Scenario
So, you started your new essential oils business, cleverly named, “The Essential Oil Company.” You have your website up and running. – your Facebook business page updates with the latest products. You are actively socializing essential oil products on your favorite social media platforms. You hear crickets – only likes from family and friends. You are wondering whether to stick with this essential oil business or jump ship due to low activity. You thought getting the word out about your business was going to be easy.
What Went Wrong?
I will be straightforward with you; “The Essential Oil Company” was ignored. No one knew that the lavender was locally harvested using sustainable organic resources. No one knew that your company carried four different lavender oils. No one was aware of the magic your “Essential Oil Company” was offering. If a business lacks personality: no one remembers the product; therefore, no impact from social media posts. As a result, no one is buying the essential oils.
~Jason Hartman
What You Can Do
Determine a personality for your business.
The Essential Oils business was lacking character. People seem to remember personalities and experiences. If your company were a person who would it be? A man or a woman? A boomer or a millennial? Confident or goofy? Bold and edgy? Friendly and approachable?
Jennifer Aaker, a Stanford Professor, identified five personality traits companies model their business personalities. Medium’s article by Arek Dvornechuck, “Brand Personality: Traits of Top Brands,” provides an overview of the 5 traits in which top brands who have identified themselves. comp
Ask Yourself These Questions
What is the mission or vision statement for my business/product? Create a mission or vision statement telling everyone what your product promises to help them in their daily lives. If you do not have one, you better get busy and create one. The company image is anchored around your mission or vision statement. HoneyBook blog offers excellent examples of powerful vision statements. A mission statement example for the essential oils: “The Essential Oil Company promises to use sustainable organic oils to support a healthy lifestyle. “
What features and benefits does our company offer?
People are looking to find out how your business will make their life better. Below is a list I created for “The Essential Oil Company.”
- Unique blends with healing benefits
- Offer Aromatherapy classes
- Gluten-free
- Locally grown
- Organic
What do our clients and audience already think about our company?
Customers and Facebook visitors may have voiced their opinion or ask additional questions about your business. Write those down. Do these comments or opinions match your business vision? If not, then it is time to realign your business communications to match your brand across your digital marketing platforms. Take the time to learn and understand what your customer needs.
Many businesses know their mission but do not communicate through their websites, social media posts, and other digital campaigns. Ask your audience what they see when they visit your site. A short survey can help you determine if your brand messaging needs to be realigned. Surveys can be done online and shared both internally and with current clients.
A few email marketing services, such as Constant Contact and Mailchimp offer survey features to learn about your current customer base.
How do I want my business to be remembered?
This question is crucial. The answer to this question will set the tone to your brand messaging. Our memory recalls an experience such as dealing with a goofy grocery store checker. We tend to revisit his grocery line because we remember of having a positive experience. The Essential Oil Company needs to think about how they want to be recognized by their visitors.
Customers will leave either feeling; A) excited because the establishment understood their need for essential oils, or B) disappointed because no one knew what to do with the oils. I think we can agree that a positive experience will bring back customers.
Once you have your brand defined, you can now be consistent with all your marketing communications on both online and offline channels. I hope you have found this article helpful.
References
Williams, J. (2005, May 2). The Basics of Branding. https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/77408.
Tarver, E. (2020, January 29). Why Some Brands Are More Attractive Than Others. Investopedia. https://www.investopedia.com/terms/b/brand-personality.asp.
Dvornechuck, A. (2019, October 10). Brand Personality: Traits of Top Brands. Medium. https://medium.com/@ebaqdesign/brand-personality-traits-of-top-brands-19c58890770f.
4, J. (2020, June 16). 25 Powerful Mission Statement Examples That Make Good Companies Great – HoneyBook. Rising Tide. https://www.honeybook.com/risingtide/mission-statement-examples.
