Four Ways to Create Brand Awareness

Working with many different artists in the entertainment industry, I'm always looking for new ways to market clients. For business owners seeking to thrive and stand out in their target niche, branding is one of the most important focuses.

A successful way to drive sales is to really dive in-depth to the brand's demographic and look into these individuals' lifestyles. Especially in the music industry (where the main commodity is most often stolen), we had to find a way to bridge the gap, using music as a tool for connecting to the fans and then generating a sale. The goal often is to drive merchandise and concert performance revenue, as this is where an entertainer makes the most profit.

This same approach can be applied in any industry, not just in music or entertainment. Having a unique way to imprint your brand with a new audience is crucial. Below are four unusual ways we've found can help create brand awareness:

1. Brand Merchandise And Common Items

When choosing items to brand, first take a look at the age demographic and the culture surrounding the brand, from there identifying what items can suit those customers the most. We've created a special line and flavors of hot sauce for our artists, limiting its availability only to live performance engagements. Another favorite branded item we created were lighters with the artist's logo and a scannable QR code. The code could be used to download your copy of the new album by scanning it from any mobile device.

The thought here is that if consumers are going to buy these products anyway, why shouldn't it be from your brand? With so many mom-and-pop companies out there, find ways to partner with them. In choosing a local company to work with, you can often find they place great attention to detail as well customer service quality. See how your niches can combine to market the product. Not to mention, you are helping each other and potentially negotiating rates or favors instead of working with major corporate companies, which tend to be more cut and dry.

2. Create Interesting Local Engagement

Be hands-on and frequently visible to the public. Set up a creative billboard or banner in the heart of major cities. Vibrant posters, flyers or mailers from your mailing list are a few examples of how you can engage with a community. You don't want to over-share your information right away. Create a bit of mystique underlying in what the product is exactly. An idea could be a treasure hunt where the person would find a series of things to scan from their phone, with an end result unlocking a full album. Intrigue the potential customer to want to look and learn more.  

3. Give Customers An Experience Or Shock Factor

Think about how your product or campaign can make someone feel something when they see, touch or reach it. Something that makes people think, "what is that?" Set up a product launch at a concert, for example, where participants are blindfolded and have to choose between two items based on feel. Don't tell them exactly what they're feeling and try to have new customers put their hand in a mystery box for a chance to win something really unique. Chances are this will be a memorable experience and their senses will also come back to help them relate the experience to the product at hand.

If you design a piece of content just right, you can quickly gain attention. What you are seeking to gain with that specific brand would depend on how extreme you might go in your visual approach to designing posters, flyers, billboards or sticker campaigns. Does the design make someone feel shocked, beautiful, mad or happy? Your choice of artwork and content will guide the viewer to what you want them to feel.

4. Create An Association With Your Brand

The saying "it's all about who you know" holds true. If someone who is highly visible in the public spotlight has an association with your brand, people will notice. Try working with people who have the top reach in your industry. Find a way to collaborate together, such as a photo shoot wearing your branded apparel. If this person has frequent media coverage, the brand is bound to gain exposure, even if it's not always talked about directly. With social media, chances are you can find a way to connect with the person in some way, though that does take some creativity.

As many more competitors in your field emerge, it becomes harder to stand out. To lead in your niche, you have to be creative and think outside of the box for your business and your clients. Using some creative methods can help you stand out from the competition, and remember: You can brand anything.