Keeping your company brand current, relevant and active is tricky and requires a lot of work. Many companies do not know what it takes to maintain their reputable stature in the market. Below are six common mistakes that companies make regarding their brand reputation and some ways to prevent them.
Not understanding your audience, or not knowing who the target audience is.
By failing to know or understand your target audience your messaging will miss the mark and your business could fall short. Make sure you spend ample time getting to know exactly who your products or services are for.
Failing to build a presence.
Once you get to know your audience, you will know what social media platforms to focus your energy on. If your potential customers are active on Facebook, make sure you have a vibrant and active Facebook page! If they are on LinkedIn, find out what groups they are in and join them! You want them to see you as an industry leader.
Not being consistent.
Make sure that your brand is consistent across all social media platforms so that when you engage with a customer on Twitter, they are getting the same experience (personality, tone of voice) that they would get on Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.
Taking too long to apologize.
Having a plan in place for a marketing/PR disaster is a great way to safeguard yourself against any additional backlash. Own up to your mistake and apologize quickly.
Not being available 24/7.
While it is impossible for business owners to watch the internet all day, there are certain social media monitoring tools, such as Google Alerts, that inform you of any mentions of your brand that you otherwise may have missed. Be as active and engaging with your following as possible.
Lacking transparency.
Being open and honest about who you are as a brand goes a long way. This does not mean that you have to disclose everything, but explaining the reasoning behind some of your major decisions can help make consumers feel closer and connected to your brand.
For branding, online marketing and all other full-service integrated marketing, please contact Sagefrog Marketing Group at 215-230-9024 or visit sagefrog.com.
