A good business knows how to use emotions well. Creating need or igniting feelings of comfort and safety help a lot of businesses. What’s the one that you can really capitalize on to give your public profile a dramatic boost? It just has to be excitement. Hype can drive customers to become devotees and can shoot a fledgling brand into the stratosphere. So, how do you build hype?
What are you trying to say?
Before thinking about just how you spread your message to the high heavens, you need to think about what exactly it is. Showing up with just a product or a service isn’t enough. You need to think about the core of your brand and the public perception of it. Do this by identifying what unique qualities you offer compared to your rivals and the wants of your average consumer.
Hype starts before your business does
If you’re in luck, then you’re reading this article before you open up the doors to your business. Too many make the mistake of starting business before they’ve had the opportunity to get their reputation ahead of them. People need to know how your product changes lives before it’s available. Get influencers on your side and give them a sneak peek so they can be part of the buzz around the business. You need people clamoring for you before your launch.
Making appearances
Smart business owners don’t just stick to their own channels. As hinted with the influencers, you want people who aren’t you talking about it. So make guest appearances and do blog posts for other businesses. Nothing works as well as having your brand big and bold in real life and shaking hands, however. As you can discover at Steelhead Productions, mastering the trade show will build you more hype than any guest spot on a podcast could.
Make an offer they can’t refuse
By this stage, you should have a public hearing your message and some real potential to expand that audience. Start pulling in strangers by offering them something too good to turn down. We’re talking about free stuff. Contests and giveaways might seem like you’re giving things away. But, in reality, they’re one of the most useful tools for building revenue. They also bring a lot more attention to the business than you might usually get.
Be good
The ‘in’ thing right now, and pretty much always, is social responsibility. If you want people talking about the business, give them more reason to just buy your product. The market has even shown that people are willing to pay more towards a business that they believe is ethically sound. So get involved in charity work, go free trade and start looking at schemes that can show your benevolent side.
A good business knows how to use hype. But it also knows how to follow up on it. All that excitement is going to fall on a dull note if you don’t keep the business up to standard after. If you’re building expectation, prepare to meet it.
