What Has Gratitude Got to do with Branding?

What Has Gratitude Got to do with Branding?

This holiday season, we are especially thankful for all of the little (and not so little) successes we’ve had over the past year.

While gathering data, advertising, and offering a top-notch product or service will all keep you top of mind, simply letting your clients, customers and employees know you appreciate the space and time they’ve created for you in their lives can go a long way to building the kind of brand loyalty others pay the big bucks for.

Showing Some Gratitude.

The number one trusted marketing resource is word of mouth. If your customers love you, they will do the marketing for you. Appreciating the customers that you have and catering to their needs can be a much more effective growth strategy than continually drumming up new business and trying to outrun a low retention rate.

One way to leverage your existing client base is by having a CRM system in place. CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and is essentially how and where you keep track of how often you connect with your audience.

Whether you are a humble solopreneur with an Excel spreadsheet or a Fortune 500 with a designated Salesforce Team, there are many platforms and options to keep track of your clients. Storing information such as name, contacts, purchase history, etc. can help you provide better customer service. And if it aligns with your brand, you can also track more personal interactions like birthdays, anniversaries, and accomplishments.

Sending tailored emails, personalized snail mail, or discount codes can be a great way to express gratitude for the people keeping your business open.

Do you have a CRM in place? If not, we can help. Schedule a free consultation to discuss what solution may be best for your clients and business goals.

The Importance of Creating Your Own Personal Brand

The Importance of Creating Your Own Personal Brand

When you are thinking of a ‘brand,’ what comes to mind? Is it the branding of a product or company that you love? Is it the new logo design that we just created for you? Is it the new packaging that just came out in order to revamp a company’s image? Is it a tagline or slogan that stands out to you? If you said yes to any of these questions, you are in the majority! Most people when asked about branding understand that all of the above points are very important. However, most people forget about an important branding opportunity; the personal brand. 

Marketing 101 teaches you on the first day of class that everything and anything can be marketed. Your leggings have a brand identity, your sneakers have a brand identity, your business has a brand identity, and you yourself have a brand identity. Let’s take a look at one of the world’s most infamous families: The Kardashian’s. Love them or hate them, you know them. Why? Because they know what it means to create a brand based on who they are as people, hence why they, as well as many other celebrities, are referred to as “TV personalities.” They make millions of dollars from their multiple companies not because of their talent, but because of their brand. Cultivating and creating a personal brand can be extremely important in order to gain a loyal customer base. 

One of the things social media has taught us is that you don’t have to be a celebrity to have a strong personal brand. In fact you’re probably doing it right now.  Do you have that one friend that is just so uptight? Or another friend who’s always wearing designer fashion? Do you know a guy who’s always at the gym? Your personality traits come together and create a memorable impression to your customers, clients and coworkers. This, whether you are intentional about it or not, is your personal brand. 

 Most people in the corporate world try to use their own personal brand as a way to market themselves and their skillsets which brings in more customers which brings in more profit. This can come in all shapes and sizes, but in 2021, there is no better way to promote who you want the world to perceive you as than social media. For example, Dr. Austin Chiang, a professor and gastrointestinal doctor, has found and created his own little world on Tik Tok. You might be thinking, how does a GI doctor and professor find his way to Tik Tok? We aren’t sure, but we also aren’t complaining! With over fourteen million likes and over 416 thousand followers, Dr. Austin educates his audience on medical myths. Not only is it educational, but he also shows off who he is as a person by dancing and poking fun at the society that we live in. If it were not for Tik Tok, I would have never known who he was. He is not my doctor, and he is not from the area. This shows the power of a personal brand and how it helps him in his career. First and foremost, it gives him more press. This increased level of publicity encourages people to reach out to him for their own health needs. Second, it brings in more opportunities for him to make money through other avenues instead of just teaching and being a doctor. Now, because of his social media following, he is qualified enough to advertise products that he believes in on his channel. Companies can pay him to promote their brands. These partnerships not only bring in more money for Dr. Chiang, but they also add more meaning to his personal brand because he can tell people all of the products that can help them with their health issues. Cultivating a personal brand online can increase people’s level of awareness about who you are, what you stand for, and what you sell.  

 

If you want to grow your career, expand your network, create new opportunities, and make it easier for people to send clients your way, exploring your own personal brand is the way to go. Simply exist as who you are, and your brand is set! Now just take it to Tik Tok if you want your brand to be liked, commented on, and messaged!

4 Ways to Spruce Up Your Website

4 Ways to Spruce Up Your Website

It’s no secret — we love websites. They’re kind of our jam. While we enjoy all aspects of marketing and branding, web design is our main playground. A website is sort of like a digital handshake. It’s the first impression, and the way most customers are deciding who you are and whether they want to continue talking to you. Most businesses have websites by now. It is 2021 after all. But did you know that websites are not designed for a set and forget model? Your website is actually one of your best employees. It should be working for you, and bringing in consistent revenue. If you haven’t checked your website in more than 2 years, we’re fairly confident it’s time for a spruce. Technology is changing, and your business is evolving. Here are 4 ways to spruce up your website.

1 ] Do a brand audit.Your brand evolves as you evolve, and as your audience and the culture evolve. Take a look through and evaluate whether your website is truly reflecting who your business is currently. Are all your products and services listed? Is the information accurate? Is the tone correct? Your website is your first impression. Make sure it matches who your customer will actually meet.
2 ] Do a link check. Often links to external websites expire or change. Go through your website and double-check that all of your links are still accurate, and none go to error pages.
3 ] Make your website your best employee. Many websites were created without a strategy in place. This means it’s essentially a very expensive digital portrait. Attach a strategy to your site. Add some SEO, some analytics, and maybe some automation. Make your website work for you.
4 ] Change up the design. If you’ve had a stagnant look for several years, mix it up with some new design. You can change the order of pages, colors, or just the visual style. Giving your website a makeover is a great way to show people that you are still here, and still innovating.

What does this inspire for you? We would love to look at your website with you and discuss some options for making your website work for you. Schedule a complimentary 30-Min site audit here. here.