Are digital branding and public relations a struggle for you? According to one of our amazing experts Rachel Bell, instead of sending email blasts to everyone, know your audience. Find out exactly what their challenges and interests are so you can speak directly to them and move them to act. You can then build out from there.
“When you’re a small business or sole practitioner, especially in this time of COVID when remote work makes people feel even more disconnected, it can seem more isolating than ever. [You] really can do it, you’re not alone, and you’re doing great. We can do so many amazing things. Too often we hold ourselves back,” says Rachel Bell.
Rachel Bell, who hosts training sessions through the Women’s Business Center, provides five tips for small businesses to succeed in getting the word out about their company. Check them out below!
Rachel’s Five Tips
One: Start with why. Why do you do what it is that you do? People love a good origin story and vision, especially if it includes them. Not only that, but why should people care about what you are offering? Answer these questions first. If you don’t have answers, or if they’re not compelling, then you’ve got some work to do.
Two: Check your mindset. A more productive focus is not getting the word out about your company. Or even what you need as a company. It’s about engaging audiences with messages they will find interesting. Nobody wants to be sold to but we all relate to something that is useful or engaging. There’s a difference!
Three: Have a message. It makes no sense to share any information unless you have a clear message that resonates with your audience. That’s not a sales pitch. It’s something that supports the bigger picture of why it matters. People love to be a part of something bigger than themselves. You may not think your business or service is inspirational, but great marketing finds a way to relate what you offer as a brand to what customers see in themselves.
Four: Know your audience. Call your audience out in your marketing. You need to be able to describe exactly who you are talking to. If it’s everybody, then it’s nobody. You can always expand your audience later, but first get awesome tracktion with one kind of customer or client. Consider what your audience wants to hear, and what will inspire them to act. The best way to find this out is to talk to current customers and ask why they bought a product. Or do research online to see what they are talking about on your topic by doing searches on Google, in Facebook groups, on Reddit or even on Pinterest (try it, they have an amazing search engine).
Five: Manage expectations. Before investing any time, money, or resources into tools or counsel, know exactly what you want your potential clients to do. What actions should they be taking to work with you? Make sure it is clear to them, that it’s reasonable to accomplish (do they have to take too many steps?), and how you will measure success.
Rachel Bell and The RVB Group
Rachel Bell is the founder of The RVB Group, a public relations and marketing consulting firm. Rachel believes that everybody has a compelling story. She loves that her work is to help people find their story and tell it. She specializes in writing materials that organizations need to effectively communicate.
If you’re interested in Rachel’s services, you can learn more about her experience and capabilities at: TheRVBGroup.com
