One of the things that often differentiate startup businesses from established brands in the market is the willingness of the startup to do whatever it takes to establish a customer base in the early going. That can mean wacky promotions or grand opening stunts or whatever is necessary to make an initial impression. But if you’re trying to cultivate a brand that is pointed towards luxury in an effort to attract a high-end customer, you may have to attempt different tactics.
It can seem impossible for a business just starting out to possibly market itself as something that stands for luxury and class. The simple act of reaching out to customers, after all, is something that most established luxury brands don’t necessarily need to do. But if you’re careful about the steps you take early in the game and you have a little patience, you might be able to nudge your startup toward the high-end category pretty quickly.
Here’s an example of a company that does luxury the right way – the stunning timepieces offered by Parmigiani. Photo credit: Pinterest
In the meantime, here are some things to think about while attempting to make luxury a priority for your nascent business.
Reaching Out With Class
It’s unrealistic to think that you can start up your business, call it a luxury brand, and expect the people to come to you. While you’re definitely right to want to promote a casual air to your marketing, you still have to make the effort to reach people.
You can’t be afraid of social media because that might be the only marketing you can afford in the beginning and, yes, even the cultural elite use social media these days. Just keep an eye on your messaging to make sure that it’s always consistent with the kind of business culture you want to create. Which brings us to…?
Your Branding
This is the ultimate way for you to quickly represent yourself as a luxury-based product or service. It might come down to the way the company name is written on the logo or the look of the model you use in your advertising. It may even come down to the slogan or motto that you use as a shorthand way to describe what your business is all about. But this first step is often the most crucial one because it will likely establish who you are in the eyes of your customers pretty quickly. And, for good or bad, that first impression will be hard to shake thereafter.
Elevating the Experience
You don’t necessarily have to be in a luxury industry to be a luxury brand. What’s more important is that you create an experience that might be somehow better or more comfortable than the one that your competitors are offering. Taking the time and expense to do that can pay dividends in the long run when word gets out about how your business separates itself from others in the field.
Conclusion
A luxury brand need not be one that’s been around for a century. Just work on getting the attitude and experience just right, and your startup might reside in the so-called lap of luxury in no time.