In a time where shopping online is a viable option for consumers, industries are more competitive than ever—even if you're selling a niche product like my company does. Since there are so many e-commerce operations, it helps to stay in front of the competition. One way to do this is through internet brand messaging. Internet brand messaging can help you gain a competitive advantage in the market and develop your own unique voice.
Here are five ways that you can develop your own internet brand messaging:
1. Understand your audience and what they need.
What's the message that your company is trying to convey? While it may be a good idea to get creative with your messaging, sometimes simplicity is the best solution.
Being in the natural stone industry selling marble window sills, I strategically named my company Stonexchange because it's what my target audience is looking to do—distribute natural stone (specifically window sills). Yet, when it comes to online visibility, I knew that buyers will most likely type in what they're looking for, so I named Stonexchange's web domain “windowsills.com."
2. Have a great tagline or slogan.
This may sound like an introduction to a marketing class, but it works. Slogans can serve as a tagline to elaborate on what your business is all about.
In the world of internet brand messaging, this kind of information can be gold. My tagline, “Manufacturer and Wholesale Distributor of Marble Window Sills and Thresholds" lets you know right away what we do. You may want to come up with a catchy or to-the-point slogan that describes what your business offers.
3. Target your ideal customer through your internet brand messaging.
Research, research, research! The internet is a big place and you don't have the luxury of just posting your content online and hoping someone will see it. You have to be strategic. Target your market and ask yourself, "What kind of businesses would benefit from this product? What are their titles, and what role do they play in the buying process?"
All of this is important because once you compose a marketing campaign, you'll probably want to put your ad right in front of them. In my industry, building contractors, architects, designers, wholesale distributors and development companies are going to be interested in buying marble window sills and thresholds in bulk at wholesale prices. Keeping this in mind, I crafted a marketing campaign ad with a goal of communicating to my audience why they may need my product. Consider doing this when selling your products or services: Convince your target audience why your company is so great and why they should give it the time of day and, maybe most importantly, why they should give you their money.
4. Nail your elevator pitch.
This is where you may want to bring out the good old-fashioned elevator pitch. It's still good because it works.
The elevator pitch is a short summary that defines your business, what it does and why someone needs it. I don't recommend it lasting any longer than 30 seconds (the estimated time it takes to ride an elevator).
If you're not particularly fond of public speaking, this might sound terrifying to you, but don't worry: All you have to do is be creative and tell a story. Everyone has a story to tell, and as an entrepreneur, you definitely have a story to tell! The trick is going to be condensing that story into 30 seconds.
Here's a quick tip: Write a story about what got you into business in the first place. Within that story, you're going to find the answer to three questions, the first two of which you already know:
- What is the name of your business?
- What kind service or product does it offer?
- Why should someone buy it?
This is your elevator pitch. The end of your story may reveal the answer to No. 3 and is sometimes the “aha" moment that motivates you to continue pushing your business forward.
5. Be consistent.
Internet brand messaging doesn't stop as long as you're in business. Keeping a consistent message can help you stay ahead of competitors. Your brand reflects you and you reflect your brand. Consider making your internet brand messaging a part of everything you do and being loyal to it. If you aren't, then how can you expect anyone else to be?
Volkan Okay Yazici is the owner and president of Stonexchange. He is also a member of Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC).
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