In 2022, It's not enough to build an amazing site. If you don't build a real brand from the get go, you're going to have a hard time driving sales and building relationships. Luckily, there's a ton you can do to create a brand your audience loves. These 10 strategies will get you off to a great start.

1. Have 3 versions of your story
You started your store for a reason, right? And you should be telling that story any and everywhere you can. Because your story will connect your customers and prospects with your brand. Taking time to draft a long-form, short-form, and headline for your brand story will go a long way in having material to rope in your audience in many different formats.

2. Build a killer "about us" page
Once you have your story, make sure you're using it. An "About Us" page is the perfect place to showcase why you built your business and get your audience bought into your mission and vision. Here's an insane example from Fly by Jing:It highlights Jing, the founder, her personal story (with photos!) and the why behind the brand. Not to mention the design is incredibly attention grabbing. Remember that the more you can tie your business to you, a real person, the better your chances are of landing first-time and repeat customers.

3. Use content to build your following
Content is an investment in organic growth. So it shouldn’t be an afterthought. But it does take time and consistency. Which is why it’s so important to figure out what you’re good at and like doing. Is it writing? Video? Graphic design? The great thing is that If you're camera shy, you don’t have to use video.
From there, come up with a list of topics. This can be topics like, “Why’d you start the company?” “addressing common questions in your industry, common sales objections, Instructions/guides for when people get your product, you can even Scan your reviews to get ideas. I promise that getting started is the hardest part. Once you get in a rhythm, content will be second nature. And by then, your efforts will hopefully be starting to pay off.

4. Get social.
When it comes to getting more exposure for your business, you have to go where the customers are. And today? Instagram and ESPECIALLY tiktok aren’t just social platforms for teens anymore for dancing and trends, they can be insanely impactful tools for businesses. Even if your first posts absolutely suck, remember that every brand, influencer, and content creator started with zero followers. Start getting your brand out there and telling people who you are and why they should be following you, and eventually buying from you.

5. Be entertaining
When it comes to entertainment, there’s no better brand to look to than Dude Wipes. Sean Reilly has shown time and time again that he understands the power of creativity in marketing. They react quickly when it comes to current events. They sent Barstool’s David Portnoy a brand new product to open live because they know his audience aligns perfectly with theirs. They entered a local chili contest and won and their post went viral. They got millions of eyeballs on their logo during the World Series with a handmade poster that made it on camera. The key is, if you’re scrappy and willing to try different things, you can get an idea off the ground even if you don’t think of yourself as a “true marketer”

6. Build a community
Followers are one thing, but community is king in 2022. Followers like and comment, while your community shares, promotes, funds, buys, and keeps buying. Take Bella Dona. Thay have more than 400k followers on Instagram. And even with such a large following, they’re focused on building a real community. They understand exactly who their customers are, which makes it really easy for them to share content that resonates. And they treat their followers like friends. Another example is Bedrock Bakers founder Steven Friedman, who tries to reach out to 1-2 customers every single day. It's a proactive way to see how things are going, gauge happiness, and build real relationships.

Think about how powerful it would be if the founder of one of your favorite brands reached out just to check in. Not to sell you anything, but to really stay connected to the people who keep their business running.