There was a time when companies used to have to rely on advertising and word of mouth to get their company noticed. While those things are still important, these days there is a whole host of new ways to raise your companies profile and get people talking.
More people are now using the internet, social networking and smart-phones to interact with companies that capture their interest. There are some smart ways in which you can use these technologies to get your name into people’s minds.
Social media
These days, there is hardly anyone who doesn’t have some kind of social networking profile. Facebook, Twitter, and also some of the newcomers to the markets such as Pinterest and Tumblr have people signing up in their droves to share thoughts, links and information with their friends and followers.
All of these sites are free to use for both personal and business users. One way to increase your profile relatively cheaply is to establish your company’s profile on a number of social networking outlets. This gives you the opportunity to share information about your products, services or special offers and helps get your customers talking.
Twitter in particular is well geared up for the business user. You can use their search function to look for people talking about your company or product and interact with these people instantly. Linking from your company website to your Twitter profile and Facebook page will help to integrate the messages that you are putting out online.
If you have products to sell, and particularly if you have an ever-changing collection, Pinterest is an excellent way to get your products seen. The website has become particularly popular with fashionistas, craft fans and food lovers. By posting pictures on Pinterest, you can link back to your website with details of how to buy. If you include the price in your description, the picture comes with a little price tag attached making Pinterest an extension to your own shop window.
Corporate website
Often, when people are researching which products or services they wish to buy, the company’s website is one of the first places that they will visit. In the past, a sales brochure has often been the most important part of making a sale. Now, the company’s website acts as the brochure so it is important to get it right.
Getting in a company that understands web design in terms of creating simple, eye-catching sites that are attractive and easy to use for your customers is an investment well spent. Make sure that you are integrating the information you give on your web site with that in any published literature, advertising campaigns and social networking profiles to make sure that customers are getting a consistent picture however they interact with your company.
Sponsor some info graphics
Infographics, simply put, show data in a clear and attractive graphical format. These have become popular over the past year in particular, and are a regular staple of the news media and social networking. Search Infographics on Pinterest and you will get thousands upon thousands of hits of clear, concise graphics laid out in a way that is visually very attractive.
If you have research information about your market sector, sponsoring a graphics company to turn the date into an Infographic can be money well spent. With the name of your company on the bottom of the poster, you will have something that informs your customers and shows that your company is keeping right up with the cultural zeitgeist.
Conclusion
However you choose to get your company noticed, it is important to make sure that you’re clear about your brand identity. Working with a marketing firm (such as SAS London) to clarify what you want people to think of your company is an important first step. There are plenty of tools that you can use to get your name and image into the minds of your consumer. Once you know what message you want to convey, all that’s left to be done is get out there and get seen.
Zoe Goodacre loves the web and writing about marketing based topics.