One of the first steps for any small business is building a community around its brand. This is easier said than done for most, especially when your expertise isn’t marketing.
No worries, I’ve got you covered with three audience-building tips every small business owner should know.
Before we dive in, it’s important to know what will affect the type of audience you attract. Every brand persona is different and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Keep in mind these four things that will affect the type of audience you attract:
- The industry you are in.
- The trends that are changing almost daily
- How you position your brand to others.
- The platforms you are active on.
These all play a key role in the audience you will attract to your brand. Now let’s get into how you can attract them.
The one you always hear is to know your audience. This may seem redundant but it’s for good reason. It’s just like cooking a meal. If you don’t know the ingredients, you can try to wing it, but it usually doesn’t come out as great. If you don’t know the ins and outs of your audience’s wants, preferences, and dislikes, your marketing will fall flat and you won’t attract individuals who are interested in what you offer.
Next, it is important to know that your brand won’t please everyone and you don’t want to. If you like to create products for book lovers, your audience isn’t the same as someone selling cybersecurity products. Your brand won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, but once you find those people, it makes all the difference.
Lastly, you should always be true to who you are as a brand. Like I said above, you won’t be everyone’s cup of tea and that’s okay, but you shouldn’t bend to a different audience just because you want more customers. Find the platforms you NEED to be on, where your target audience spends most of their time, and keep your messaging consistent across all platforms. It may not be an overnight thing, but the results will come if you stay true to who you are as a brand.
Audience building really boils down to just being yourself. You, as a unique individual, started this company for a reason and that is what you need to show to your community.
