Jeweller, Anil Dobani explains why communication is key in building your brand

Small and medium sized businesses have realised how important social media marketing can be to increase the visibility of their companies, but what about individual brands? Small businesses can build a substantial following on social media with the right marketing. After all, personal branding isn't a new concept. Celebrities have been doing it for years. However, platforms such as Instagram have democratised the idea of a personal brand.

One of the latest jewellers to find success on the forum is Anil Dobani. Through his use of the platform, he's managed to attract many followers—over 28,000 and establish long-lasting personal relationships with his best clients. Here, he shares a few tips with individuals who may want to grow their personal Instagram brands.

Influencers are only as good as their relationships

One of the things that brands look for when finding an influencer is their follower count, and yet more businesses are looking at influencers with smaller user counts. “Less followers aren’t necessarily bad,” Dobani notes, “since they engage their followers in each of their posts.” These smaller social media personalities are known as micro-influencers. Dobani notes that establishing a strong relationship with customers should be one of a small brand's most vital functions. "Communication is key," he says, and he's not wrong. Communication helps to build customer loyalty and forge stronger relationships.

Loyalty breeds brand evangelism

One of the reasons Dobani promotes building a relationship with a customer is how much loyalty such a relationship generates. “The best marketing you can get comes from your fans,” he states. In the 21st century, consumers are tired of the corporate-selling attitude and have gone looking for a more genuine experience with their brands. Dobani offers his clients that experience by leveraging personal interaction. The clients feel as though he cares about them specifically, which he does. This feeling creates an emotional response where the buyer becomes loyal to the brand. One of the best marketing channels that a small brand can get is word of mouth. Organic marketing like this can't be bought; it can only be leveraged through cultivating relationships with clients.

Meet the needs of the customer

While Dobani still has to compete with many other jewellery providers, he ensures that he offers something that others don't. “See a need, fill a need,” he says with a smile. His value proposition is that he deals with what the client can afford. He won't try to sell a consumer an item out of their price range and then make them settle for something they can afford. Dobani sees the counterproductivity of such a tactic, despite it being used throughout the jewellery industry. Instead, he tries to build a rapport to help him understand the client's needs and then fill those needs with something the client can pay for. It's a simple strategy, but it works.

Critical tenets of all business

While Dobani is an Instagram businessman first and foremost, his tenets extend to all walks of business. It doesn't matter if you're a Shopify drop-shipper or a retail businessperson. These lessons work the same regardless of the sphere of business they're being applied to. If a brand is to compete in the 21st century, it needs to deal with the challenges of competition and brand awareness. Learning from someone who has already overcome those hurdles seems like a good idea.