Getting Noticed: Strategies for New Brands to Shine When Shoppers Aren’t Shopping

Picture showing a White bag, a sky blue purse, a pair of yellow ladies sandals, sunglasses and a White shopping bag displayed on a White display box with no brand labels on all items.
Photo credit: Ron Lach

In the bustling world of marketing in a crowded marketplace, making your brand shine bright is a challenge, especially when potential customers aren’t actively looking to shop.

But fear not. You’re in the right place to discover strategies that can help you make your new brand stand out from the crowd.

In this blog post, we’ll explore nine proven tactics to get your brand noticed by shoppers even when they’re not in shopping mode.

From crafting a compelling brand identity to harnessing the power of influencers, we’ve got you covered.

1. Crafting a Memorable Brand Identity

Create a Unique Brand Identity

Your brand’s identity is its DNA. It should reflect your values, resonate with your target audience, and set you apart from the competition.

Invest in designing a consistent and appealing brand identity encompassing your name, logo, slogan, colours, fonts, tone of voice, and personality.

Leverage Social Media for Visibility

Social media platforms are your megaphone to reach and engage potential customers.

Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and Pinterest provide opportunities to showcase your offerings, tell your story, and build a loyal community.

Create a custom hashtag to boost your visibility and encourage word-of-mouth referrals.

2. Offline Strategies for In-Person Connection

Participate in Local Events

Sponsoring or participating in local events relevant to your niche can help you raise brand awareness and make in-person connections.

Offer free samples, discounts, or giveaways to attract attention and generate leads. For instance, a new coffee brand could sponsor a local festival or event and serve free coffee to attendees.

3. Online Advertising for a Wider Reach

Run Targeted Online Advertising Campaigns

Use online advertising on platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, Instagram Ads, YouTube Ads, and LinkedIn Ads to showcase your value proposition and drive traffic to your website or landing page.

Don’t forget to explore the Google Display Network for targeted display ads.

4. Content Creation for Authority

Create Valuable Content

Establish your expertise and authority in your field by creating engaging content in various formats such as blogs, podcasts, videos, webinars, ebooks, whitepapers, case studies, infographics, and newsletters.

Quality content, optimised for SEO, can help attract organic traffic from search engines.

One woman helping another woman in a facial make-up.
Photo credit: George Milton

5. The Power of Influencers

Collaborate with Influencers

Influencers and micro-influencers can extend your reach to a relevant audience specific to your business segment.

Partner with them to create sponsored content, reviews, testimonials, tutorials, giveaways, or contests featuring your products or services.

Leveraging their credibility can accelerate your brand visibility to a new and engaged audience.

6. Harness User-Generated Content

Encourage User-Generated Content (UGC)

User-generated content, generated by your customers or fans, adds authenticity to your brand.

Encourage customers to create content such as photos, videos, reviews, testimonials, stories, or social media posts featuring your products or services.

Display UGC on your website and social media platforms to boost trustworthiness.

7. Referral Programs for Customer Growth

Implement a Referral Programme

A well-crafted referral programme can turn your customers into brand advocates.

Reward both referrers and referees with incentives like discounts, free products, cashback, points, or gift cards.

This approach not only helps acquire new customers cost-effectively but also fosters customer engagement and loyalty.

8. Exceptional Customer Service

Prioritise Exceptional Customer Service

Providing top-notch customer service is paramount.

Remember, first impressions are lasting impressions.

Utilise tools like chatbots, live chat, email marketing automation, CRM software, and social media management tools to offer fast, personalised responses.

Gathering customer feedback through surveys, polls, and feedback forms helps enhance your products or services.

9. Embrace Innovation and Creativity

Embrace Innovation in Marketing

Don’t be afraid to innovate and experiment.

Explore new channels and formats to keep your brand fresh. Stay updated with industry trends using tools like Google Trends, BuzzSumo, or SEMrush.

Additionally, leverage design tools like Canva, Adobe Spark, or Animoto to create eye-catching visuals and videos for your campaigns.

Here’s the key to making your new brand stand out.

Remember, building brand awareness is a journey and not a sprint. It requires consistency and persistence.

Use SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals to measure the results of your marketing efforts with tools like Google Analytics, Facebook Insights, Instagram Insights, or YouTube Analytics to evaluate the success of your marketing campaigns.

Experiment using A/B testing and refine your strategies to ensure your brand resonates with your target audience and stand out in the crowd even when they are not in shopping mode.

When your marketing campaigns finally meet your desired brand building goal, it means you’ve made it to your destination when you’ve arrived.

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