As a small business owner, it can be hard to stay on top of the competition, especially when you're competing with big brands that have been around for decades and have a lot more marketing reach than you do. 

One way to improve your chances of success is by creating an online brand store. But building a successful e-commerce site takes time and effort - so how do you make yours stand out from the crowd? In this blog post, we'll take a look at some ways that you can make your brand more valuable and recognizable in an overcrowded marketplace. 

Let's get started.

1. Promote Your Brand's Values 

Every brand has values that they stand for. By promoting these values in your marketing efforts, you'll be able to show what makes your business different from the rest of them out there.  

For example, being eco-friendly is a value shared by many brands across industries - but not all businesses live up to those same principles daily. If your brand does, then you'll be able to communicate that on social media and in all of your content marketing efforts. This will help build trust with customers, which is an invaluable asset when growing a business. 

2. Use a Unique Selling Proposition 

Your unique selling proposition (USP) is your brand's most attractive feature. It has to be something that sets you apart from the competition and provides value for those looking for what you have to offer.  

A USP can be anything - as long as it showcases why customers should purchase from your business rather than someone else! For example, an e-commerce store specializing in backpacks might have a USP that says they offer free shipping on all orders over $75.  

This will help them stand out from other online backpack retailers who aren't offering this deal. 

3. Use a Design Language 

All businesses need to have a cohesive brand design that can be applied across all marketing efforts. If you want your customers to see your business as professional and reliable, then they should immediately recognize the look of it whenever they come into contact with any promotional materials online or offline. That means incorporating elements such as colors, fonts, logos, and overall style into every aspect of your business. 

It's important to keep any changes to these design elements consistent across all platforms so that customers can find you just as easily online as they would offline!  

4. Design a Loyalty Program 

One main way to make your brand more recognizable and valuable in a crowded marketplace is by designing a loyalty program. This will incentivize customers to keep coming back for future purchases, which means they've already recognized you as the first place that pops into their head when making any purchase in your industry.  

For example, an e-commerce store specializing in handbags might design a loyalty program where customers receive $20 back after purchasing any item over $100. You can also let them enjoy an additional 25% off their next purchase if they refer someone to sign up for the program. 

Another example is, an e-commerce store specializing in backpacks might offer their loyal followers the option of getting 25% off one item after purchasing five others at full price - which helps add variety to their customers' wardrobes. 

You can also enable your customer to earn points for orders purchased and during their special events such as birthdays and membership anniversaries. 

Loyalty programs are extremely helpful because they differentiate your online brand store from the competition and help to create an emotional connection with your target market.  

Just be sure to get creative with how you structure these programs so that they're beneficial for both parties involved. 

5. Don't pass up on Paid Advertising 

This is especially important if you're just starting your business and trying to get more exposure.  

There's nothing wrong with investing some money into paid advertising as long as it makes sense for the health of your business and you're able to track any results that come out of this effort!  

Many online business owners are wary of investing too much into paid advertising, but it can actually be a great way to increase your brand recognition and value.  

A good strategy is to start with something small like Facebook ads or Instagram sponsored posts before moving onto bigger platforms. This will help you get the hang of things so that you'll know how best to use paid advertising for your business as it grows. 

6. Get Social 

Make sure that you're engaging with your customers on social media. This means being active, having a presence, and staying true to the overall look of your brand. 

This is another way for people to become familiar with what you have to offer in case they've never heard about it before or even if they haven't looked into your business in a while.  

If you're active on social media and keep up with your branding efforts, then people will be able to recognize and trust you when they see your posts. 

Social media is also a great place to get creative and show your personality, which will help you stand out from the crowd. 

You can start with focusing on what makes your brand unique - such as the values that it stands for or some of its special features. Once people can see how passionate you are about what you do, then they'll feel a stronger connection to your store and be more likely to buy from you. 

Take Away

These are some great strategies to increase your brand recognition and value, which will also help you attract more loyal customers.  

Remember that the most important thing is offering value for those looking for what you have in store - whether that's buying products or being part of your loyalty program.  

If you're able to offer something unique and maintain a strong brand presence, then people will start to recognize, trust, and eventually love what you have to offer. 

Here at Glow, we're committed to helping you make the most out of your eCommerce marketing efforts. We can help you put your loyalty programs to work and certainly encourage your customers to be loyal to your brand. For more insights on loyalty programs, contact us today.