It’s one thing to go after new talent when your company is a household name. But what happens when your organization opens in a new region or country or you start a business and have no name recognition with the surrounding community?

Your employer brand is your company’s reputation with employees and candidates. It’s what candidates see and feel about your organization. In a competitive job market, a strong employer brand can entice a top candidate to accept your offer and a bad one can cause a valued employee to leave — and seek opportunities elsewhere.

Your employer brand is what entices potential talent to follow your company on LinkedIn even when you’re not hiring. It tells candidates what your company stands for, how it treats its employees, and what the company culture is like.

When you’re building an employer brand from scratch, some of the general rules of employer branding will still hold up, but there are some unique considerations to keep in mind. “Understanding the local dynamics is very essential to establish an employer brand in an unfamiliar market,” writes Sneha Bhoyar, a client acquisition consultant in Singapore. You need to understand the culture, talent pool, and even the local employment laws of that region, she says.

If you’re wondering where to start, here are seven tips to keep in mind.

1. Forget what you already know

One of the first things you have to do is know your audience. What do potential candidates care about?

Even if your organization already operates in a different location, “you must be clued in to how employee populations may vary depending on market,” writes Lindsey Herman, an independent human resources and talent consultant. “The key word here is ‘research,’” she adds. “Become knowledgeable about variances, even within a specific age group, and tailor your employment branding strategy accordingly.”

Candidate and employee surveys, internet searches, and social media monitoring can all give you some insight into what your target audience values and help you get started with your employer branding strategy.

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