The Simple, Inexpensive Ways You Can Create Brand Awareness
Many growing businesses have limited marketing budgets. To make the most of your marketing budget, you need to leverage the channels and platforms already in place. Strategy is the key to increasing brand awareness. Here are the top, most cost-effective ways to increase brand awareness.
Advertise where your customers already spend the most time
Social media has become one of the most important marketing channels because it reaches consumers no matter where they are. Whenever you drive traffic to your site, you increase your chances of building a loyal customer base and developing a long-term brand.
One of the best places to drive traffic to your site is to share posts from people you know. Posting content from your social media feeds makes it easy for your followers to share your content with their own friends, making it more likely that people will see and share your content. You can also use these posts to bring in new customers by advertising and promoting the content. It’s also a great way to engage with your customers.
Develop a social media marketing plan to maximize engagement
Social media is one of the most cost-effective marketing channels. Social media marketing allows brands to market their products and services directly to the target audience. Start by developing a list of target audiences and develop a targeted social media marketing plan for each. Building a targeted social media marketing plan involves proper research and mapping your social media marketing.
This involves creating a target audience in your industry, followed by developing a media plan and identifying your social media profiles. Create and maintain profiles that have a personal feel, which will provide a better engagement for customers.
Enhance Customer Connection with In-Store Displays and POS Materials
The majority of consumers check their phones while shopping. So put signage that’s designed to grab their attention on every surface possible. Use “we want to help you” banners and other visual cues that help shoppers identify your brand in the shopping environment. Post signage on POS counters or in the check-out area. Have a clipboard and pen handy so you can write down any additional feedback that you receive.
Other tools you can use to improve this component of your marketing plan include reputation management software, branded gift cards, promotional cards, and packaging inserts that give shoppers additional information about your product. Create a call to action (CTA) that gets your customer to take action right away Customers love to be asked.
Place ads in local publications or on billboards
While newspapers and billboards are out of reach for many businesses, local magazines are easy to spot when driving around your city. If you work in a small town, and not everyone reads the local newspaper and this may be an ideal avenue for you to advertise. The articles will likely be related to your product or service, so your ads will stand out. It may also attract your targeted audience to your site if you are paying for this placement.
Create customer loyalty programs for your business
Customer loyalty programs go a long way in driving customer retention. Whether it’s a special discount, free shipping, or exclusive offers for regular customers, loyalty programs allow you to become the hero of your customer’s life, motivating them to keep coming back to your brand. Sales team members should have easy access to customer loyalty programs, as they can promote them on other websites and social media profiles. They can also host customer loyalty events or create new loyalty memberships.
Host live events – At live events, attendees can watch how-to demonstrations and take part in interactive breakout sessions that offer one-on-one communication.
Host a contest or giveaway for new customers
Online contests and giveaways are a great way to promote your business and create brand awareness. Make sure the promotion is also backed with the right mix of prizes and other promotions. They also need to be easy to execute. Put up a YouTube video that covers your business, or a viral video of the company in action. Don’t worry if your YouTube channel isn’t exactly spectacular – make sure that your video is easy to find, and link it to your homepage, e-commerce site, or social channels.
Sponsor an influencer’s post or podcast. When done right, a sponsored post can be an excellent way to increase brand awareness and create demand for your products and services. You can promote your company on a business blog, website, social media, or podcast.
If you have questions about this post or need help with building local brand awareness, give WebJIVE a call at 501-588-1979.

Eric Caldwell is the owner and CEO of WebJIVE, a leading digital marketing agency based in Little Rock, Arkansas. With over 30 years of experience in the industry, Eric has become a seasoned expert in web design, SEO, and other digital marketing services.