In a world filled with business Facebook pages and company blogs, is it even possible to find a way to stand out? What does it take to be a memorable brand in a sea of voices? Is it even possible? The good news is yes. Being the kind of company customers remember was never automatic, even before the Internet. And today, the same principles of quality customer service and superior products hold true.
Want your clients to remember you? Here’s how.
1. Be the Best
What do a food blog like Sprouted Kitchen and a streaming video service like Netflix have in common? Each of them, in their unique niches, stand out. So whether you’re the company with the prettiest pictures or the bookstore with the lowest prices, when you find a way to be the best, you find a way to be memorable. Ask yourself how your brand stands out—If you don’t know the answer, stop everything to find out. Once you know your differentiator, make that the heart of your message.
2. Offer Something No One Else Does
It’s not hard to remember a restaurant when it’s the only one in town—and that’s the same principle that works to your advantage in any industry. When you offer something that no other company offers, you make yourself a company to remember. Are you the online store that gives free shipping after $25 purchases? Are you the community bank that is passionate about helping local businesses? Whatever it is that you deliver that no one else does needs to be at the forefront of your marketing efforts. It, just like ways you are the best, is what helps you stand out.
3. Deliver Killer Customer Service
Give someone better service than they’ve gotten elsewhere, and you give him or her a reason to remember you. Respond quickly to questions. Work to resolve complaints immediately. Be proactive about soliciting feedback through surveys, blog posts, and so on. Whenever possible, go the extra mile in terms of serving your clients. When you treat your customers well, they don’t forget it.
4. Remember Them
When you want your customers to remember you, remember them—Just the simple act of remembering a client’s first name and that he mentioned a birthday last week will go a long way. Everybody wants to feel like more than a cog in a machine or a set of dollar signs on your business register. Look for ways to be personal with your audience, and let them know you’re paying attention to them.
5. Give Them Many Chances to Notice You
There’s a reason that cable company advertises twice in the same commercial break and that local restaurant you Googled keeps coming up in online ads—Savvy businesses know repetition is a key to persuasion. Generally speaking, the more times we see something, the more we remember it because the more familiar it becomes. This applies to more than direct advertising, too. By engaging on social media, hosting giveaways on blogs, holding in-person events, and sending out mailings, you reiterate, over and over again, the same message to your audience. This strengthens its power and makes you more memorable.
Your Thoughts
Holding your company up to these five rules for being memorable, how does it stack up? Is your brand one that would stick in people’s minds, or is it too bland to be remembered? If you want to make a stronger impression, there’s no better time to start than now.
(This post originally appeared on the Straight North Blog.)