Creating a buzz and reaching audience affinity is one of the biggest obstacles for startups and mid-sized companies alike. At the heart of the dilemma is acquisition: get them (and keep them) excited. We're sharing our top recommendations for acquisition to get people to fall for (your) brand.
Whether you're working on your MVP or conducting user testing on your latest update, always seek feedback. Be prepared for feedback that may test some of the assumptions and biases you had when you first started your company. Although your brand should be attuned with its mission and vision, your brand will evolve based on feedback you receive throughout the process. It's like fine tuning a guitar. You keep working at it until it sounds right. Not sure how to get test? The Next Web (TNW) refers to their list of the top 15:
Depending on your strategy and industry, referral networks may be top of mind to launch a "fall-for" brand. These networks have worked extremely well in the industries of fashion, beauty & grooming, electronics & gadgets, food + beverage & supplements, e-cigarettes & vaporizers, home & pets, and education & toys. Among the top referral networks, these companies top the charts according to Referral Candy:
What's one of our favorites? Morning Brew.
In Tyler Denk's Medium piece, the inner workings of Morning Brew's referral program are released. Their custom built platform fit their qualifications to a T, but they first needed to qualify whether their product was right for an incentive program. If you've got a product that people refer without any reason to go out and publicize on their own, then you're ready to launch that incentive program. With a tiered system of rewards, Morning Brew has leveraged their passionate community that is quality-controlled through a multi-step onboarding process.
"It's helped turn readers into evangelists and evangelists into walking advertisements."
It drives us crazy when we get automated emails from companies that clearly don't get us. They don't realize that we're ignoring their emails (on purpose) or that we're tired of reading the same "copy-and-paste" marketing material. Although getting users to love your brand may be your end goal, a humanistic approach requires fresh content, real-world scenarios, and a reason to have your users coming back for more.
Your purpose is to get people excited about your brand!
According to Gallup, excited customers/users increase profits by 23%. To start this buzz, your marketing plan may include social media contests, shareable content, unique product packaging, or giveaways. Keep your brand fresh and on top of the day's headlines. Plan your initiatives out for the year by starting a brand calendar. Starbucks's pumpkin spice and Burger King's green bun campaigns bring seasonality and urgency to their brands.
There's a rumbling drive to create purposeful and sustainable brands. From our piece on Branded Sustainability, we understand not only the WHY but the HOW. Why do we need to create purpose within a mission and vision statement? Do people even care what our brand pillars are? From a "practice what you preach approach," we have validated our mission in the work that we do with founders and executives. We believe that effective brands are built on human connections, defined positioning, and creative confidence through their rumble and roar.
The WHY is your rumble. The HOW is your roar.
Be clever, stay curious, and connect the dots. Your customers or users won't be drawn to content and design taken from a template. Be conscious of your choices in your business and brand strategy and, most importantly, be critical to know when you need to re-evaluate and pivot.
If you're looking to launch your MVP or seeking a brand refresh, I'd love to hear from you! As strategists and creators of "fall-for" brands, we're excited to elevate your brand with cheerleaders on the sidelines.
