Businesses should take advantage of branding opportunities year round. In the third quarter, there are some specific ones that can ramp up your recognition factor and help attract new customers who hang around into Q4 and beyond.
Why Is It Crucial to Take Advantage of Branding Opportunities?
Source: https://www.marketingcharts.com/brand-related/brand-metrics-225684
In a survey of nearly 2,000 marketing professionals, the majority stated building brand awareness was their top priority.
It’s crucial to brand your business and stand out from the competition. In today’s global economy, companies aren’t just competing against the local mom and pop store around the corner. They also might have to keep up with brands in areas with lower wages and less regulations.
How can you take advantage of situations where you can build brand awareness in Q3? Here are some of our favorite methods. Pick and choose the ones that make sense for your company or use them all.
1. Review Past Efforts
The third quarter is a time to breathe before the busy fourth quarter hits. Sales are typically out of the way, people are busy with summer activities and business is slow enough to do some evaluation.
Rather than jumping immediately into another round of ads, take a beat and look at what worked well in the past. Refine your buyer personas. How can you better reach your target audience? Make a list of what you want to repeat and what you can replace.
2. Gain Support
The third quarter is an excellent time to plan a community event. Some of the advantages of planning gatherings for your customers and local citizens include bringing everyone together and increasing brand awareness.
Branding opportunities with events include adding your logo to giveaways, getting materials into the hands of those who attend and free local media coverage. When people who attend need your product or service, your brand will be the first that comes to mind.
One example might be a local pizza restaurant. They support the local youth sports teams monetarily and by handing photos in their place. Over time, the community sees their support and turns to them when they want to order carryout.
3. Find New Customers
Source: https://www.statista.com/statistics/379046/worldwide-retail-e-commerce-sales
Retail e-commerce sales are on an upward trajectory. Statista estimates numbers will reach $6.9 trillion by 2024 and $8.1 trillion in 2026. Get a slice of the pie by perfecting your buyer persona and figuring out ways to reach new customers through branding efforts.
Post more interesting things to get users engaged. Ask your current audience to share with their family and friends, as they likely know others like them and may expand your reach for free. Start a referral program for your loyal customers and ask them to send new business your way.
4. Clear Out Old Inventory
Q3 is an excellent time to clear out your spring and summer inventory that didn’t move and make way for fall and holiday items. Run some special sales but increase branding while doing so by using hashtags related to your brand name and following up with emails with your logo.
Start a discount club for your customers, branding each offer with your name to drive home the name recognition. Use your color palette and logo throughout each interaction. At every touchpoint, customers should be reminded who you are.
5. Revamp Your Website
Approximately 61% of Americans state they won’t return to a website that doesn’t have good user experience (UX). Your online presence is a perfect opportunity to brand your digital assets. Make sure your logo appears on every page. Use a consistent layout and design. Showcase your brand color palette.
Look for anything that doesn’t match your brand’s personality, so you can fix it and make it more in line with the image you want people to remember most. Take advantage of branding opportunities on content pages as well by mentioning your company by name and what you do.
6. Sing Your Own Praises
People who are high achievers tend to be CEOs of companies. The same entrepreneurial spirit that makes them put their head down and achieve great things adds to some humility. Many won’t sing their own praises, but not doing so could lead to missed opportunities.
Take the interview when it’s requested. Plug your company when invited to do so. Tell people you meet and network with what you do and something exciting about your brand.
7. Google Yourself
Source: https://www.marketingcharts.com/demographics-and-audiences/youth-and-gen-x-226636
If you want to reach millennials with your brand name, you’ll need to understand the ways millennials search for information. Around 70% of them turn to search engines, such as Google, to gather initial data. If you don’t have a strong presence, you’ll miss out on a lot of potential traffic and name recognition.
8. Try Video Content
Consumers are hungry for content and they love an easily absorbed video. Q3 is the perfect time, while things are a bit slower, to try your hand at a few marketing videos. Start an educational series teaching lay people about your industry. Record some customer testimonials. Tell the story of your company’s history.
You can also play around with where you post the videos. YouTube and Vimeo are obvious choices, but what if you hosted a livestream Q&A on Facebook or Twitter? How many potential customers could you reach with your brand name and message?
9. Follow-Up With Past Customers
When you’re in the middle of your busiest seasons, it can be hard to take the time to follow up with past orders. However, it’s never too late and the third quarter is a great time to reach out well before the holidays happen.
Thank customers for their past orders and ask how you can currently serve their needs. Remind them of upcoming events and special sales. You could even explain why you’ve been out of touch for a while, such as revamping the company for faster shipping or ensuring they have a new fall lineup to shop from.
Keep Your Eyes Open for Branding Opportunities
Being more aware of potential branding methods often opens up a world of possibilities. Add your mark to everything you can think of. Ask others to share what you do and why they love your company. Look for influencers to team up with and ways to get the word out.
When things are slower, such as in Q3, take advantage of the extra time to revamp upcoming holiday campaigns and repeat the things that worked to bring in new business in the past. With a little extra effort, you’ll grow beyond what you ever imagined.