When it Comes to your Unknown Brand, Play the Long Game

If you’re on a blind date for the first time and the other person gets to work trying to seduce you straight away – to close the deal that same very day — your response will probably be to run for the hills (while dialling the police).

To build a relationship up to where the other person is prepared to invest in you (whether it’s sales or a more intimate relationship), you’ve got to do a bit of grafting first – and unfortunately, it’s going to take more than a few dates and a couple of cringey compliments.

The more someone allows you to get to know them and they become familiar with you, the more likely they’ll be comfortable enough to move to second base. This is when you’ll start to reap the rewards.

It’s the same with your start-up business or your unknown brand. People will only trust and buy into your service or product once they know and understand who you are and what you stand for.

A brand is more than just marketing and a fancy logo – the brand tells your story. Therefore, getting your name out there, and having campaigns around awareness, understanding and education for your brand is an invaluable first step.

Here are some tips for brands that are not category leaders:

1. Get known

- Sounds obvious, but just get out, see and talk to people and network. The advantage for unknown brands is that you can be more specific and strategic with who you talk to. You can have time to nurture relationships and have more personable connections. If you’re not a category leader, you can smash the numbers if you take the time to connect with people.

2. Know who your customers are, and where they play

- If you know that a group of your ideal customers are down at the local RSA every Friday night having a beer, you should also be down there having a beer every Friday night too. If there’s an association they are apart of, you should be in there helping with that association.

3. Have an attitude of service

- People work you out pretty quickly if you’re too arrogant, desperate or cocky (refer to opening paragraph), which is why it’s important to let go of any ego in the beginning phases and just go out to serve and help others.

Give people free advice and help until they’re prepared to come to you and pay for what you’re doing.