How to use NFTs to market your service business

How to use NFTs to market your service business

by | Jun 23, 2022 | Branding, Design Strategy, Digital, Tech

One of the best but most challenging parts of marketing is the constant evolution of tools and techniques. “Best practices” are constantly changing, and it seems in the digital era, a new platform or tool emerges every day.

One of the other great parts of marketing is that no matter how many new and shiny tools come our way, the basic best practices remain the same. At its core, marketing is still about using creativity and storytelling to share a product, service, or idea, with someone who didn’t know they were missing it.

One of our favorite new tools are NFTs- and we think they’re here to stay. 


An NFT, or nonfungible token, is essentially a digital asset that cannot be duplicated. The one-of-a-kind nature makes this a perfect branding tool for companies looking to differentiate and offer something to their customers that they can’t find anywhere else. While this may be a new tool, the principles are the same. Brands are using NFTs to create brand awareness, increase brand engagement, and grow brand revenue. 


There’s a few different ways you can use NFTs in your brand marketing:


  1. Sell digital products. You can create an NFT version of a product that is more accessible to a broader audience.
  2. Create a GIF. You can design a custom GIF that sets you apart from the competition.
  3. Promote philanthropy. You can auction off NFTs or give an NFT as a prize to raise awareness for both your brand, and your favorite charity.
  4. Create demand. By creating an NFT with a limited window for purchasing, you can drive urgency for brand sales. 

If you’re curious about using NFTs to grow your brand, schedule a complimentary consultation call. We’d love to help you create and design your first NFT, or help you elevate your NFT game. 


Brand Brag: 

One brand that is killing it in the NFT game is Taco Bell. More than 80% of millenials prefer to do business with brands that align with their values. This means it’s more important than ever for brands to not only be clear on their values, but to find creative ways to invite their customers in. Taco Bell created a series of NFT GIFs to support the Live Más scholarship fund. This successful campaign not only sold out, but also drove brand awareness, increased brand loyalty, and increased revenue and sales.

They Love Me, They Love Me Not

They Love Me, They Love Me Not

by | Feb 7, 2022 | Branding

We all know a marketer’s worst fear; having their message be misunderstood. When this happens, there is a chance that your customers will forgive and forget. However, that is not always the case. Because of social media and the ability to voice any opinion at any time, marketing mishaps can shift the perception of your brand for the long haul. The goal is to avoid making marketing mistakes in the first place, but no one is perfect. Here are five steps that will help your brand recover if your marketing campaign doesn’t land well. (according to zoho.com) 

  1. Listen to what people have to say– in order to learn from your experience and ensure that nothing similar ever happens again in the future, you need to understand where you went wrong. It is important to listen to your consumers and value their opinion. Once you hear what they have to say, own up to your mistakes and take responsibility for your actions. 
  2. Think like a customer- remember, your marketing campaign can flop even if it wasn’t offensive. Maybe it wasn’t unique. Maybe it didn’t highlight what made your brand different from the rest. Maybe it didn’t do anything wrong, but it didn’t do anything right either. Put yourself in your customers shoes and ask yourself if you would remember the marketing campaign that you just created. If not, go back to the drawing board and rework it so that your customers are engaged. 
  3. Analyze your numbers- you need to dig deep. Sometimes just looking at a metric does not tell the whole story. If something has a lot of views, it doesn’t mean that everyone watched it. They could have clicked on your video and then exited out because they found it boring. If you look at the data and you see that a lot of people clicked out of your video at the same part, go back in and make changes. Do people click away once they see numbers? Do they click away when the music cuts out? Pay attention to these minor details and it can make a major impact on your brand. It helps to have analytics installed on your website, to use a CRM platform to track different messages, and to compare analytics from different forms of communication.  
  4. Do one thing at a time- do not feel rushed to jump into many different avenues after (or before!) a marketing mishap. Like with anything in life, it is best to fully dedicate yourself to one thing then it is too spread yourself too thin and try to cover too many bases. When you do this, you are not fully dedicating yourself to one task, and are missing out on an opportunity to excel in something. So learn from your mistakes, and take your time to fix it. Focus. 
  5. Hire an Expert- Remember, marketing takes up an entire section of your business plan because without it you don’t have a business. Too many business owners waste time and energy trying to tackle marketing tasks that they don’t understand. When faced with any challenge it’s always better to meet with an expert, come up with a budget and use what you’re good at to earn the money you need to hire the right help.

Remember that every business has its failures and it is okay to make mistakes as long as you are willing to learn from them. 

New Year, New Brand

New Year, New Brand

by | Jan 7, 2022 | Branding, Marketing

For many people, maybe even yourself, the new year symbolizes a chance to grow and evolve as a person. Many people throw away the junk food and join a gym to become a better, healthier, and happier version of themselves. It’s also a great time of year to evolve your brand. Brands, especially those that have been around for a while, often get comfortable with their image and stay away from changes to avoid losing their brands’ originality. However, there is no better way to ensure the longevity of your brand than staying up to date with the world and your audience. Below are 5 tips that will help you know when you need to update your brand, and how to do it the right way (according to ignytebrands.com). You do not need to make huge changes, and a good rebrand gives your brand a fresh look without compromising the integrity of the original mark. 

  1. Follow the numbers- this may seem obvious, but one way to know that it is time to rebrand is that your sales aren’t as high as they used to be. People are obsessed with the ‘next new thing,’ and if they did not create a strong enough relationship with your brand, then they probably moved on. This is the perfect time to rebrand and create a new meaning for your company. 
  2. Your brand has become too complicated- if your brand has become something that is too confusing to understand and maneuver, then it is definitely time to simplify things. People do not want to spend time trying to figure out what your brand stands for. 
  3. You’ve outgrown your brand- If you’ve been in business for more than ten years there is a good chance it has evolved. Let’s say you work for a computer company. That computer company probably has rebranded itself multiple times from the very first computer to the most recent. As the world changes and your company changes, so should your brand. 
  4. You need to clean up the damage of a negative reputation– if your brand has made mistakes in the past that ended up giving your company name a negative connotation, then it is a good time to knock it down and rebuild. For example, the Dixie Chicks are now just referred to as The Chicks after they found out about the negative historical implications of the word dixie. 
  5. You’re trying to connect to a new audience- not all rebrands have to come from a negative place. A lot of the time, companies rebrand themselves so that they can explore new avenues and bring in new customers. If your brand is mainly targeted to senior citizens, a possible rebranding opportunity could come from trying to include younger generations. 

Are you deciding whether or not to rebrand based on these tips? If you are, it is important to do it right. Getting leadership buy-in is important so that it can be implemented across the entire company. You also are going to want to define your goals, budget, and timeline. Having clear and concise goals and deadlines will help sharpen your vision for the future of your brand. You want to have a strong strategy, but also have the creative instincts that will help you make innovative decisions. Hiring an expert will help to ensure you keep your brand’s original tone. Just make it stronger and newer!

Have a safe and happy new year! 

 

Likes, Comments, and Retweets- Oh My! How to Leverage Your Social Media in 2021

Likes, Comments, and Retweets- Oh My! How to Leverage Your Social Media in 2021

by | Nov 7, 2021 | Branding, Digital, Marketing

Now that social media has been around for more than 15 years it is no surprise that marketing and branding endeavors have taken a digital turn. Picking up our phones is becoming an action driven by our subconscious. Kids grow up understanding how to like, comment, and subscribe, without even being taught. Senior citizens, people who grew up in an era where smartphones were only written about in sci-fi novels and seen in bond movies, are even more tech savvy, creating  their own profiles on the social media platforms from Instagram to SnapChat. We can thank the pandemic for that. 

For business owners, social media is a powerful tool that acts as a gateway between your company and your consumers. Social media is a fantastic way to build relationships with them and create a strong customer base that can last the test of time. Whether you are starting a company or have been at one for forty years, odds are that you are using or have used social media to promote your business in one form or another. Here we’ve gathered five new ways that you can leverage it in 2021. 

1) Personal brand 

Now that social media has entered its adolescent phase the landscape looks a little bit different. What is the main difference? Personal brands. The ability to connect with anyone anywhere has given rise to the social celebrity. It is now normal, even encouraged for you to market your own individual work and ideas. Not only does it create professional opportunities to increase your visibility and sell your services, many platforms have developed systems to track your engagement and profit from it.  In addition, businesses are now reaching out to individuals with parallel brand ideals and an active following — we call them influencers — to promote their products and their brands. Side hustle anyone? 

2) Feedback

Social media has created a world where companies have a direct line to thier customers. Whether your campaign was a like, love, or a continuous scroll of comments, you’re sure to  hear about it from the people that follow you and the people that don’t. Want to leverage that feedback? Get ahead of it. Ask your audience for thoughts on your brand, product ideas or marketing campaigns. Check the metrics and see which posts are getting the most engagement then craft your social strategy accordingly. 

3) Social movements 

The power of social media hit its stride in 2020 as the pandemic forced mobility limitations and both businesses and individuals experienced the border-free world of virtual tradeshows, live stream concerts, and a new surplus of time to sit and scroll.  Although businesses in the U.S. have been steadily shifting to consumer driven sales since the “Coke is it” debacle of the 80s, social media has provided a platform for individuals to speak out in large numbers with complete anonymity. Individuals are now holding businesses accountable to both their core values and their ability to drive widespread change. We are now seeing marketing executives from Audi produce the “Daughters” Ad in response to the Me Too movement, and Jake from State Farm being cast as a Black man in response to the Black Lives Matter movement. Whether it’s the plus sized mannequins at Dick’s Sporting Goods or deciding to no longer carry the controversial illustrations of the beloved Dr. Seuss. Businesses now have a responsibility to show their customers what they stand for.  

4) Shop Now!  

Since Facebook went public a great deal of time and resources has gone into making social media profitable. Implementing technology such as Facebook Marketplace or the Shop Now! feature on instagram has created an entirely new avenue for businesses to leverage social media to maximize their visibility and profits.  Take my friend Mollie for example. She created an Instagram account solely for the canvases that she creates. People would leave a comment in the comment section ‘claiming’ the canvas that they wanted to buy, and then Mollie would mail the canvas that she created for you. It was just an activity that she picked up for the summer, yet every single canvas sold. And at a solid rate too! In addition to selling your talents, companies now have the ability to advertise products that customers can purchase right through the social media platform itself eliminating the need for a costly e-commerce site. 

Social media isn’t going anywhere, so utilize these tips and tricks to better understand it in 2021. 

 

Is Your Audience Trying to Tell You Something?

Is Your Audience Trying to Tell You Something?

by | May 22, 2021 | Branding, Marketing

There are so many ways to track metrics. But it’s not doing your business any good just to have them. Analytics and data are meant to be used as tools to identify who is engaging with your brand, and how they are engaging. Interpreting the data allows you to strategize and respond to your target audience more effectively. Here are a few tips to create space in your schedule to interpret your information.

There are so many ways to track metrics. But it’s not doing your business any good just to have them. Analytics and data are meant to be used as tools to identify who is engaging with your brand, and how they are engaging. Interpreting the data allows you to strategize and respond to your target audience more effectively. Here are a few tips to create space in your schedule to interpret your information.

Set aside time each quarter to review your data and discuss what’s working or not working. Any campaign needs about 90 days to pull good data, so quarterly meetings are a great time to review your data and look for patterns. Did you have certain social media posts where your audience engagement was up or emails that people opened more often? Maybe there were some that were met with crickets. Also, make sure you’re comparing the analytics with data across your other platforms. Did your sales go up or down, did you generate more or less leads. Maybe you identified more qualified leads that are more likely to generate revenue.

Make sure ALL lines of communication are clear, and open. It’s an understatement to say that there are a myriad of ways to communicate with your customers today. From different social channels and video platforms, multiple online storefronts, private messaging and live chat — not to mention the old school methods of snail mail and telephone. You want to make sure you’re not missing anything. Be clear with your customers about which methods of communication are best to reach you. You can include a statement in your email signature, find a spot on your website or include it in your about section on any of your social media platforms. Also, make sure all your corporate emails are being monitored or forwarding to a monitored email address. If you’re hosting emails on your server that you’re no longer using remove them. Also, if you have a live chat make sure someone qualified is able to respond in a timely manner. Adopting these best practices will help to ensure your customers can get in touch with you when they need to and help to avoid any unforeseen pitfalls in your customer experience.

Having a successful brand is all about building relationships with your customers. Do you need help aligning your messaging? Schedule a complimentary consultation call to speak with one of our strategists.