The top 3 questions I get asked as a Brand Consultant, and how I answer them.
To celebrate the launch of the Extra Brain Power Hour, I thought a blog on the top 3 questions I get asked as a Brand Consultant would be apt. And if one of these questions happens to be one you have, then perhaps you can find your answer below! If not, then why not book an Extra Brain Power Hour, to get the answers you need, to solve the brand and marketing challenges that are holding back your business growth.
In the number one spot, the thing I get asked the most is:
Q. How do I get onto the first page of Google?
I have two responses to this question. The first is perhaps obvious, through SEO and the second answer is in fact a question, why?
Answer 1
The straightforward answer that most business owners now know is through SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). SEO is not a quick fix and needs to be monitored and managed consistently over time. If you are prepared to do this, either yourself or pay someone else to do it then this is what you/they need to be doing (in a very small nutshell):
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Website content such as blogs, which add value to your readers, either by educating, informing or entertaining them.
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Building up backlinks to your site – this is where other trusted sites link to your website. Internal links within your site can also help.
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Ensure you are using key words and key phases across your site – to understand this more check out my blog simple starter guide to keywords.
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The speed to which you site loads. To be effective this needs to be 2 seconds or less.
Answer 2
Why? Why do you want to concentrate your efforts and budget on getting onto the first page of Google? Is Google really the right marketing tactic for your business? If the answer to this is yes, then go to my previous answer.
However, often the small business owners I speak to would be far better off putting their energy, time and budget focussing much closer to home. Google has a vast, expansive audience but is it the audience you want for your business? You could spend hundreds of pounds on SEO and paid ads to drive more traffic to your site, but is it the right traffic and will it convert when it gets there? Instead, you could attend a networking event, for instance, and speak directly to 20 or 30 people who are your exact audience for a faction of the cost.
Q. Why is my marketing not working?
Without doing a deep dive into your business this one is tricky to answer off the cuff, but there are a few things to consider.
Answer
Do you have a clear brand strategy in place? For anyone who knows me, met me out networking or heard me speak at an event, I always go on about having a brand strategy in place before you consider doing any marketing. This will ensure that you are clear on who you are as a business, what your core purpose is and who your target audience is. Strategy should always come before tactics to ensure you get the results you want.
If you have a clear brand strategy but your marketing still isn’t working, my next port of call is to look at your customer journey.
For example, if you are concerned your Facebook ads are not working but your messaging and audience are on point, thanks to your strategy, then you need to look at the mechanics.
If a customer clicks through to your website but doesn’t fill in your form, look into why this is. Is your form too long so they're losing interest? Can they find your form in the first place? When they land on your site does it reference the ad or offer you are promoting, so they know they have landed in the right place? You need to make the customer journey as intuitive and simple as possible.
If your marketing is still not working even though your brand strategy is in place and your customer journey is slick, then you next need to review your messaging and the media, then consider revisiting your strategy.
The number three spot for most asked question goes to…
Q. How do I know if my marketing is working?
Answer
Before you do any marketing, it is important to understand what it is you are looking to achieve from it. Writing down a set of objectives is a great place to start as you can refer to them later to understand if your marketing has worked or not.
A good marketing plan will consider all three areas dialling up and down the levels of budget and time spent on each, depending on the needs of the business.
One thing to bear in mind is that most people when looking to purchase a new product or service will research it up to 11 times, needing that many touch points with a brand before they trust them enough to make the purchase. This can sometimes mean you marketing is working as it is contributing to your number of touch points, but the purchase will come at a later date.
If you have any brand and marketing questions holding back your business, then get in touch to book your Extra Brain Power Hour today.
