Promote Yourself!

... From Biz2Biz NWA April 2009

By Randy Mullikin / The Mullikin Agency / Springdale

Watching the news these days is downright depressing. What’s a business to do? You can’t just throw up your hands and walk away. You must look for ways to promote yourself economically, especially during the tough times. Now is a good time to boost your brand. A brand is a combination of name, words, symbols, or design that identifies a product or service and distinguishes it from the competition.

Founder of Amazon.com, Jeff Bezos says, “A brand for a company is like a reputation for a person. You earn reputation by trying to do the hard things well.” Unfortunately, many people cut back their branding efforts as quickly as they cut back on their budgets during a slow economy – exactly the opposite of what they should be doing.

If you must spend less on advertising, there are still ways you can boost your brand. Using your logo and identity consistently creates the illusion that you are advertising in more places than you actually are, simply because your message is consistent.

At the start of each week, ask yourself this question: What can I do to further leverage my brand and increase business? Here are some options to consider:

Use promotional items. Put your logo on everything you can think of – shirts, hats, pens, cups, notepads, and even your invoices. These items keep your name in front of clients, and potential clients, without a huge dollar investment. They are great for sending to clients before a meeting, giving as a gift in person, or leaving behind as a reminder of your visit. Be creative and just get them into people’s hands.

Differentiate yourself. Be able to tell someone in one sentence why you’re different from your competitors.

Live your brand internally. Make sure everyone, including your accountant, understands what your brand is all about and how to use it frequently and consistently.

Create an email signature. Develop a “brand” signature for all employees. Add your logo and/or a tagline/statement, if appropriate, to every email message.

Answer the telephone in a branded manner. Use your company name and consider a very brief image message that conveys your brand and the value you offer.

This list is just a start. Think creatively. Many ideas cost very little to implement. Look at what you can do today, aligned with your brand and business, to show customers the advantage of doing business with you. But most of all, don’t forget to PROMOTE YOURSELF!

Author/ expert Randy Mullikin, owner of The Mullikin Agency, has spent more than 25 years creating some of the most memorable campaigns in this region. 2009 marks the 15-year celebration of Mullikin's full service advertising, marketing, and public relations agency. randy@mullikinad.com.