Branding & Cost-Effective Marketing Strategies - AimFire Marketing - Indianapolis, Indiana

www.aimfiremarketing.com

Branding & Cost-Effective Marketing

Presented by:Susan Young, President

AimFire Marketing

Hendricks County Excelerate 2011


An Introduction

• Brownsburg resident• Wife and mom of two girls• Advertising graduate –

University of Illinois• Owner of AimFire

Marketing since 2005• Outsourced marketing, PR,

web, SEO and social media help for small businesses



Overview of Discussion:

• What is Branding?• Examples of National & Local Brands• Branding – The Name, Image & Message• Branding Across All Marketing Mediums• Evaluating & Protecting Your Brand• Setting a Marketing Budget• Cost-Effective Marketing• Examples of Cost-Effective Marketing• Tracking Your Marketing ROI



What is a Brand?

• Identity of a product, service or business• Various forms:

o Nameo Signo Symbol (logo)o Slogan (tagline)

• Can be protected via Trademark• Affects and reflects the personality of the

product, company or service


• Longevity• Communicates consistent message to

target audience• Gives your company a personality• Connotes the qualities, value and benefits

of your product or service


Why is Having a Good Brand Important?



World’s Most Recognizable Brands

1. Coca Cola2. IBM 3. Microsoft4. GE5. Nokia6. McDonald’s7. Google8. Toyota9. Intel10.Disney

Source: 2009 Interbrand & Business Week Annual Survey



Components of a Brand

• The Name (business name, domain name)

• The Image (logo/graphic/icon)• The Message (tagline, description)



Branding: The Name

• Identifies company product/service• Unique • Memorable• Easy to pronounce or spell• Evokes feeling or meaning• Can be trademarked• Domain name is available



The Business Name

“A good name is more desirable than great riches.”

– Proverbs 22:1



Branding: The Logo

Three Elements: • Graphic image / icon / picture• Color• Font



Big Ten Logo



New Big Ten Logo

• Symbolize future, heritage, tradition of competition, academic leadership & passionate alumni• Contemporary collegiate lettering • Embedded numeral "10" in the word "BIG," which allows fans to see "BIG" and "10" in a single word• No reference to the number of member institutions• Flexibility of multiple versions which can be used horizontally, vertically and within new media



Things to Consider: Logo

• Make a good first impression• Visual representation of what you offer• Resonate with your target audience• Professional• Unique from competitors• Translate well to all forms of media• Timeless & memorable



Logo: The Icon

• Don’t necessarily need an icon (font-only logos such as Microsoft)

• Could have icon only (Nike)• Symbolizes what you want to

communicate• Avoid clip art and “logo design factories”



Color Choice

• Cool Colors: Calming, Nurturing Effecto Blue, green, turquoise, gray, silver

• Warm Colors: Exciting, Optimism, Angero Red, pink, yellow, gold, orange

• Neutral: Unifying, Subtleo Brown, beige, ivory, gray, black, white

• Color combinations: harmonizing, contrasting, complementary



Choosing a Font

• Legible• Scalable• Enhances the Business• Matches with the

Icon/Graphic• Translates to Web, Print• Consider font size, font

type, bold, italicoSerif, sans-serif,

script, decorative



Branding: The Message

• Determine your target audience• What reasons will make them want to

buy?• How are you truly different than

competitors?• What is your brand’s personality?• Includes vision, mission, tagline,

marketing messages, ad headlines, copy, Web, etc.



Branding & Your USP

• Unique Selling Proposition• Unique “Selling Point”• Reason you are different from or better

than the competition• Needed to target and market yourself

successfully• Incorporate USP into your brand• Worksheet exercise


ISBDC Workshop www.aimfiremarketing.com

The Tagline

• Definition: A reiterated slogan or phrase that conveys the most important product attribute or benefit that the company wishes to convey

• Often used as a theme in advertising (each can have own tagline)

• Clever, catchy, serious, memorable• Appeal to humor, reasoning, emotions, etc.


Tagline Examples: Worldwide Brands

• GE: Imagination at Work• Coca-Cola: Open Happiness• Nokia: Connecting People• McDonald’s: I’m Lovin’ It• Toyota: Moving Forward

Worldwide brands tend to be more emotional and less logical/descriptive



Tagline Examples: Local Brands

• Benjamin Franklin Plumbing: “The Punctual Plumber”o Highlights key benefit (on time)o Translates into USP (we’ll pay if we’re late)

• Indiana Department of Tourism: “Restart Your Engines”o Double entendreo Highlights excitement, but relaxation &

rejuvenationo What Indiana is known for o Previous tagline “Enjoy Indiana” - not unique

anymoreHendricks County Excelerate 2011

Hendricks County Excelerate 2011 www.aimfiremarketing.com

When to Re-brand

• Brand no longer reflects company, products, services or mission

• Needs updating / modernizing• Entering new markets• Brand extension – new product lines• Logo uses clip art• Brand is too similar to competitors• Doesn’t translate to other mediums


Branding Across all Mediums

• Business Cards • Letterhead • Envelopes• Brochures • Sales Sheets • Packaging• Website• Blog• Social Media

• PowerPoint Presentations

• Trade Show Booths • Banners / Posters • eMail Newsletters • Advertising • Direct Mail • Promo Products• Vehicle Graphics


Recent Re-Brands:

• Apply for a trademark at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO.gov)

• Can trademark a company name, logo, tagline, slogan or jingle

• A registered trademark protects from competitors or 3rd party usage

• Costs range from $275 - $375• May not be necessary for small business


Protecting Your Brand


• Many businesses set as a % of sales• Varies from 2-20% of revenue (gross or net)• Doesn’t factor in sales goals• Not accurate

• “As much as we can afford”• Risk overspending

• No budget • Plan on spending a lot of time

• Working backwards from sales goals• Preferred method• Determine close rate, # leads, # impressions, cost


Setting a Marketing Budget


• What are your sales goals?• How long is your sales cycle?• What is your close rate?• How many competitors do you have?• How much brand awareness do you have vs.

your competitors?• Do you have a commodity or a high-ticket item?• Do you need to fill the pipeline for your sales

team?


Marketing Budget – Things to Consider


• Marketing doesn’t always have to be expensive

• Every dollar counts!• Find innovative ways to promote your

business on a shoestring• Use it to offset more expensive marketing

costs• Ultimate cost = your time (or your team’s

time)


Cost-Effective Marketing


• Great for ongoing communication• Advertise deals / coupons• Drive to website from email• Showcase expertise (share information)• Balance promotional vs. educational• Costs: Free (MailChimp); $15/mo

(Constant Contact); plus time to develop• Built into some CRM systems

(AddressTwo)


Cost-Effective Tactic #1: Email Marketing



Email Marketing - Example


• Search Engine Optimization• Drive ongoing traffic to your site using

targeted keywords• Optimize new site or existing site• Use as lead generation tool• Cost: Time to research/implement and

track; or paid SEO consultant ($500+)


Cost-Effective Tactic #2: SEO



Search Engine Optimization - Example


Client: Batesville Tool & Die

Keyword phrase: appliance metal manufacturing

Search results: 1.09 million

Rank: #1

Other terms: Mig welding #7, metal stamping #6


Search Engine Optimization - Example


Client: Wow Clothing Club

Keyword phrase: designer kid’s clothes sale

Search Results: 7.3 million

Rank: Page 1, #9

(not actively optimizing)

Other terms: kids clothing rental #3, children’s clothing rental: #2

• Why to use: Objective endorsement; positions as authority; keeps you top-of-mind

• Write and send out press releases to media• Online wire services (boosts SEO)• Article writing/submission (local or online)• Promote news, special events, community

involvement, showcase customers• Place release or coverage in online newsroom• Re-purpose for marketing/sales kit• Cost: Time; hiring PR firm ($500+ per campaign)


Cost-Effective Tactic #3: Public Relations


• Client: Wow Clothing Club• Coverage included:

• Inside Indiana Business• Current in Carmel• Chicago Tribune – Sunday feature (syndicated)• Fox Morning Show with Mike & Juliet – segment

“How to live like a celebrity for less”• ABC news – 30-second segment –major markets• Wall Street Journal “Get Decked Out by the

Week”• Dollar value of coverage: ?

• ½ page, B&W WSJ ad: $96,900• Chicago Tribune: $755 per column inch• Ave. 30-second TV spot on national TV:

$350,000• My Cost: Time


Public Relations - Example


• Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, YouTube• Post news• Share stories• Find, connect, communicate with others• Follow or become thought leader/expert• Drive traffic to your blog/website• Cost: your time (or your team’s/agencies);

custom background template ($50+); outsourced: $400/mo+


Cost-Effective Tactic #4: Social Media



Social Media - Examples


• Team up with other businesses who sell to the same or similar markets

• Conduct events/seminars together• Exchange brochures/business cards for

use at point-of-sale (Example: Great Clips/Old Navy – back to school)

• Exchange website links• Promote in email marketing or direct mail


Cost-Effective Tactic #5: Joint Ventures



Example - Joint Ventures


SEO Tele-Seminar 4/20:

•Joint marketing efforts:

•eNewsletter

•Twitter

•Facebook

•LinkedIn


Example - Joint Ventures


• Your brand will get you far – Take the time to invest in a good one

• Be consistent in your brand and message• Weigh the cost of your time when

factoring in cost-effective marketing tactics (do you really have the time? What is your time worth? – vs. outsourcing)

• Marketing is only costly if you don’t implement it!


Summary



Thanks!

Susan Young, PresidentAimFire Marketing

(317) 858-7669 office (317) 414-3623 cell

[email protected]

Twitter: @aimfiremktgFacebook.com/aimfiremarketing

LinkedIn: Susan Young / AimFire Marketing

Date post:	18-May-2015
Category:	Business
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