How to Win Battle of the Brands

I could sit in a lotus position and take us into a philosophical discussion where I repeat the mantra of how important it is to shop local, buy local, and rep local but that’s a topic for another blog post.

Here, however, we get straight to the goods. How does your company win SourceLinkDallas’ Battle of the Brands?

http://www.sourcelinkdallas.org/battle-of-the-brands/

Here are a few tips to rally your fans.  But before we get the show on the road, a little housekeeping. . .

Debbie downer rule.
Voting resets each week, and your fans can vote only once per round, per IP address.  A violation of this could lead to disqualification.

And back to the goodies . . .

Tell them where to go. 
Voting started on March 4th and continues straight through to Friday, March 8th.

Tell them why they should.
SourceLinkDallas is using the Battle of the Brands to shine the spotlight on the legacy and future of entrepreneurship in Dallas.  We know local businesses, of which our bracket is just a small and fun sample, are the engine of our economy.

In our bracket we have startups, minority/women-owned/-led businesses and Dallas brand giants—and one of those companies, just one, will earn the bragging rights as Dallas’ favorite brand of 2013. (Spoiler: it’s always the one with the fiercest fans.)

Who do you think that winner should be?

Call to action, call to vote.
Put a bug on your website that directs visitors to http://www.sourcelinkdallas.org/battleofthebrands. Let us know if you’d like a small bug to post to your website.) Or put up a sign at your place of business.

Share the vote.
Tell your customers, friends, and neighbors.  Blog it, add it to your newsletter, post it to LinkedIn and be sure to ask your fans to share their vote on Facebook and Twitter.  In fact, you can offer them a sample tweet and post.

Twitter:
I just voted for @yourcompany in @SourceLinkDAL #DALbattleofthebrands. Please vote for them, too: http://ow.ly/iphRh

Note: Be sure to leave enough room in the sample tweet so the message can be retweeted, and thank your fans about spreading the word about your company.

Facebook:
I just voted for Your Company in SourceLinkDallas’ Battle of the Brands contest. Help me prove they have the fiercest fans in Dallas. Vote here: http://www.sourcelinkdallas.org/battleofthebrands.  

Follow the Battle.
We’re using these hashtags: #DALBattleoftheBrands and #DALBofB

Build karma.
In the bracket and feeling a little greedy about all the votes you’re getting?  Share the love with other Dallas companies in the bracket.

Winning’s not the only thing.
Battle of the Brands isn’t just about getting votes for a company in the month of March.  It’s about raising the visibility and value of entrepreneurship here in Dallas.
• Give props to your competitors for a fight well fought.
• Talk about other local businesses you partner with, even if they’re not in the bracket.
• Give kudos to those local resources that have helped your business become a big honcho of Dallas Business.
• Share with others how you’ve built your brand and your social presence.

Battle of the Brands voting is each week in the month of March. The finals run into the beginning of April.  Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for behind the scenes updates and spotlights from the bracket.