So you started your own company and now you’re trying to get the word out and show people what has made you so excited. But…no one is really listening. To them, you and your company are just another company on a list of services and products with (hopefully) a handful of stars out of five. You’ve done all the paperwork and you’ve established an office and website, but building your brand is also important.

Building your brand is essential for success. How your brand is perceived is its entire identity. It dictates client loyalty and their willingness to be an ambassador and advocate for your company.

First and foremost, you need to define your brand. If your managers and representatives don’t know or are not on the same page about the brand identity, your customers certainly won’t get a coherent message. This focus on brand identity reaches every aspect of the company: from font and color choices to display models to how user-friendly your website is. Be consistent, but not repetitive in your messaging.

Once you’ve defined your brand and made sure that everything is in line with that identity, you need to set about identifying your target client and appealing to them. Everyone wants a broad base of clients, but for many businesses, there is a specific niche that they should focus on in order to provide customized, personal service aligned with their brand identity. When you’ve found your ideal client base, learn to speak their language (no jargon or industry-specific terminology). To hit it out of the park, do your best to personalize everything as much as possible.

After building your brand and identifying your client, the next step is crucial: making the emotional connection. Providing excellent service should be a given, but to forge the kind of loyalty you want, you have to show that you care, both for the client and for something greater. Companies that stand for something give their base a chance to feel like they are a part of something both good and bigger than themselves. One way to show that you care for the client individually is to reward them, randomly! Go beyond the standard thank you gifts and send care packages, free tickets, etc.

Lastly, no matter who your client is, the best way to appeal to everyone is through printed newsletters. Print applies equally across the board, regardless of demographic. If your customer has a mailing address, they can get mail – and with everyone else using impersonal e-newsletters (if they send one at all!), you stand out as the company that goes an extra step…the company that sends them interesting articles with helpful, customized information. And that oh-so-personalized newsletter gets read all month long, on the coffee table, pinned to the corkboard, and even passed on to friends!

Building your brand with newsletters can be the difference between you and all of those other search engine results! Click here for more details on our personalized newsletter programs.