The Art of Listening and Storytelling

Review from 1st Marketing Workshop

Branding Your Business 101

What you will learn:– What is Branding?– Steps in Creating Your Brand– Brand Marketing Strategy– Online Brand Management– Offline Brand Management

A Brand Defined

If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter, or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection, or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer.

-SETH GODIN

A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another.

What’s In A Brand?

• Defines who you are and what you do• Sets you apart from others• Emphasizes your unique value• Communicated through everything

your company does

Be a Spotted Zebra

In a land of stripes

- Flying Hippo Web Creations

Why is Branding So Important?

• Trust• Loyalty• Premium Pricing

Creating Your Brand

1. Market Research: Know Your Customers

The most important part of developing your brand is getting to know your customers:– How they think and feel about you– Demographics– Psychographics– Buying habits– How they feel about other brands

Where to Start?

• Indirect Research online– Social media– Forums– Keyword Tools– Competition

• Direct Research– Interviews– Focus Groups– Questionnaires

Activity – Identifying Your Dream Customer

The idea is to picture your perfect customer. We don’t just mean an ordinary customer but a raving fan. This exercise is a message to yourself. It help keeps your ideal customer in your mind, so you remember who you are branding to. 

2. Define Your Brand – Elements of an Effective Brand Name

• The name conveys a great deal of information– Clarity– Memorability– Uniqueness– Emotional Connection– Credibility– Timeless

2. Define Your Brand – Your “IT” Factor?

• What is your story?– What do you do?– How do you do it differently?– Why do you do it?

• How does the public see your company?• What are your values as they perceive them?• Think in terms of personal characteristics• If your company were a person, who would it be?

3. Design Your Brand

• Logo• Tagline• How your brand is expressed through:– Brand voice– Brand style– Brand behavior

Design Your Logo

• Text Logoe.g. Google

• Image Logoe.g. McDonalds

• Abstract Symbol– e.g. Nike

Clean & Functional Logos

• Simplicity is key – stick with 2 if possible• Colors can spark associations - Choose

carefully!• A single image or word without

distractions• Must be easy to reproduce• Looks good big or small

Taglines

• Optional but another way to capture attention

• Can you tell me some memorable local taglines that stick out for you?

4. Your Identity System

• Where Visual Elements are Used– Marketing materials including books, pamphlets,

flyers, websites, etc.– Products and packaging– Signs– Email Newsletters– Clothing– Stationary

Consistency Is Key

• The public should get the same message every time they come into contact with you

• Be consistent across all media• A seamless user experience is

important

Activity – Your Brand – Survivor Style

• If you could only choose a few items to represent your brand experience, what would they be? And what one skill would be the most valuable to you?– What objects would you take with you to recreate the brand

experience? Object A, B and C.– What one extra special ingredient would you add to the mix?

Could be music, a smell, a mood.– What one skill would be the most critical to the brand’s

survival?

Disney Survior Style

Brand Marketing Strategy

Vision, Values and Story

Branding Alignment

Love the Brown & Brown brand. Our logo includes a cheetah and we say "Our corporate culture is built on vision, speed, agility and strength that allows us to thrive in the very competitive insurance environment.“ – Stephen Makis

Interactive Brand Strategy

• A good marketing strategy is interactive and engages the customer

• Engage your customer whenever they’re looking for information

• Provide information they need when and where they need it

• Integrate all marketing channels

Interactive Brand Strategy (cont’d)

• All strategies need to be backed up with strong SEO

• On social media have someone respond to comments and questions

• Track analytics and monitor behavior

Word Of Mouth

• Best brand marketing strategy is to focus on recommendations

• Word of Mouth can be more powerful than the best advertising

• Effective as the recommendation is coming from a trusted source

Word Of Mouth

Recap

• Brand Marketing Strategy– Interactive brand strategy with a focus

on word of mouth marketing – Guided by Vision, Values & Story & the

4 P’s.

Activity

• Determine what you & your company DO NOT stand for– Things you can’t stand, don’t like doing

or want to stop doing.

• Now write all the opposites on your side

Choosing Which Branding Strategies to Use

Online Brand Management

The Importance of SEO

• SEO optimization is important to branding

• Make sure your website and social media profiles come up in related searches

• People are going to research you• Have a proactive SEO strategy in

place

Email Is Still Number One

• Email is the main mode of communication online

• Build an email list and market directly• Enhance your branding and create an emotional bond

Branding On Social Media

• Find the appropriate social media platforms for your brand– Not just Facebook & Twitter– includes sharing sites, industry

specific networking sites, forums and more

• Consider each site’s capabilities• Go where your audience is• Consider number of users

Content Marketing

• A strategy in which you regularly publish articles, blog posts, videos or other content

• A great way to gain exposure and communicate your brand

message

Online Reputation Management

• Some people may say something bad about your company

• You need to act and handle it with the best service possible

• Encourage good reviews• Always stay ‘on-brand’ when responding to bad reviews

Activity

• Brainstorm keywords and keyword phrases that you can use for your website, social media profiles, and content marketing in general.

• Take home activity: Create accounts and complete the social media checklist.

Offline Brand Management

Design Features

• Design features are important for conveying your brand message on and offline

• Choose colors, shapes, fonts and placements that are consistent with your brand image

• Manage and control design features carefully

Your Employees Are The Face Of Your Brand

• Your employees are components of your brand

• Make sure they understand it• They are the face of your brand• Choose an employee to be a

representative of the company

Wow Your Customers

• Go a step beyond the competition• Bend over backwards for your

customers• A great way to establish your brand

through word of mouth

Establish Offline Ambassadors

• Identify your biggest supporters• Cultivate a good relationship with

them• They’re helping to spread your brand

Get Out And See People

• Make a habit of attending live events or other opportunities to meet customers face to face

• The more you do this the more you will build your brand

• Many brands fail to do this

Conclusion

What you learned:– What branding is– Steps in Creating Your Brand– Brand Marketing Strategies– Online Brand Management– Offline Brand Management

What is the top idea you plan to take home and implement?Any concerns or challenges you see with applying what you learned to improve your branding?

Thank You!

• I’m here to help. Book a 45 minute appointment at www.calendly.com/RebekahRichards

• Contact me at: – www.JuceboxLocalMarketingPartners.com– 916-415-8625

• Want a copy of the slides? Drop your biz card in the basket. I’ll also send you ‘21 Ideas for Promoting Your Business Online’

Connect With Me

http://www.linkedin.com/in/RebekahRichards

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