Branding and MarketingHow to Get (and Keep) the Attention You Deserve

The Rules of Engagement

About Us

BrandingWhat it is (and what it isn’t…)

7 components of building a brand1. Logo (the symbol that summarizes your brand’s heart and soul)2. Visual Brand (colors, fonts, web elements, images, etc.)3. Website4. Social Media Presence (yes, you’ll need a Facebook page)5. Brand Promise/Mission (what you promise to be to your

customers)6. Wording/Conversational Tone (taglines, copy in promotional

materials, etc)7. Brand Individuality (Unique Selling Point)

Rule 1:Know thy self.(Embrace what makes you different.)

Unique Sel ling PointWhat makes you different is exactly what your customers need!

Who’s Your C ompetition?What is it about your differences that sets you apart?

Rule 2:Know your perfect customer inside and out.

What is your ideal customer into?Stacy likes…

Coffee

Electronics

Teeth Whitening

Rule 3:Use storytelling visuals.Pair it with compelling copy and you have a winner!

Perfect example of visual storytelling!

Which of these is a social media book?

(Yep! They both are!)

C olor PsychologyColors evoke emotions, and can make an

immediate impact on your brand.

Trustworthy, Reliable, and Professional.

Creates a sense of trust.

Bold, Ambitious, &

Powerful.Creates a sense

of Urgency.

Cheerful, Friendly, and Creative.Often used in

“Call-to-Action”.

Loving, Feminine, and

Calm.Used as an

accent color.

Royal, Wise, and Creative.

Often used in luxury products.

Nature, Growth, Peace, and

Health.Used to relax customers.

Prestigious, Mysterious, and

Professional.Used most in

masculine & luxe advertising.

Energetic, Playful, and Cheerful.

Used to signify fun & happiness.

People buy the Promise before the Product

Vintage Coke Ads

People buy the Promise before the Product

Modern Coke Ads

Rule 4:Get Social!

Go where your customers areThere are many, many options

Are al l Social Media channels

important?

Not a designer? Not a problem!There are some cost-effective alternatives.

There are even sites for free stock photos!

Not for the MassesThe art of saying the right thing to the right people.

So how do you reach your “Perfect Customer”?

Rule 5:Diversify your marketing!

C ommon Marketing Strategies

Digital Marketing – Social Media, Email, Blog, etc.

Traditional Marketing – Print Ad, Direct Mail, Tradeshows, etc.

Combined Effort – Usually a traditional marketing campaign with combined online efforts

Traditional MarketingPrint Ads – Newspapers, Magazines, Direct Mail

Tradeshows – Can be anything from expos to art fairs. Should apply to business.

Word of Mouth – Your client’s can, and should be, your best marketing asset.

Digital MarketingSocial Media and Email Marketing – great for generating interest in new products, sales, or limited time offers, and to inspire/encourage others to work with you.

Your Website and Blog – Communicate the insights you hold in your industry as it applies to your customer. If you can post something that solves a problem, or answers a pressing question for your customer, you will be the go-to guy/gal in their minds.

Search Engine Marketing (SEM) – Multiple factors go into determining where your ad ranks on Google. From the ad itself to the originality and the quality of the page the ad is linked to. Having unique content that is relevant to your customer’s search is very important.

Rule 6:Content is King.

C opywrightingTurn phrases that turn heads TM

Keep your tone conversationalYour website, and copy, is a conversation between your brand

and your customers.

For copy bonus points, include your USP!

P itch, please!The hard sales pitch is for late night infomercials and used car

ads. Please keep the hard sell out of your copy.Educate and explain your brand, tell your story.

ProofreadReading it through now can save you from

embarrassment and headaches later.

Does it play wel l with others?Cleverness aside, how does it read to an audience?

Have an honest friend or family member look it over and see how it reads to them.You can also ask a feedback group, like Feedback Group for Business Badasses (on

Facebook), to give you some honest opinions.

Writer’s Block?Get up. Walk away from the keyboard. Do something (anything) to clear

your head, and get your mind somewhere else for a while. Go back to it later.

Still no ideas? Go back to your chart and review your lists of benefits and keywords.

What’s a keyword?Keywords are actually pretty easy to explain. They are the words that

people use to search for stuff on the internet.The “key” to using them (pun intended) is to think like the person on the

other side of the screen. If your perfect customer is looking for you, what words would he/she

use? Those are the keywords you’ll need to pepper throughout the body of your copy, as well as the headlines you create.

Keyword cheat!!Not a mindreader? Ok! Here are 3 areas to find good keyword leads

Customer Reviews – You can literally see what they are talking about. Don’t have any reviews yet? Go check out the competition’s reviews. Good or bad, they’ll have some information to offer.Forums – They’ve been around forever, and they will be for the foreseeable future. Go check out places like Reddit, and see what your “dream date” is saying.People - Actually go out and talk to the people you want to draw in, and ask them what’s important to them when it comes to your area of expertise (whether you’re a dog-walker, or a plumber).

Cal l To ActionBe Direct!

Tell your audience exactly what to do by using action verbs and phrases. For example:“Call Now”

“Click Here For…”“Email Me For…”

“Sign Up For an Exclusive…”

Signup For Slides and MoreUse the signup forms to get the slides from this presentation,

plus a free packet of worksheets

designed to help you figure out your brand/marketing strategy and calculate your ROI.

Bonus: Psychology of Color study, Best Practices for Fonts,

and Heather’s list of the Best Sites designed to make your life easier if you’re not a designer.

Thanks For C oming!Get out there and be AWESOME!