Hopefully the past few months have been full of new leads, a growing client list, and plenty of compliments on your new look! However, as the dust settles and your launch excitement fades, there are a few steps you can take to make sure you don’t lose traction. Now is the time to make a branding push; stay relevant, engage new clientele. Keep your brand moving forward with our top 6 “6 months later” small business tips:
- Blog: we just can’t say it enough… blog! Blog posts help increase your SEO (search engine optimization) so Google can find your page and place it higher in its rankings. A regularly posted blog also shows off the new and exciting things you’re doing as a brand (we know you are in fact doing exciting things!). Inspire potential clients, show site visitors that you’re on-trend, and drive traffic all at the same time? This one is a no-brainer.
- Guest Blog: once you’ve built up a repertoire of your own posts, start talking to others in the community about how you can help each other gain recognition online. Make use of your industry connections; ask relevant connections if they’d consider featuring you in a post, or allowing you to write a guest post for their blog. Chances are, you can trade posts for a win-win situation.Though it’s not as surefire as working with an established connection, be sure to also submit your best work to the big names in your industry. Sites like The Knot or Style Me Pretty (for wedding industry) or Houzz, Rue, and Home & Design (for interior designers) are always taking new submissions. You can also go local—try popular news and lifestyle magazines like D Magazine or Austin Monthly (especially ideal for restaurants and shops). It takes little effort to submit work you’ve already done… and it will pay off big if you do!
- Photo or Video: Add something extra to your existing brand materials by adding styled photo shoots or a branded promo video to your repertoire. Whether you share on social media or update images on your site, branded photos and videos are the perfect visual medium for keeping your brand top-of-mind. Ready to get started? Check out our posts on styled photo shoots (hint: all you need is a camera and some natural light!), and on how to make a branded promo video.
- Networking Events: scope out local industry events, and start attending them with business cards in hand. You’ll be surprised how quickly your network grows as you make new connections. Plus, it’s fun! Connecting with potential clients is always exciting, but make an effort to meet other professionals too. You can learn from each other’s successes, talk about creative ideas to grow business, and even collaborate in the future. Having those connections will pay off both immediately and in the long run. Start establishing new connections and maintaining professional relationships that will make your name in the industry and benefit you for years to come.Don’t forget, you can make your own events too! Host a happy hour, collaborative photo shoot, or even a community service event with industry connections. And of course, don’t forget to post about it on social media…
- Get Social: make sure you’re networking digitally too! Social media is the easiest way to stay connected with your target clientele. Make sure you’re pinning recent images of your work, instagramming what’s going on behind the scenes to make your business a success, and tweeting about pertinent moments. If you’re feeling adventurous, try newer trends in social media like Snapchat and Periscope—both are perfect for showing clients how you work behind the scenes. Don’t forget to hashtag relevantly!Tip: gather all your images on social media using a custom hashtag just for your business. Adding a custom hashtag to all your posts will establish a branded way for clients and connections to include you on social media posts.
- Add Elements: it’s been a few months, and you’ve had time to put your brand to good use. Have you come across anything else you need? Maybe you’ve got great business cards, but you don’t have a media kit or promotional piece to send out to potential clients. Or perhaps you’ve realized custom-printed tissue paper would really be the icing on the cake for client gift bags. Whatever the case, take stock of additional items that could benefit your brand and send us your wishlist—we are always happy to help you with sourcing and additional brand elements.
Keep on pushing to keep your brand top-of-mind for potential clients and up-to-date with current industry trends. We’re excited to see your success stories and, as always, are happy to help you with any assistance you may need in expanding your brand or website to the next level!