If people don’t know about you, there is no chance they’ll become customers.
Obviously, our business is about visibility, whether that’s branded clothing or corporate gifts. However, there are lots of other ways to be visible.
We’ve invested in some public relations (PR) and we’re delighted to say it’s already paying off. We got our first profile article published in the StartUps Magazine.
Our PR company helped us to find suitable publications where our target market are active and got our article accepted.
We’ve also entered some business awards and we're excited to see our name at the top of the shortlist for the Hustle Awards as ‘Founder of the Year’. It will be a couple of months before we know if we made it to the winner’s podium, but just to get nominated in a category where there was lots of competition is great for us.
What is your visibility strategy?
Awards are not everyone’s cup of tea, but you do need a strategy to keep your business visible where your audience is looking.
The obvious place is on social media - but before you rush off to scatter posts far and wide, get focus. Where are the people you want to reach most active? Are they on Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, TikTok or somewhere else? Your messages need to be where they’re looking - so do your research!
Do you use video? Maybe a YouTube channel would work for you, but invest the time in creating a professional banner and optimising your videos for your keywords so they show up in searches.
A good blog is worth putting some time into as it not only helps potential customers to understand what you can do, it also provides the search engines with fresh ‘meat’ and keeps your website on the rankings (although you’ll need to do some other SEO too).
Have you ever considered a podcast? If you are more of a talker than a writer, this is a great way to get your message out there. People listen to podcasts while they’re running, doing manual work, walking to work, cycling, travelling or simply chilling at lunchtime.
I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t remind you that branded clothing is a great way to make a professional impression. From a cap and T-shirt to a shirt and suit, you can have stylish clothing in a huge range of types and styles.
Corporate gifts are great too - because they put your name on potential customers’ desks or in their workspace if you choose carefully.
You could do as we have and enter awards and aim to get your name in print too.
Finally, never forget the power of a good email. Whether it’s a newsletter or a targeted email campaign, people still look in their inboxes.
The important thing is to give your visibility some thought and decide what will work best for you. You don’t need to do everything - just know what the plan is!