Often the biggest spending brands lead the way, and we enjoy watching Super Bowl commercials as much as anyone.
Yet it’s possible for local businesses to win the hearts and minds of their target consumers, without spending $5 million for 30 seconds of airtime.
Your Brand Presence
Small business owners “pay to play” through the modern-day yellow pages of Google and Facebook. Depending on what they sell to the community, they might also pay for professional listings, event participation, sponsorships or even local TV and radio.
While supporting small and mid-sized businesses, we realized that social and digital tools have enabled organizations to become brands in their own right. Today nearly every business has a presence and identity that’s available 24/7 — and customers often make buying decisions well before calling or visiting in person.
A Deep Sense Of Purpose
Business owners should easily connect with consumers, who grow more interested, loyal and even passionate about them. By communicating and sharing ideas online, businesses bestow a deep sense of purpose and increased attachment to customers who, in return, develop strong brand affinity towards them.
Prove it to yourself… How do you feel about your favorite burger place or pizzeria, clothing boutique, jewelry store, salon, yoga studio, gym or even dentist?
Customers Give Back
The transformation of customers to advocates is underway, even unwittingly, as they become digital fans and promoters of brands. It seems like an endless sharing of photos or video clips makes everyone a brand influencer and promoter.
As people increasingly shop online, they develop favorite places and businesses in the real world. Customers are promoters, who multiply the impact of brands.
Power In Your Hands
Does this make sense to you? If you’re a small business owner, I hope you realize the immense importance of this new customer relationship model, and the power in your hands. If you have a simple marketing campaign, promotional offer, event or communication in mind, it’s possible to reach out — by email, meet-ups, social tools, you name it — in a coordinated way that businesses only dreamed of a decade ago.
Best of all, consumers who shop with local businesses frequently want to spread the word. So it’s time for you to engage digitally by transforming what you do in real life into your digital presence — to engage prospective customers and your existing business supporters.
Why not use your digital brand power? #MainStreetLoyal #TakeBackDigital
by Bruce Worrall, Dec-15-2018