Q: What is the fastest way to achieve brand awareness in markets outside of Minnesota?
Jess Tiffany, president
Marketing and Networking University
A: First, know what you mean by brand. Many entrepreneurial online companies endeavor to define their brand by their look, their logo, if they have one, or the appearance of their website landing page. Academically, at least, "brand" can mean many things. It has a personality, a promise of service and/or product quality and delivery — think marketing's basic four Ps: product, place, price and promotion — how do you define and illustrate your company's benefits to your audiences?
Expanding your market exposure requires first that you understand and can articulate your brand and benefits to the audiences and localities you've targeted. Where are your competitors now? Are they in markets you wish to penetrate? Study them — don't copy them — but do a scan of their competitive advantages (or lack thereof) so you can identify how you are going to point out your distinctions before you start buying billboards or running (sometimes expensive) advertising in the media in those areas.
So, some questions to ask of yourself: How did you establish your brand presence in this local market? Can you replicate those tactics and methods? What metrics did you use to determine that you do, in fact, have presence in this market? Are those metrics good guideposts for your next targeted locations? In marketing, the first question asked is always, "What is the problem we're trying to solve?" Why are you trying to increase brand awareness in other markets besides the obvious — desire to drive revenue?
These days, consumers — particularly millennials — are suspicious of marketers' messages. Mostly, they don't believe them, trusting instead to get reactions and recommendations from their peers or seeking word-of-mouth referrals. Do you have a great fan base, locally? And could that be expanded by taking testimonials with you to the other markets you wish to penetrate? Brands must "connect" with their consumer audiences. If you can find an "influencer" in the markets you're targeting, that expert will enhance your exposure in the market they serve — if your product/service is really good. The brand recognition will stem from that.
Mike Hoffman is an adjunct professor of marketing at the University of St. Thomas Opus College of Business.
