Building a brand is about so much more than throwing up a website or logging into social media once a day. Brand identity is more complex — it’s about the cohesiveness of your brand across all platforms and establishing your company as an authority in the industry. This applies to the way you write online, what you write about, the look and feel of every page of your website, and the graphics you use on social media.
If you’re looking for growth in your water damage business in 2018, branding is the unstoppable force of marketing. Buying more ads, writing more blogs, and becoming a SEO guru are all good things, but they don’t have the same power as a well defined brand that people know about. Plus, investing time in money into these marketing methods without a strong brand simply isn’t smart. Here’s what you need to know about building your brand and making it more visible to your target audience.
The Power of Brand Awareness
We don’t need to tell you what it’s like working in an emergency business. It’s hard to market when you’re waiting for the disaster to strike that will allow you to capture more leads. When a homeowner experiences a flood, you want to be their first resource, but how do you accomplish this goal?
The power of brand awareness is that people already know who you are and what you do long before they need your services. When people recognize your logo or connect with your content, they remember you and take note of your name. Then, when the unthinkable happens, they think of you first. This could mean they’re facing water damage themselves and pick up the phone to call you first. It could mean they’re recommending you to a friend. In many cases, they’re an insurance agent who is referring a client to your business.
Using Information to Build a Brand
What do you think of when you we talk about building a brand? A lot of people think about the way their website looks or the logo they print on their business cards. Of course, these things are a part of branding, but they’re just a small portion of this never-ending task. The truth is that, now more than ever, building a brand is a continuous process. It’s about the things you are doing each day that will grow your reputation as a water damage restoration specialist. And, the foundation of this process is becoming a trusted source of information in your industry.
This can be accomplished by offering real value to internet users through your social media content and blog posts. Instead of focusing on how each piece of content can generate a sale, focus on how you can help the person reading what you have to say. Meet them where they are but helping them with what they need right now. What do they want to know about caring for their home and what are you qualified to share? The answer to this question is a great place to start.
Balancing Brand Building and Lead Generation
Brand building will definitely create a reputation for your company that people respond to. When homeowners in your area recognize and even prefer your brand, whether or not they’ve used your services before, they’re more likely to head your way when they need what you have to offer.
At the same time, this is an approach that takes a long view. This means you have to be able to balance brand building with lead generation. As hard as you work to create content online that bolsters your brand, you still need to devote plenty of time to lead generation. This means, yes you will be sharing tips that help the homeowners who visit your blog, but you will also be writing strong calls to action on your website and social media. This means you will also be spending time on learning search engine optimization and building a referral program.
A lot goes into marketing a small business. Balancing brand building and lead generation can feel overwhelming, but systems can be created they guide the daily, weekly, and monthly actions of marketing. At More Floods, we help our network members streamline and perfect their marketing methods. To learn more, click here or call 1-866-667-3356.