When you need a handkerchief, do you ask for a kleenex ?; when are you going to buy a mascara, do you ask for a mascara ?; And when you want a cola, do you ask the waiter for a Coke?
These terms are known as property eponyms and are the apex of brand awareness. These brands have become so well known that they have replaced generic terms for similar products in our language.
Whether a brand or product becomes an eponym means that it has reached a peak of brand awareness. Although you may not be able to achieve this with your business, that does not mean you cannot do much more to boost your brand awareness.
Here are 13 strategies that will help you launch and publicize your brand.
1. Referral Program
Users are delighted to spread the word of your product or service when they know they will make a profit for it.
Dropbox is a great example of how referral programs can help a company's growth. Dropbox offers users 500 MB of additional storage space for each friend they recommend (up to 16 GB).
When Dropbox was still new, this referral program helped him generate tons of registrations, saving a good amount of money on advertising.
2. Infographics
Infographics are a good way to show interesting marketing data and statistics. These pieces of content are often shared a lot on social networks, so it is a great tool to create brand awareness.
3. Freemium
Many online products allow users to choose between a free version, which includes a watermark, or the option to upgrade the account to the paid version, which allows users to remove the brand or replace it with their own logo. Many users will opt for the free version, which will help to make your brand known to other users.
4. Local associations
Another strategy to create brand awareness is to get involved with local associations (in the case of having a store or physical business oriented to the public of your locality). Partnering with other local companies to hold seminars or festivals and sponsoring local sports teams will give your brand greater visibility.
5. Freebies
Everyone likes things for free! Put your mark on pen drives, pens, notebooks, caps, etc., and then give away your items at local festivals and events.
6. Advertising in your car
It is one of the most classic and effective strategies for building a brand. It is a personalized design that will attract attention wherever you go and help you get familiar with your brand.
7. Social Media
With the number of social networks constantly increasing, trying to be active in all of them is crazy. If your business is only suitable for two platforms in particular, don't be afraid to leave others aside. Be consistent with your updates and create a community of loyal followers by sharing interesting articles with them, creating debates and solving your doubts.
7.1 Contests in Social Networks
Create a social media contest in which contestants have to share one of your articles, photos or hashtags with their friends. This will help you gain more visibility on the network.
8. Unique personality
A sure way to increase brand awareness is to create a unique identity. If you work in an industry where a small dose of humor is appropriate, do not hesitate and get down to work, this can make a big difference. Your ads and articles could become viral on the web, helping to increase your sales.
9. Podcasts
Creating your own podcast where interviews with industry experts is a good way to build your brand and at the same time develop relationships with other people in your field.
10. Google Adwords-PPC Advertising
Every day SEO is more competitive, so the PPC is a good solution to give visibility to your brand on Google. With the right keyword research, you could appear at the top of Google for relevant searches. Even if users don't finish clicking on your ad, seeing your name at the top of the search results will create an impression that will help build brand awareness.
11. Remarketing campaigns
Remarketing means showing your ads to users who have visited your site and who abandoned it before converting. Remarketing ads are placed throughout the network on the sites your customers visit. They will soon start seeing your business everywhere - on their favorite blogs, while making an online purchase, etc. This will give the impression that your brand is much larger (and has a much larger advertising budget) than it actually does
Nabeel Ahmad is the founder of The Hustler’s Digest