Trying to grow your small business but not sure how to stand out?
Don’t grow your business without credibility first.
Every small business wants to scale. But if your customers don’t trust your brand yet, growth will be limited.
That’s why most small businesses try every digital ad and social media strategy known to man, but completely overlook the tactics that will actually build trust and credibility.
Let’s fix that.
In this article, you’ll discover:
- Why Brand Credibility Is Your Growth Engine
- Print Advantage You’re Not Taking Advantage Of
- Branding That’s Consistent Across Every Channel
- Social Proof To Help Convert More Customers
- Local Involvement That’ll Shock You
As always… Let’s jump right in.
Why Brand Credibility Is Your Growth Engine
Before you put another dime into Facebook ads or attempt another “social media takeover”, let’s address the importance of brand credibility.
Think of credibility as the engine that helps your small business scale.
Without it, growth will never happen. Here’s why…
Customers are more spoiled than ever. Seriously.
With endless options for pretty much EVERYTHING these days, customers are researching products online before they buy… anything.
81% of consumers say they won’t even consider purchasing from a brand unless they trust it. Can you imagine 4 out of every 5 customers at your business walking out the door because you haven’t earned their trust yet?
And if you sell against big name brands with incredible reputations… It’s even worse.
You HAVE to build credibility if you want your small business to grow.
Print Advantage You’re Not Taking Advantage Of
Let’s start with a little secret most small businesses forget about…
Print matters.
The scoffing is almost audible. Don’t businesses go digital these days? Shouldn’t the focus just be on SEO, content marketing and social media?
Yes and no.
You definitely need those digital tactics covered. But while most of your competitors are busy going “digital only”, you should be investing in professional print materials.
Whether you take advantage of online print ordering services for things like custom brochures or work with a Rush Local Booklet Printing company to deliver print products FAST, print materials create a physical connection with your customer that digital ads and websites cannot.
Here’s the real benefit of using print marketing to grow your small business.
Print has been shown to have a 70-80% higher recall rate than digital ads. When given something physical to hold, read, and interact with… people remember.
That right there is powerful.
But it doesn’t stop there.
Print shows potential customers that you’re legitimate.
Running an online store is easy these days. But when a customer gets a professionally printed product catalogue or sales brochure in their mailbox from you, they know you’re an actual brick-and-mortar business that’s been around for more than just a few months.
Here are some ideas to get you thinking:
- Print marketing to showcase your products
- Branded information booklets to educate customers
- Direct Mail that literally lands in your prospect’s hands
Remember…
Don’t overlook online print services as part of your overall brand strategy. Between billboards, flyers, and even online print ordering services for custom prints that can be delivered right to your door… There are TONS of ways to get expert print materials to build credibility.
Branding That’s Consistent Across Every Channel
Here’s a branding killer that’s totally preventable…
Inconsistent branding.
You know the brand that looks like one thing on Facebook, but something completely different on their website?
Yeah, customers notice those things.
When your brand looks different depending on where they see you, customers start to question your legitimacy.
Simple solution? Be consistent.
Brand consistency builds trust.
Have your brand look the same everywhere. On social media, the website, emails, packaging, signage, PRINTED MATERIALS… You name it.
Customers come back to businesses that look professional across every single channel. There’s a reason big businesses spend millions on branding…
It works.
Make sure you focus on:
- Visual branding: Use the same colors, fonts and logo styles everywhere
- Voice and tone: Your print marketing shouldn’t sound different than your social posts
- Brand standards: Aim for premium look-and-feel with everything
It sounds silly but you’d be surprised at how many brands get this wrong.
Keep it consistent and watch your credibility grow.
Social Proof To Help Convert More Customers
One of the single best ways to build credibility as a small business is through something called “social proof”.
What is social proof?
Social proof are things like reviews, testimonials, and even case studies that demonstrate to your ideal customer that what you’re selling really works.
Think about it.
When was the last time you made a purchase based solely on an advertising campaign?
Chances are, you wanted to see some sort of proof that others enjoyed your product/service before you bought.
Here’s the thing though…
Most small businesses try to collect reviews, but they never go back and use them to build credibility.
You should be featuring testimonials wherever you can. On your website, sure. But you should also utilize them on printed promotional materials and incorporate them into email marketing campaigns.
Get creative.
The more prospects see that real people love your product/service, the more they’ll buy from you.
Don’t waste those reviews. Use them.
Local Involvement That’ll Shock You
Here’s the thing about big brands…
They have virtually zero investment in your community.
Sure they might sponsor the local Little League team… But their real money is spent in TV commercials and online advertising.
That’s where you come in.
Show up for your local community.
Sponsoring events, collaborating with other small businesses, and getting involved with community activities not only builds relationships, but it creates incredible word-of-mouth marketing that no digital ad can ever match.
Combine this local involvement with a solid local SEO strategy and you’re killing it.
Not to mention how easy it is to get your hands on professionally printed marketing materials with online print ordering services.
Here are some ideas:
- Sponsor local events and show up with branded materials
- Partner with other local businesses for cross promotions
- Get featured in local news articles
These may seem like “getting back to basics” type of strategies, but they work exceptionally well for small businesses that want to grow through credibility.
And they don’t have to be expensive either.
Just get involved and watch your business take off.
Final Thoughts
Want your small business to grow? Start building credibility.
It can’t be stressed enough just how important it is to your long-term growth.
Here’s your quick checklist:
- Focus on building trust – customers won’t buy from you without it
- Use print materials to showcase professionalism
- Maintain brand consistency across all channels
- Utilize social proof to help customers buy from you
- Get involved with your local community for free word-of-mouth marketing
You want to compete with the big dogs?
Invest time and money into building credibility for your brand.
You’ll be shocked at how quickly your small business starts to scale.
Peyman Khosravani is a global blockchain and digital transformation expert with a passion for marketing, futuristic ideas, analytics insights, startup businesses, and effective communications. He has extensive experience in blockchain and DeFi projects and is committed to using technology to bring justice and fairness to society and promote freedom. Peyman has worked with international organizations to improve digital transformation strategies and data-gathering strategies that help identify customer touchpoints and sources of data that tell the story of what is happening. With his expertise in blockchain, digital transformation, marketing, analytics insights, startup businesses, and effective communications, Peyman is dedicated to helping businesses succeed in the digital age. He believes that technology can be used as a tool for positive change in the world.
