Build Brand Authority With Conversations

When starting your business, cash flow is one of the biggest problems. Luckily there are some free advertising ideas you can use to build brand authority and grow your business.

I was fortunate enough to give one of 25 free advertising ideas in this article for small business professionals. The idea I provided was to build authority by having real conversations on social media.

I wanted to take the opportunity to expand on the three benefits I briefly provided. The three benefits were:

1. Helping people with their problems.
2. Gaining exposure for your business.
3. Building trust with people who will then trust you with their business.

Each of these benefits grow on each other and are free advertising opportunities for your small business. You’ll get more than just free advertising, though. These three benefits will help advertise your business and grow your business at the same time.

Once you’ve learned to approach social media effectively, you’ll benefit from it. People do business with you because you can help them solve their problems. Social media can help you solve people’s problems.

Help People Solve Problems

People are always trying to solve problems for their business. These problems make social media a powerful place for you because you can position yourself as the solution. Social media networks are a great place to find people in your target audience and then learn about them and how you can help them.

You’ll be able to build relationships with members of your target audience and figure out what problems they have that your business can solve. By having real conversations, you can get to the root of their problems and how your business can solve them.

You’ll not only get a better idea what people’s problems are, but you’ll learn what the best way to position your solution is. Your job as a small business is to help people. Conversations on social media help you position your business as a solution which then gains you more brand exposure.

Gain Brand Exposure

The discussions you have with people while helping solve their problems will build brand authority for your small business. The exposure your small business gains from each interaction on social media is essentially free advertising.

Whether you’re replying to a LinkedIn or Facebook group conversation or joining into a Twitter chat, you’ll get brand exposure. Every interaction you have online is an opportunity for growing your brand exposure. To build brand authority you need to start with being present in your target audience’s community online.

As you build brand authority through your conversations on social media, you’ll meet new people online. You’ll build relationships and those relationships will give you the opportunity to build trust.

Build Trust

By solving people’s problems and growing brand exposure, you’ll also build trust. Building trust is an essential piece to build brand authority. It’s so essential not many people will do business with you without that trust.

Trust often takes time to build when you’re first starting out in your small business. If you don’t have a lot of testimonials from customers, the ideal way to build trust is through answering people’s questions on social media. This will prove that you’re knowledgeable in your industry.

The more present you are in your target audience’s community, the more trust you’ll build with them. With trust established, it’s a matter of time before you’re in a position to propose your business as a solution to someone’s problem.

Once you find where your customers are, you’re on your way to building trust with them. If you’ve built a foundation of trust, potential customers will be willing to trust you and eventually turn into customers.

Build Brand Authority, Grow

Your business isn’t just about what’s on the surface, there’s a personality to your business. Building your brand authority relies on working hard to define your business personality and how people see you and your business. Real conversations on social media provide free advertising for your business that rivals all paid advertising.

Helping people solve problems, gaining brand exposure, and building trust are three benefits you’ll get from having conversations with your customers online. Social media can connect you with customers and help you take advantage of the three benefits I’ve mentioned.

Social media is one part of your brand, one that I will provide you feedback on in your online brand report. I will review how your business is set up to take advantage of social media networks. This is the first step in building your business brand on social media to take advantage of the benefits you can achieve with conversations.