New faces
By Karmen Tang for Ethos magazine: issue 13| October 2020
Post Covid, we’ll see a new breed of businesses — especially ones with a strong ethical and sustainable mission. So let’s dive into how to increase awareness and reach new audiences — whilst also maintaining your company’s core goals.
A business or brand’s core goal might fall under the following categories: economical, financial, human, organic or social. But it’s important to define both social and economical goals. Whether the goal is ‘working with ethical suppliers’ or hitting a turnover target, you need to define clear KPIs, just as you would when defining financial goals.
With plenty of content out there, it’s become extremely difficult to reach new audiences. There’s a tendency for ’content for content’s sake’, with posts that have no real substance, but tick off the need to keep your social media active. So, how can you reach new audiences?
1.Distinct tone of voice
Focus on building a community through a distinct tone of voice; an expression of your personality. It’s also part of your brand values and a strong way to stand out in a crowded market. Consistency is the biggest thing you have to sell with tone of voice, especially if you’re a start-up.
It’s not enough to showcase your product, work or portfolio to gain awareness, you also need to participate in topics that your brand feels strongly about. Words are everywhere with your brand and, if your words fall short, this could have a detrimental impact on your core values. Make sure you have editorial guidelines for internal use with clear vocabulary and examples. This should be a living breathing document which is consistently updated.
Establish a feedback loop from past customers or clients and adjust your content accordingly. This includes regularly revising the core questions that were initially identified in the business plan:
Who are your target audience?
Who are your local and global competitors?
What is your product or service truth?
How are you adding value to customers?
2. Collaboration
This is a fantastic way to reach a new audience. As the founder of another startup story, a media and business coaching platform, I took part in an Instagram live Q&A with a sustainable fashion tech start-up, By Rotation. As a result, I received a huge increase in coaching enquiries and followers.
It’s not essential to collaborate with brands in the same industry as you, but what’s most important is their values and reputation as a brand. Do you share key traits and beliefs? Although your content will be specific to the different industries you work in, your common denominators will come through and allow you to bond, and tap into a new set of target markets. Don’t fit yourself into one box.
3. Data storytelling
This is the blending of two worlds; human communication and hard data. It’s a compelling narrative crafted around and anchored by compelling data. Think about how you can use the numbers to tell a story… Although data storytelling is an important tool, most companies don’t take full advantage, often because their teams are siloed.
The benefits of data storytelling provide meaning, engagement, value, credibility and makes it more attractive for press features. With many marketing teams not fully grasping the numerical value, it is wise to invest and take the time to educate and learn how to translate data into visually appealing stories that will increase retention from your audience and maybe even make your content go viral.
In a world full of saturation and information overload, blatant advertising is going straight over people’s heads. Be insightful and create content that people want to read, see and adopt.
Karmen Tang, is an entrepreneur and storyteller. Founder of another startup story, she runs a media and business coaching platform offering creative solutions to business challenges.
