Tips to staying busy in your business.
Tradies know all too well that with the good times come the bad. Many are often heard saying, “Yeah, I’m booked out for the next three to six months!” But on the flipside, it’s, “I was flat out and then the work just died off.”
Needless to say, keeping a steady flow of work does not magically happen. Positioning your business in the mind of your customers is essential. You have to stay consistent and keep your brand ethos in mind, always. For example, your brand statement or company mission.
So, what’s a brand statement?
This is what your business represents and can be a large factor in how your customers relate to your product or service. Usually, your brand statement or mission is unique and has a noticeable point of difference from your competitors. Your brand statement becomes part of the strategy you adopt to position your business in the mind of your current and potential customers. To determine your brand statement, ask yourself:
- What does my business stand for?
- Where do I fit into the market?
- What makes my business unique?
By understanding the dynamics of your business, you are able to position your brand in the mind of your customers, so they consider you first. You can use your brand statement by:
- Communicating your brand through marketing
- Communicating your brand through daily operations
Your brand statement is the heart and soul of your business. It is who you are and what your business is all about. It becomes a part of everything you do. It also:
- Attracts target customers
- Strengthens customer relationships
- Positions your business as an expert in your field
- Keeps your business top of mind for customers
Breaking the cycle
Once you know what your brand stands for, you must tie all your marketing, promotions and advertising together. All your social media marketing, search engine marketing, content marketing, mobile marketing, event marketing, local search marketing, and all traditional marketing must be consistent. It must communicate your brand statement.
Your brand must be continuously seen by your potential customers, whether you are busy or not. This is what reinforces that your brand is the only choice. By adopting a stop-start approach to marketing, you will never step out of the “find the work, do the work” cycle.
Marketing can cost big money, so decide on a marketing budget, and invest where you get the best “bang for your buck”. Positioning your brand in the mind of the customer means you have to stay consistent with brand messaging. You have to be saying the same thing over and over again (your brand statement) in different ways and through different media, until your target customers relate your brand as something unique, and you become a household name.
Author bio: Tracie Ellis is the Founder and CEO of Renovators Directory, an online platform, bringing the entire home improvement sector together Australia- wide. You can learn more about Renovators Directory at www.renovatorsdirectory.com.au.