Building and/or Bettering Your Brand in the New Year

Will 2023 finally be the year you set your business apart in the public relations and digital marketing sense of the word? Your customers know what you bring to the table, but what about the countless other people who search for you but find someone else?

A simple search of “sheet metal contractor Chicago” turns up more than 11 million Results.

You’ve no doubt built something special through the years. But it’s all too easy to stay comfortable, which can mean flying under the radar and going unnoticed in the greater online world. This year, consider how investing in your business from a marketing standpoint can help boost your ROI.

Build Your Web Presence

Hire out the design and development of a mobile friendly website. Think about the first impression you have when visiting an outdated, hard-to-use website vs. a modern, clean and user-friendly one. Which company are you more likely to trust and revisit?

If this is your first website, you’re not alone: 28% of small businesses still don’t have one even though it’s the most efficient, central way to build your online presence.

Invest in Your Employees

There are many ways to go about making your employees feel valued. Training programs, creating an enjoyable company culture and providing ample vacation time are just a few small things that go a long way. At the very least, the benefits include:

• Increased productivity among current employees

• Employee retention: According to a LinkedIn Workforce Learning Report, 95% of employees reported a desire to stay with a company longer if said company invested in them

• Attract future talent

Build a Brand to Define Yourselves

Developing a strong brand identity might not seem necessary but it’s much more than just a logo and a website. It’s your opportunity to define and tell your story before someone else does it for you. It reflects what you do and how you do it, not just what you say. Your personality, your purpose and your passion all mean something to those seeking you out.

A mere 5% boost in customer retention can increase profits by 25-95%! Don’t miss out on the opportunity to build the dedication and longevity that comes with brand loyalty.

Deploy Social Media to Connect & Engage

It probably sounds contradictory to utilize a digital, web-based tool to humanize your business but that’s exactly what social media does. Some use it as free market research or an educational tool, others use it to show their company culture and put faces to names, but all use it to become more “human” rather than just another business asking for money. Social media provides the otherwise rare opportunity to engage, and it’s one of the least expensive ways to connect with your audience.

If you don’t want to be seen as just another business then, like it or not, you have to meet people where they are … and they’re online. Growing pains can be uncomfortable, but so can stagnancy. Change can be difficult, but it’s important to help move your business forward into a fresh new year!