Name Recognition à Who Are You?
Who Do You Think You Are Picture by Everaldo Coelho
Which do you want potential clients to know on a name-only basis – you or your products/services? Several years ago this question created a great deal of buzz. It is what successful business owners know works, and you must make the choice as to which will move to the front of potential clients’ thoughts. You may be more familiar with the term “Brand”. Different term à same impact.
Effective Ways to Improve Your Name Recognition
I am going to show you various effective ways to improve name recognition. What I cannot show you (what you must decide) is which you want clients to be most familiar with: your name as business owner or the name of your products. A word of advice, if you market new products throughout the year, creating name recognition for your business will gain you stronger results. Do take the time to determine which you want to create name recognition for; the decision will impact your business for years to come. Just think of names such as: Sylvia’s, BET, Ebay, or Motown. The name alone creates images of the products or services these companies offer.
A first step toward building your name recognition is to create an easy to identify logo. Your logo should be unique (set apart from other business logos) and illustrate the spirit or purpose of your business. For example, if you own a hair salon, you could use an African award design. When customers visit your hair salon, you could have your logo on the main wall with the words “Our clients leave looking like the winner they are!” Put your logo on all stationery, each page of your website, invoices, press releases, statements, newsletters, contracts, etc.
Getting Your Name in Front of Consumers
Remember, you are working to build name recognition, so you want to put your name in front of each person you connect with as frequently as possible. Absent experience creating graphics and logo designs, contact a local graphics artist. Share your vision (you could sketch out your logo) with the artist and allow the artist to create your professional logo. Be sure to maintain rights for your logo. You may need to contact your attorney to insure you negotiate the best rights between you and the artist who creates your professional business logo. Shop around for graphics artists and gain the best price and business deal for you.
Sponsor charity events. You don’t have to be the sole sponsor for the event. In fact, you can sponsor events for as little as a few hundred dollars. What will this net you? Mention on the event sponsor list. You may also have your business name or product mentioned in a newspaper feature covering the event. Many event organizers also provide sponsors a table where they can advertise their products free of charge at the event itself.
Name Recognition Builds Perception
Name recognition builds perception of you and the products/services you offer. That is why it is crucial to choose your logo and theme (recall the example of the hair salon – “Our clients leave looking like the winner they are!”) wisely. Your brand will speak for you after-hours when your office doors are closed for the day.
Visualize people milling about the street. They pass your place of business, look up and see your logo and theme. What do you want those potential clients to feel and think about you and your products or services? Build that into your logo, your theme, your products and the unique way you service customers.
You must be logged in to post a comment.