reason why you see Madonna in the Dolce & Gabanna ads, Lebron James ads or Pharell Williams for Louis Vuitton.
Perception covers many parts of a brand, from packaging and visual presentation to the stores in the products are offered. Many companies like to align themselves with successful winning personalities that will represent their their brand accordingly. So what happens, when you are a start-up entrepreneur and you can’t afford a celebrity endorsement like Nike? The answer is simple use the power of social media! Social networking sites are the fastest and least expensive way to constantly interact with your consumer. For example actor Ashton Kutcher has over 6 million followers on Twitter, he uses his following to promote new products and non-profit organizations, Kim Kardashian with over 5 million followers uses social media to promote her own brands and new ventures. Then there companies like Coca-Cola, Victoria Secret, Skittles, Juicty Couture and Market America use facebook to connect with their consumers to act as customer service, form new ideas, test new products, offer private discounts and so much more.
Remember promoting your product on the social networks doesn’t mean posting something about your brand and you call it a day, you must work hard it and it takes time. You have to build a routine and consistency with your fans, they want to know that you will be there for them as much as possible just like they will be there when you launch a new product. Interact with your audience and let them know you are available for them 24/7, the internet doesn’t take naps and your brand shouldn’t either.
Make sure to follow some of these helpful tips when building brand awareness through social media
- Have an active twitter account: include your bio, website, background page and avatar. Don’t leave any blanks, customers want to know whom they are interacting with.
- Stay Consistent: send out 2-3 message via Twitter about your brand, behind the scenes action and new developments.
- Follow others on Twitter who you feel will help promote your brand or you will gain knowledge from
- Create a Facebook Fan Page: It’s so important to have a strong following on Facebook, with over 500 million active users Facebook has become part of our daily business model.
- Make sure you update your Facebook fan page at least 3 times per day, interact with your customers, leave comments, ask questions, upload photos, share videos and so much more. The more you share with your consumer the more likely they will keep coming back to your page.
- Use the “like” and “share” buttons on Facebook, this as important as adding your bio or photo. People are influenced by their peers they want to know who else is engaging and who likes your product. The more “likes” or “share” buttons they see, the more they will want to look into your brand
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