Every day, millions of messages are being thrown at us from the media. Most of those messages are high blast consumer sensationalism that appeal to short-term senses and pocketbooks. We, as consumers, are pummeled with message after message on the radio, television, online, or just walking outside. You can’t escape the noise, so how do you begin to rise above it as a small business owner? How do you tune out the deafening sounds of media and get your business in the spotlight? You must tell a better story, with staying power.
One of the most thrilling things about being a business owner is there is a reason you went into business that’s specific to you. You had a goal, a purpose, a vision for something better, and then you took steps to breathe life into that business idea. That’s powerful when told well. So, what does your story sound like? Tell your audience in the most captivating way WHY you exist. Take them on a journey from your inception to your present-day status. Show them behind the scenes and tell them what you can offer to make their lives better when they spend time with you. This is how you connect. You tell a great story all while offering a solution to your audience’s problem. But where do you start? Especially if you aren’t a great novelist or content creator.
Create Your Brand’s Tone
First, identify how you want your brand to sound. What tone words encompass your company that are interesting and dynamic? What will make someone want to stop and read about you and look at you? Are you “rugged,” “simplistic,” or “extraordinary?” Find words that are more interesting than the same old “honest,” “quick,” “cheap” that seems to entangle the Autocare industry. Once you have your authentic and interesting tone words, begin to use them in your content. Create things that look and feel like the tone you are using. If you are pushing the narrative that you are luxury based, you don’t want miss-matched content talking about how affordable you are. If you are luxury, it is implied that pricing is top tier. The content surrounding your brand should look and ooze luxury. And furthermore, the location they show up to should exude that same luxury you are showcasing inside the content. Your story must align with all aspects of the business. It is not enough to rely on your content. You must back up your words with a facility that looks and feels like the content you are pushing. And you need to have staffing and processes in place that also support your narrative. Otherwise, there is a breach in the story that creates client confusion, which leads to mistrust. People respond to continuity. Never give them a reason to question your story.
Get Involved in Your Community
Now that your shop looks and acts the part, and you’ve established your tone and created relevant content, you should target the narrative. My mother always told me that, “not all company was good company.” This is the same for your shop. You don’t want every single human in your tri-state area at your business. You want people who align with your vision and the message you are sending out. This means you will need to get to know your audience. Know where they are located so you know where to place online ads and how to direct content. Know which companies do the most hiring in the areas and think of creative ways to get your name in those doors. Show up to the local sports games and plays in town if this is your town’s vibe. Show them you are community involved—all the while learning community behaviors. This is some of the most valuable time spent as an owner. I target all our marketing very specifically based on community data I’ve learned over the years. And that marketing cannot stop.
Develop a Continuous Flow of Marketing
If I can stress anything to you, it is to not stop the marketing machine once you have it going. Your marketing is the direct valve to your flow of traffic. You need to plan for it because you are not going to escape marketing if you want to be competitive. Make a solid path of stories to be told, when they will be told, and how they will be told. Then plan to spend on it and track your ROI. Place your ads, creative content, and blogs strategically on the web, show up/host community events, give back to your community in ways that are meaningful to your brand, and keep the story rolling. On the good days when the phones are ringing off the hooks to the days you can hear crickets in the corner, never stop marketing. Remember what I said earlier about breaks in the story? This applies here as well. For the story to continue, you must be continually telling the story. Continual marketing is essentially your shop’s most powerful tool for stability outside of an effective team running on great processes.
Be a Proud Business Owner
One great thing about marketing your brand, telling your story, and engaging your audience, is that the story can infinitely grow. Your story can continually snag new readers, bring old readers back, create years of pages to turn, and become the next great novel. But you can’t be afraid to tell it in an interesting, new way. It’s your story—your tale to tell loudly, proudly, and strategically for years to come. Find a way to cut through the noise and do it continually. Long live your story.