9 Branding Opportunities Your Company Shouldn’t Negate

Figuring out how to create name recognition for your business isn’t always easy. Multiple marketing methods are the best approach. The more times people encounter your brand, the more likely they are to remember it.

One of the top things you can do is create new content on a consistent basis. For their State of Marketing report, Bynder surveyed 1,600 marketing professionals from various company sizes and industries. They found there’s been no slow down in the demand for excellent content. The number of campaigns and content output increased 41% from the previous year.

There are many other branding opportunities you may overlook as too simple or complicated for your needs. We’re going to talk about our favorites below and offer tips to help you get started.

What Are Some Mistakes Companies Make With Branding?

There is an old saying that all press is good press, but when it’s negative that isn’t always the case. Think about the recent situation with Southwest Airlines where people’s flights got canceled across the United States and they were delayed for days. They lost a lot of loyal customers due to the inconvenience.

While you should grab every opportunity for exposure you can, you should also make sure the image you put forth of your company is one you want people to have for the long term.

Here are the some positive steps you can take to ensure your brand gets attention and you build your reputation with your target audience.

#1. Embrace Word-of-Mouth

You might wonder how well word-of-mouth marketing works. After all, people may say good things about your brand, but it doesn’t go much further than that.

The key to powerful WoM marketing is giving the referrer an incentive when people become customers. Start a referral program that rewards both the new customer and the current one with a discount, freebie or account credit.

Not only will rewards spur people to share with more friends, but you’ll have a means of tracking who refers the most new customers to you. If you find one client constantly sends you business, make them a brand ambassador and give them special perks no one else gets. Let them be the first to try a new product, for example.

#2. Add Nameplates

Every single thing that leaves your premises should feature a distinctive nameplate to show off your brand and reinforce your image. A nameplate works particularly well with custom products to show off what you’re capable of.

You might not immediately think about adding one to that piece of furniture you just restored and are ready to place in your store. Yet, the right finish at the right time can improve your brand name recognition and bring in new customers later.

Make sure your nameplate is unique from your competitors’. Consider the size, finish, font and small details to make yours stand out.

#3. Find the Underserved Market

Are you branding to the right people? Seek out the underserved markets within your audience parameters. For example, you might mainly have older customers but discover there is a younger audience interested in what you offer. Do your research and make sure your brand also aligns with their values.

Ideally, you’ll have separate landing pages and a segmented mailing list to meet the varied needs of different buyer personas. You must also go where they spend their time online and promote your company to them on their turf.

For example, young people may be more inclined to spend time on Snapchat or TikTok as opposed to Facebook. While they also have a presence on FB, you’ll notice they don’t engage as frequently.

A lot will depend on the exact audience, which generation they fall into and their other interests. Poll them, track demographics, test different branding efforts and see what sticks.

#4. Utilize Negative Reviews

Negative reviews are every company’s worst nightmare, but you can embrace them and use them to grow as a brand and turn your image around. When you notice someone posts a negative review of your brand, take a deep breath and leave it for a few minutes. The last thing you want is to react based on emotion, particularly if the review is unfair.

Next, ask how you can make things right for the person complaining about your company. Do they have a valid complaint? Perhaps you can step up your game. Even if their complaint isn’t legit, you can show other potential customers you care when someone is unhappy and strive to fix things.

You’ve likely noticed other brands posting things on social media gripes, such as, “Please contact our customer support at this number so we can make this right.”

Don’t just leave people dangling, though. If you resolve the problem, it’s unlikely the original poster will go back and remove or update their negative review. Instead, go back to that post and comment that you were happy to be able to follow up by doing A, B and C. Ask them if they’re happy with the results and thank them for their feedback.

It doesn’t matter if the OP responds. What matters is that other potential customers see you went out of your way to fix the issue and came up with a specific solution. You then followed up once again to make sure the customer was happy. This will win most people over to your brand.

You should also learn from your past mistakes. If the customer had a valid complaint, what can you do to ensure it doesn’t happen with future customers? Share anything your company changed to fix the issue going forward.

#5. Develop an Alternative Image

If your company is seen as more mainstream, you may lose customers who like the smaller brand image. If you want to reach a new audience or pull in people who don’t want to deal with a name brand, you should look into developing an alternative image for your products.

Don’t just slap a new label on the same old thing. Come up with something meeting the needs of your new target audience. For example, if you sell clothing for 30-something hikers, perhaps you could come up with a line of casual clothing for 20-somethings who enjoy the great outdoors.

Since lead generation is the number one concern for companies, you should make sure the alternative brand feeds leads to the main brand in some way. Perhaps those 20-somethings are closer to 30 and eventually can be enticed over to the main company’s products, for example.

Look for ways to mesh the two brands and help them benefit one another through shared leads and discounts. One example can be seen at Avon. They sell items for women of all ages, and then they have a brand called Mark where they sell things appealing to teens and young adults.

#6. Choose a Buzzword

Don’t be afraid to pick your own buzzword and promote it to your customers. You can create a tagline and offer prices for those who post the best photos and add the buzzword tagline. You can use the buzzwork in all your promotions, on your website and in product packaging.

Seek something unique from what other brands offer. If everyone talks about their great customer service, choose a buzzword that defines the fun attitude you bring to the table or your fast delivery. Make yourself stand out from the crowd.

#7. Brand Shipping Boxes

Don’t overlook the power of adding your logo and tagline to shipping boxes. Companies such as Hello Fresh use beautiful packaging that differentiates their mailing kits. The postal workers, neighbors and anyone who handles the box sees who the shipment is from.

Each interaction adds some extra marketing without doing any additional work. Because the logo is distinctive, it grabs user attention and reinforces the brand image. Even the green color they use signifies fresh food.

#8. Create Your Own App

In a recent report by Statista, researchers indicated there were approximately 218 billion app downloads in 2020 and around $5.31 billion spent on apps in the second quarter of 2021.

People love to use their smartphones for anything and everything. Is there some way you can make life more convenient for your customers via an app download? Create something that helps them keep track of when it’s time to order or even place an order or get customer service from their mobile devices.

#9. Wrap a Vehicle

Don’t overlook the power of a vehicle wrap. It’s one of the least expensive forms of outdoor advertising. You pay for the wrap once and it lasts for years. You then reach anyone who sees the vehicle as it moves around your town.

A wrap can be vital for businesses running locally, such as mobile groomers, repair shops and construction work. Neighbors see the vehicle and can take note of the phone number for their own needs.

Your wrap should consist of your brand colors, name, tagline and a phone number or website.

Team Up With Others

You might consider teaming up with others in your area and spreading the word about one another’s businesses. The more ways you can reach potential customers, the more leads you’ll gain. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and try something new.

About the Author!

Eleanor Hecks is editor-in-chief at Designerly Magazine. Eleanor was the creative director and occasional blog writer at a prominent digital marketing agency before becoming her own boss in 2018. She lives in Philadelphia with her husband and dog, Bear.