Most business owners don’t realize it when it happens because you can’t automatically see it for yourself. It’s a slow and steady process until it just happens. And when it does happen you won’t know until some time later when you can look back at your growth charts and say “Wow, what happened there?”. “There” being, at the time, the inconspicuous change in how the public revolving your business, sees your business. Your business has become recognizable, and i’m not talking about your buildings new paint job, or Tom Jone’s the store clerk, becoming more popular. I mean when Karen at the office see’s Sara holding, yet again another white coffee cup with a green logo on it, she doesn’t have to get close enough to read the tiny text on it to understand exactly where that cup of coffee was purchased. Automatically Karen RECOGNIZES the colors and configuration and boom, brand recognition. You haven’t even seen the cup and I’m sure your thinking of the correct company already. That’s powerful. I’m well aware most business’s aren’t at that level of international fame, but Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither was your business. Simply put, your brand has an identity that is out there roaming on its on, seeking peoples attention for you, handing out referrals with out a word. “I’m starting to see a lot of those white coffee cups with the green logo lately, i should try that coffee” says Sara. Isn’t that interesting? Word of mouth marketing, without the words, without anyone really interacting with anyone other than your customer doing what they already do and someone seeing it.
Now that’s them, and not you, I guess it could be you and if so “Way To Go!” and thanks for reading my post! For all the rest of us who actually have to work to sell our product and/or services by getting our name and number out there. Presuming you already have your identity imagery conceived it’s time to be seen. To put ourselves out there we have to use every mean available and not miss one! In today’s society it’s easier than ever to self market with the internet and social media as it is. We are in a tech crazed society where everyone is on their phones, tablets and computers with a million ads, pop-ups and banners zooming through their processing faculties each and every day. Everyone is online and everyone is selling something. You’re a part of that “everyone”. I’m sure you can agree that everyone is a lot of people. Just like all those people you have to pay for every appearance on the world wide web, every click, every pop-up if you’re the type that supports that pest of an advertisement. Unfortunately some of those people will have more money and resources to keep their ads flooding the main stream so when your funds run low your campaign is dead and they remain. The same goes for television and radio time, you run out of money your advertisement stops. There is a beautiful and in my opinion underutilized advertising option that doesn’t rely on your steady stream of funds to remain active.
If you run a prominently internet based business of course you will spend the majority of your marketing budget on online based ads. However, for the local business owners, you need local customers, local sales of your local product sand/or services. And what a way to give back to your community by buying local advertising. It’s a win-win…-win; for your business, the advertisement company, and the communal economy. There’s two main avenues for the public to learn about a local business, hearing and seeing. For small business’s and start-ups it is best to leave the hearing to word of mouth by your happy customers and supporters. Now they need to see you, apart from where you and your business are located you need to be seen. You need to build public awareness. Your logo and image should be on as many pieces of your business as possible, along with other aspects of the real world, and in an abundance that is just shy of vandalism. Decals, street signs, banners, business cards, flyers, postcards, vehicle graphics, window static clings, napkins, I care what I wipe my face with. With a wide format printer you can create an array of assorted marketing ammunition that all you have to do is implement into your business/life. And a beautiful thing about these items, you pay for it once and it’s there, it’s out there roaming, passing hands, some might be thrown away but if you do it right it’s a justified sacrifice. One main thing that I have heard time and time again immediately pays for itself is vehicle graphics, weather it be just some lettering on your door to your back window graphics to a full custom wrap that demands attention. With vehicle graphics you now have a mobile billboard. Imagine having a whole billboard dedicated to what you do, that drives around town, yeah its like that! People see it, and more importantly people that need you see it. If you’re business isn’t reaching out to your customers, it’t it time to put your money where it’s best spent. You thought I was going to say mouth didn’t you! Here at Eagle Signs and Graphics we specialize in large format printing and can efficiently get your business out there and get your phone ringing.
