What is a Small Business Assessment?

When most business owners hear the word “assessment,” we automatically think about passing a test, and that’s a scary thought! However, there are many other types of assessments you can perform on your company. The simple definition of an assessment is when you create a snap decision. 

For branding purposes, a branding assessment is when we sit down together and look at how your brand is represented across all your digital marketing platforms, including your website, social media, video, and other channels you post content on the web. In addition, you want to include traditional marketing channels such as postcards, business cards, and other advertising.

 

What is Involved in a Branding Assessment?
We look at a branding assessment area and address the graphics homepage on your company website, your social media platforms and the content within them, types of lead magnets you offer, marketing materials, and messaging to your audience. Once these elements are assessed, I develop an actionable plan to get you started optimizing your brand across all your digital outlets.

Once you have a plan, you will have tools and strategies to connect all the dots. This consists of knowing which marketing platforms are giving you the best ROI. You are not wasting your money on your marketing budget, guessing which platform will provide you with the best return. *special goodie- see checklist at the end of this post 😉

 

Why Do I Need Branding for My Company?

We are now in a time when a business that is not online is not competitive. So whether you were online or not before the pandemic, at this point in time, an online presence is a necessity as you have limited face-to-face contact with potential clients.

The beauty of the internet is that your customer base expands from a local or regional ground to an almost unlimited global potential. However, the downside of the global digital world is the sheer number of companies you are now competing with online. So how are you standing out to reach potential new customers among the myriad of competitors?

Your digital doorstep is critical to business success in today’s digital age. My client Mary Williams has an online business. You decide if you want to work with somebody within three seconds of looking at their platform. (Forbes.com) The digital attention span is almost shorter than that of a goldfish!

 

Why Old School Advertising Doesn’t Work in a Digital Age

While connecting with others is essential, and having a good referral base will get you, clients, these resources can only get you so far in a limited period. The fact is, you can’t be everywhere at once as one person, but you can be around 24/7 with an online presence!

Once they land on your website and your social media accounts, they can see who you are, what you represent, and factor in how they want to do business with your company. If you show up inconsistently and can’t find your brand because you have a different look and feel among your platforms and your message is fragmented, they will be confused. Remember, from a marketing standpoint, a confused mind says “No!”. 

 

For Social Media Awareness Post and Post Often
You may feel that posting over multiple channels repeating your content may be too repetitive. However, in a cluttered digital world, a potential follower will need to see you at least four times to commit your business to memory. In addition, because of the nature of social media, you want to show up with your best foot forward.

If you are confused and unsure how to start navigating the web, your email, and your website, you are not alone. Many of my clients felt they didn’t have the bandwidth to create consistent branding for their company. So I’ll give you the roadmap to digital success with a holistic view of how your brand shows up online.

Contact me if you are curious about how your digital doorstep is shaping up! 

**If you want a DIY jumpstart, download the checklist here to start reviewing your materials today.