Generating brand awareness can make a world of difference for your small business, because let’s be honest, people need to know you exist before they can buy from you.
So, it’s not enough to have a great product or service – you should definitely have that – but you need to make sure the right people know about it.
Before the internet became a thing, you needed a big budget to get your business out of the neighbourhood.
Luckily, the internet has made it easier. Now, you don’t need a huge budget or a big team to start building your brand’s presence.
You just need to know the simple but strategic tips to get your business in front of people that matter.
That said, let’s talk about those smart ways to get your name out there and actually stick in people’s minds.
What is Brand Awareness?
Brand awareness is basically how familiar people are with your brand. This includes your name, your vibe, what you do, and what you stand for.
When someone sees your logo or hears your business name and instantly knows what you’re about, that’s brand awareness doing its thing.
However, brand awareness is not limited to just recognition though; it’s also about being memorable and creating a certain feeling or connection in people’s minds. It’s what people think about when they hear your name.
Think of it like this: brand awareness is the first step to getting people to trust you, choose you, and keep coming back to you.
Why Is It Important to Generate Brand Awareness?
1. People Buy What They Know
The truth is that people are more likely to buy from brands they recognize. If they don’t know you, they are likely not to go with you; it’s just the way the world is.
That’s why we tell children to avoid strangers; not because every stranger is bad, but because we just don’t know who they are.
But imagine seeing someone all the time in your neighbourhood. Even though you don’t really know them, you are still likely to feel more comfortable with them than someone you’re seeing for the first time.
That’s exactly what applies here, to build a sense of familiarity, you need to keep popping up in their feed or conversations.
That’s how Temu, for instance, became the most-downloaded app in Nigeria and top 6 in the US at one point.
They were everywhere we looked until we couldn’t ignore them no more.
Now, you may not have Temu’s budget to be everywhere, but you can use what you have by being consistent in the social media platforms you’re on.
With enough consistency, you’ll start showing up where it matters.
And when the people who matter finally need what you offer, they are likely not to Google random names, but will come straight to you because you already feel like the safe option.
2. It Helps You Stand Out in a Crowded Market
I don’t want to repeat clichés, but I’m sure you know you are competing in a crowded market. There are probably a hundred other businesses doing what you do.
So, you need brand awareness to stand out from the crowd. You need a unique and creative strategy to show people what makes you different from others.
Remember how we said branding is not just recognition, it’s also how you position yourself. So, it’s your chance to let your audience know your unique voice, style, and story.
When people remember your brand, they stop seeing you as “just another option” and start seeing you as the option.
3. It Builds Trust Without the Hard Sell
No one likes being aggressively sold to. But when your brand is familiar, you don’t have to push so hard.
Because you are familiar, people likely already feel warm towards your business. They’ve seen your content, heard about you, or had a good experience, so they feel like they know you.
So, when they need you, they will reach out, out of that trust you’ve been building by being familiar.
4. It Fuels Word-of-Mouth and Referrals
When people recognise your brand, they’re more likely to talk about it and recommend you, even if they haven’t bought from you yet.
For instance, if you are a fitness coach and someone has a friend who needs a subscribed fitness program because they struggle with self-motivation, the former might recommend the latter to you even if they haven’t subscribed themselves.
The conversation will likely go in the form of, “I know this guy on Instagram that could help you keep up your workout since you are struggling.”
It’s honestly that simple most times. You show that you can deliver a service or product and someone who knows someone will make sure they find you.
Tips to Generate Brand Awareness as a Small Business
Now that you know why you need to put your brand out there, let’s look at the ways to generate brand awareness for your small business.
1. Offer Quality
At the end of the day, if your product or service is trash, no amount of branding will save you.
And I know you don’t want to be known for the wrong things, because you can be branded for something negative, too.
So, if you want people to talk about your business for good, you need to blow them away with quality.
Trust me, even though you are a small company, when you consistently deliver good stuff, one day you will deliver to the right person.
And in these days of things going viral, it really just takes one person. So, even if you have just 5 clients, don’t compromise on quality.
Keep showing up with excellence because word spreads fast when your brand is known for excellence.
2. Use SEO and AEO
A lot of people erroneously believe they only have to be on social media when that’s not the case.
You have to also make sure you are found online by showing up where they’re looking, especially Google and answer engines.
You may have heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimization), which is how to update your content to increase your chances of appearing on the first page of search engines like Google.
But with AI being the order of the day, you also want to feature on answer engines like voice assistants and AI overview on search engines. To do that, you need AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
Summarily, you need to use the keywords your audience is searching for, answer common questions directly, and make sure your site loads fast.
Check out my post on AEO to read more about Answer Engine Optimization.
3. Have Consistent Branding
If there’s one word that shows up often with branding, it is consistency. If you want a successful brand, you can’t afford to confuse people.
That means, if you’re playful on Instagram, don’t turn all corporate on LinkedIn. Make sure your tone is recognisable across the board.
Your visuals, logo and even your business name should also be consistent everywhere.
If someone visits your page on Instagram, they should be able to tell that it’s the same brand they saw on TikTok. If not, you’re missing a branding opportunity.
So, get consistent today, so people can recognise you everywhere and remember you.
4. Use Promotions, Discounts, and Rewards
Everyone loves a good deal, especially from a brand they’re just getting to know. It’s a good way to get them to try what you have to offer without committing too much.
For instance, if you sell at $10 and offer it for $7, people will feel it’s a good way to know what you’re about without spending so much on the product.
Of the truth, it’s just $3 difference, but it’s an emotional thing where people feel more inclined to patronise you when they get a discount.
You should also occasionally offer promos and rewards, especially to those who have bought from you. You can give them something small as a way to thank them.
People love that and they will likely post it, which can also serve as UGC for you. The goal of this is to attract people to your brand, get them talking about you, which will help with your visibility.
And it will also increase sales like I explained above.
But most importantly, as it relates to brand awareness, the idea is to use this to make people feel like they’re part of something. That emotional connection is what builds brand awareness that sticks.
5. Engage with Your Day-Ones
Every business has their day-ones. While a business that started big from the first day may not know their day-ones, you likely know them as a small business.
You probably know your first followers, customers, and cheerleaders; don’t ignore them when you start glowing up. They were rocking with you before the glow-up, so don’t let them feel like they don’t matter now.
Engage them, repost them, and thank them publicly. When people see you appreciating your early supporters, it shows them that they will likely get the same treatment when they purchase from you.
Now, of course, you can’t do the same for everybody and it will become unrealistic when you grow bigger. But at least, as a start, make sure to engage your loyal customers.
They are your most organic form of marketing. Treat them like VIPs and they’ll help push your brand further than any ad ever could.
Also Read: 10 Ways to Build a Relationship with Your Customers
6. Show Up Consistently
If you only show up once every two weeks to post a sales pitch, people will scroll past you without blinking.
It’s only by consistency that you can establish the familiarity we are speaking about; once in a while will not cut it.
You’ve got to show up consistently, and not just to sell, but to engage, educate, entertain, and connect. You should also share behind-the-scenes content, tell stories, and answer questions.
The more value you give, the more people trust and remember you. In fact, the more they start to look forward to your content.
7. Leverage Influencer Marketing
A lot of people understand the benefit of influencer marketing today, but unfortunately, many are doing it wrong.
While numbers are not completely out of the equation, you don’t need a celebrity for effective influencer marketing today.
In fact, micro-influencers with loyal followers are often better. The key is to find people your audience already listens to and team up with them.
They are more engaged with their community because it’s more manageable, so a stamp of approval from them can go a long way in giving you the boost you need.
8. Partner with Other Businesses
Collab with brands that share your audience but aren’t direct competition. You could team up together to do a joint promo or an event.
For instance, a food business can team up with a brand selling organic drinks to do a fiesta where people come party and enjoy your products for half the price.
The point is to both win by introducing each other to your audiences. It also tells your customers you’re active and connected in your space.
Plus, teaming up makes you look bigger and more legit, especially if you’re just starting out.
Also Read: 15 Common Marketing Mistakes to Avoid as a Small Business
9. Give Back
People love brands that stand for something. Although they know you are a for-profit, they also need to know that’s not all you’re all about.
So, find a worthy cause that aligns with your values and support it. You can do that by donating a portion of sales, volunteering as a team, or raising awareness.
However, note that people will find out if you are not genuine, so don’t pretend to care about causes you don’t care about.
Focus on those you are passionate about and can get behind genuinely.
FAQs
1. How do I increase brand awareness?
You can increase brand awareness by showing up consistently where your target audience hangs out: social media, Google, forums, events, you name it. Then, share value, not just sales pitches. You should also work on your branding so people recognise you quickly (same name, logo, vibe everywhere). Finally, use SEO to get found online, collaborate with other businesses and engage your community. The trick is staying visible and memorable.
2. How do businesses get people to be aware of their brand?
Businesses get people to be aware of their brand by creating a presence that people can’t ignore. That means eye-catching branding, being active on social media, running promos, working with influencers, or putting out valuable content regularly. They also connect emotionally—by telling their story, being relatable, and standing for something. Basically, they make people feel something, and that gets them remembered.
3. What are the 4 levels of brand awareness?
Here’s a quick breakdown of the 4 levels of brand awareness:
- Brand Recognition: People know your name/logo when they see it.
- Brand Recall: People remember your brand without being prompted.
- Top-of-Mind: Your brand is the first they think of in your category.
- Brand Loyalty: They don’t just know you; they prefer you and keep coming back.
The goal is to move people from just knowing you exist to loving and choosing you every time.
4. How can a small business generate awareness for little or no cost?
You don’t need a huge budget to generate brand awareness; you just need smart moves. Post consistently on social media, use hashtags strategically, engage with your audience, create helpful content (blogs, videos, tips), collaborate with others, and encourage happy customers to spread the word. Then, use SEO so people can find you online. Basically, be active and authentic, and your audience will find you.
