The Key Components of a Good Brand Strategy

Developing a strong brand isn’t as easy as others think.

It’s no secret that consumers purchase based on trust, but how can businesses develop that trust if no one knows who you are? That’s the power of a brand strategy. If you don’t have a strategy in place, it’s like driving on the road with no destination.

The ultimate goal should be getting customers to connect with you, not your logo, not the website, and not the name (even if it’s catchy). A good brand strategy works behind the scenes, providing value that continues after they buy.

Key Components of a Good Brand Strategy

Purpose

What is the promise to the customer? Why are we in business? Why is it important to us?

These are the driving factors that set businesses apart. Thinking of it in terms of monetary and also non-monetary makes the difference.

Emotion

While it may sound weird, it’s true.

Customers are emotional about the brands they support because those brands can fully engage with like-minded audiences who believe in their purpose.

When brands connect beyond trying to sell a product or service, they win.

Consistency

Staying consistent when promoting the brand is vital in getting the audience to remember you.

It doesn’t matter what platform the brand is on; consistency creates harmony, and harmony creates trust.

Adaptability

Brands must be flexible and adaptable to succeed.

There’s power in the pivot. When something isn’t working, being able to quickly adjust and adapt while maintaining consistency can help solidify a brand’s place in the market and create a new customer base.

Involvement From Employees

Brands that take the time to listen to their employees and work in one accord in how the brand is presented go a long way.

If the brand is upbeat, customer service and every employee in the office should follow suit. Again, consistency, consistency, consistency.

Loyalty

When customers are loyal to your brand, you should be just as loyal.

Take the time to create incentives for them to come back. Whether it’s a coupon off or something more elaborate, your appreciation helps those people appreciate you too! A little thanks goes a long way.

Awareness of the Competition

It should go without saying, but sometimes this mindset needs to be reinforced.

You should be learning from the competition. Your goal – offer a better experience in every way.

These are the best ways to create a brand strategy that has longevity and goals you can achieve from the beginning while refining along the way. This is a functional, working part of your marketing strategy that helps you communicate better while attracting and retaining customers.

Every business goes through growing pains, but not having a brand strategy can seriously hurt your chances of making your mark on the industry. With so many ways to connect with different types of customers, the best thing you can do is give yourself a competitive advantage. Your brand strategy can help with that.

So, do you have a brand strategy in place, and is it working?

How-To Tips for Pain-Free Print Ordering

When you're ready to bring your creative ideas to life in print, these tips will ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible. 

Always Include High-Resolution Images

If you have specific images you want to be included in your print marketing, you need to use high-quality photos. If the images are not clear enough, they will not turn out well when printing. A few tips to keep in mind include:

• Stay away from random images you find on the internet, as these usually do not show up clearly on the final print.


• Use JPEG or TIFF files for your prints because these are easy and familiar file formats for the professional service.


• Take advantage of preflight tools that can help you catch issues with your images before you submit them.

If you use high-resolution images, you place your order in the best position possible to be successful. 

Do Not Drag Logos Off of Your Website

If you are ordering branded content, you need to think carefully about where your logo comes from.

Ideally, you should use a high-resolution image or a preferable vector version of your logo. When you submit this image, try to avoid scanning your letterhead. Do not drag the logo off of your email signature or your website. Otherwise, this is not going to produce a high-quality image.

If you have questions about how to include the correct vector version of your logo, reach out to us ahead of time. 

Make Sure the Files Have Been Packaged in an Organized Way

When submitting a folder full of files to be printed, make sure they are organized clearly.

Go through the folder ahead of time, making sure you remove any old versions that should not be printed. If you include multiple versions of the same file, it will be more challenging to determine which one you want to use. 

If you have specialty fonts you want to be included, make sure you specify them. Ideally, the files you submit should already contain the fonts you want to use. This will ensure you are happy with the finished product. 

Ask Questions

When it comes to ordering professional print products, there is no such thing as a stupid question.

You need to know what you are ordering. If something is not clear to you, or if you do not understand specific jargon, make sure to ask. That way, you are not blindsided by the final product. If you think we need to know something before we start your order, make us aware. We want you to be delighted with the result.

Ready to get started? Give us a call today!

How to Conduct a Competitive Analysis

Whether you’re starting a business, you’ve been around for 100+ years, or you’re somewhere in between, it’s important to conduct a competitive analysis.

A competitive analysis allows you to see gaps within the market that you can take advantage of. You can find ways to improve your business, create a better marketing strategy, and ultimately produce a stronger business.

Although time-consuming, breaking down the process into steps will make it more manageable. 

Tips to Help You Analyze the Competition

Find Businesses

Find businesses similar to your own.

These competitors will help you learn valuable information. When scoping out the competition, try using such tools as web searches, social media, and websites specifically geared to help answer your questions about other businesses. 

When looking for competitors, keep in mind that they can be divided into two categories: direct and indirect.

• Direct competitors sell the same products as you to a similar customer base.


• Indirect competitors sell similar products to a different customer sector.

Research the Business 

Now, it’s time to collect data on the businesses you've found.

Look at their online presence. Is their website consumer-friendly? Do they have social media accounts? How often do they interact with their customers? Research how happy their customers are.

Look up online reviews on Facebook, Twitter, Yelp, Google, and Instagram. Try reaching out to the customers who left negative reviews to learn more about their experience and direct them to your own business. Throughout this process, try to brainstorm ways your business could do better. 

Follow the SWOT framework 

SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

This is an invaluable framework to keep in mind as you research businesses. SWOT is fairly straightforward:

• Strengths are factors that set the business apart from others.


• Weaknesses are areas the business falters in.


• Opportunities are external factors that give the business a competitive advantage.


• Threats are external factors that could potentially harm businesses.

Conduct a SWOT analysis on the businesses you are researching and your own. Then compare. Can you make their strengths your strengths? Can you benefit from their weaknesses? What external opportunities are available to you? Is there anything threatening other businesses that perhaps doesn’t affect you? 

Print Can Help You Beat the Competition

Print can be the tool your businesses can use to succeed.

Perhaps you’ve noticed that other businesses may not be utilizing print advertising. They are losing out on the advantages that print provides: enhanced customer respect, greater visibility, better customer attention and retention, and much more. You can turn their weakness into your strength to draw in a larger customer base. 

Create a Competitive Analysis Report

Simplify and organize your data into a competitive analysis report.

Your report should include your business’s target market, how your product(s) compared to your competitors, current and projected market share, sales, and revenues, pricing models comparison, marketing strategy and social media strategy analysis, and an overview of customer ratings.

Improve your business

You’ve acquired all the data; now it’s time to use it.

Your competitive analysis will have unsurfaced countless ways your business can improve and beat out the competition. Take action and create a better business! 

Improve Your Business Through Atomic Habits

James Clear’s widely successful book Atomic Habits breaks down habits into four parts: the cue, craving, response, and reward.

This method shows readers how they can also form habits. Luckily, Clear’s formula can be applied to business.

4 Habits That Will Improve Your Business

The Cue

When developing a habit, Clear suggests making the cue as evident as possible.

A cue is an outside stimulus that reminds you of the habit you wish to form. Therefore, your goal is to make your business as obvious as possible.

With your advertising, you want your prospects and customers to see your ads and then associate them with the habit of buying from you.

To do this, make your ads big, bright, and hard to miss. Use large banners to capture attention with design that pops.

The Craving

After your customer has seen the cue, they then need to want your product or service.

Therefore make it as attractive as possible. Clear writes, “Every behavior is preceded by a prediction… every purchase is preceded by a prediction. The customer does not buy your product; they buy the prediction it creates in their mind.”

It’s your job to make that prediction as ideal as possible. Explain the benefits in a clear and compelling way. If possible, personalize the message to your client, sneak in some bandwagon advice (e.g., John Doe is doing/using it!), and use effective framing techniques.

The Response

“Great businesses remove every point of friction they can think of to make the desired behavior as easy as possible,” Clear says.

Break down the process into steps. Then try to eliminate or simplify the process. The easier it is to purchase from you, the more likely the customer is to do it.

The Reward

Make sure your customers feel instant happiness and success after their purchase. Your quality product and services should take care of the rest.

Interestingly, this reward is inversely related to the craving. If you make your product or service seem too good, then the customer’s expectations will not be met, and they will leave disappointed.

You may have secured one purchase, but another one is unlikely. If you make your product or service seem less attractive, then the customer’s expectations will be exceeded. That is if they even buy it. Finding the balance is key.

Your business will certainly improve if you use Clear’s formula. Simple, small changes can make big results!

Using Content to Win New Customers

Marketing content is a useful tool for any business trying to generate more traffic to their doorstep, either digitally or in person.

Whether your content is provided through a direct mailer or digitally, the right information catches people's attention and attracts them to want to find out more.

And that generates valuable activity that causes sales to happen.

Yes, content is powerful and profitable, but what kind of content works? Here are valuable content tips that can make a difference for your business.

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel

A lot of energy, time, and resources are consumed creating new methods from scratch, whether in business or anything else.

So why go down that road when you can learn by working examples instead?

The key is to focus on companies and organizations that put out both digital and print content that is wildly successful. It doesn’t even have to be the same industry as yours.

Instead, look for methodology and strategy. What is it about these businesses that makes their content work? Find the system, learn the approach, and then apply it to your business.

Pinpoint What Attracts Customers to You

In traditional marketing, identifying viable customers is known as “defining a target market.”

Typically, a marketer would find the right type of demographics mix that makes up a target market and then aim marketing efforts towards that person, hoping for a response.

Today, however, things are easier.

Ask your current customers what they appreciate and like about your business and find more people with similar interests. Then shape your content accordingly.

Screen Your Existing Material for Easy Gems

Most likely, your company has already produced a library of information that can be used to create content for customers.

Review your existing resources, modify the material, and post or print it for them to find. Customers connect to the most amazing things; the trick is to tell a story that brings them back for more.

Don’t Brain Dump, Choose Material Wisely

Content is never an accident.

Your customer-oriented material should be part of an overall story you tell each month to audiences. Every piece should connect and integrate with the next during each content push window.

One of the best ways to do this is to shape your content for each month. Whether weekly or daily, the month’s material should be planned, summarized, and segued from one piece of the story to the next. Consider each content piece a chapter in a bigger book.

Make Sure Your Writer is Passionate

If your content is just a chore for whoever gets assigned the task, it will show in the writing.

Make sure your writer actually has a passion for your topic, and the difference will come out naturally. It will also be far more attractive to your customers, who will find the content genuine and natural.

Avoid Hard Calls to Action

Remember, your content’s goal is to generate an audience for your business.

Hard messaging stands out awkwardly in genuine content. Instead, the material should be informative, helpful, and useful. The body of the content will do its work and attract customers, who will then seek your business on their own and connect it with your business. Their interest will do the rest on the natural. This is why content generation is so powerful.

Lastly, make your content human and personal. Put a face to it if possible. Customers connect far more to a person than generic information.

Create Connections and Build Your Business Through Networking

Networking is an invaluable, inexpensive, and effective tool for building your business.

Despite the digital age, people prefer doing business with companies they know and trust. Networking provides potential clients the connection and trust they need to later make a purchase.

According to Oxford Economics USA, 80% of professionals find networking essential to their career success. Because of this, 41% want to network more often. Networking may seem daunting, especially for those not naturally inclined to talk with others, but a little uncomfortableness outweighs the benefits.

A First and Lasting Impression

Before getting started, it’s important to look the part.

First impressions are important. After all, people are constantly judging and forming opinions of others. Once the initial opinion is made, it can be challenging to alter it.

Before networking, practice creating a good impression. This means focusing on a professional style of dress, creating good posture, practicing a firm handshake, and focusing on professional mannerisms. These all may seem insignificant on their own, but they add up to how others view you. Be professional, but be sure to remain confident and trust yourself.

Search Out Events

Next, find events where you can network, such as business seminars, networking groups, professional associations, and community events.

• Business seminars are commercial programs that deliver information or training about a specific topic to the attendees.


• Networking groups are a great way to exchange business information, share ideas, and offer support.


• Professional associations are made up of members who are within the same industry. It’s a great area to network with others in your field and receive and share the most current methods and ideas.


• Community events enable you to meet local people who care about their community.

At any event, it’s important to make connections first and worry about the potential profit later.

People don’t want to be seen as money. However, people do like to talk about themselves. That’s why some of the best connections are made when you hardly say a word. Instead, ask lots of questions and let them do the talking.

Business Cards: The Ultimate Networking Tool

Business cards are an invaluable marketing tool to always carry around with you.

It’s an affordable way to promote your business by providing the potential client with something tangible they can hold onto and view later. Plus, the size is optimal for its ease of use and display.

Business cards are convenient for carrying around in your pocket and sharing at networking events. Best of all, business cards create a lasting professional impression and provide the most important information to the potential client.

Networking may take a lot of time, work, and effort, but the business it provides is worth it!

7 Steps to Overcoming Decision Fatigue

Just like any muscle in the body, the brain can also get tired.

According to Medical News Today, a human’s ability to make decisions can worsen after making many decisions, as their brain will be more fatigued. This can lead to an emerging phenomenon called decision fatigue, which can cause mental fatigue, increasingly worse decision making, impulse buying, procrastination, decision avoidance, lack of focus, pessimism, and lapses in judgment.

And it could be the reason you find it hard to get stuff done. It’s not your fault. It’s just your brain’s natural defense mechanism.

When the brain becomes depleted, it shuts down non-essential services, including the prefrontal cortex, which is the area of the brain responsible for complex decision-making.

Unfortunately, entrepreneurs can be affected by decision fatigue because they make many decisions throughout the day, feel greatly affected by the decisions they make, and make stressful and complex decisions.

Luckily, there are steps that you can take to alleviate the mental toll of constant decision-making.

7 Steps to Overcoming Decision Fatigue

1. Simplify

Find ways to reduce the number of decisions you have to make in a day by simplifying your life and creating habits.

For example, create a minimalistic wardrobe. Food prep or form consistent meal plans. Develop habits, so you no longer have to decide whether or not to do something. You start to do it automatically.

2. Plan Ahead

Plan the night before for the day ahead.

This will limit the number of decisions you’ll need to make during the day. You’ll no longer have to decide if you should do this or that. It’s prewritten. You just need to follow the script. Much easier.

3. Hard First, Easy Second

Tackle the hard stuff first when your brain is the most energized.

Some may find it tempting to take on the easy tasks first in order to ease into the day. But, when you reach the more challenging items, it will be much harder to complete because your brain is already depleted. You’re not doing yourself any favors.

4. Take Breaks

Small breaks energize your mind and make you able to continue working optimally for longer.

These breaks could include a meditation (focus on breathing for a set period of time), a short walk, or even a power nap. You’ll come back energized and ready to conquer the rest of the day!

5. Self-Care Matters

Take care of yourself.

Your brain and physical body function optimally when you are eating right, sleeping well, and not overworking yourself.

6. Don't Go It Alone: Outsource

Reduce the number of decisions you must make by outsourcing them.

For example, hire virtual assistants to cover the simple business decisions or hire extra employees to tackle more complex decisions.

7. Stand Firm

Once a decision is made, stick to it!

You already spent quite a lot of energy making that decision. There’s no need to go back, spend more energy, and change decisions. You’re just increasing your workload and decreasing your mental energy.

It's Start with Your Mindset

Interestingly, it could be beneficial to change your view on how mental energy is used.

A study was conducted comparing Westerners and Indians. The Indian participants believed that exerting willpower was energizing, while the Western participants believed that exerting willpower was draining. The Indians performed better. Therefore, perhaps just changing your mindset regarding the brain’s energy could affect your energy levels.

A world full of decisions can be draining, but luckily there are multiple strategies to help you combat decision fatigue.

Use Collaborative Design Blasts to Craft Show-Stopping Ideas

It happens.

The design deadline looms, your mind is adrift, and your page is blank. How can you generate creativity and move out of this slump? Two resources to leverage are your time and your team. 

Often the longer you spend on an idea, the less productive you become. Especially if you are working alone. With an open concept and no firm timeline, designers may sit at their desks for weeks, spinning endless variations of a vague concept or completely losing sight of the project goals. This is a dead end that can drive everyone mad.

Instead, apply a simple process to prompt stunning ideas efficiently:

1. Gather a team

Everyone has good ideas, not just designers.

Who could you pull – account assistants, content writers, a family member – to brainstorm for a brief stretch of time? Use a pen and paper and spend time thinking aloud together about names, word pictures, or image ideas. Keep it short and sweet but have fun!

2. Review the design brief and project goals 

Amidst the flurry of creativity, stay focused on your target.

When you gather the team for an initial brainstorming session, always review the project requirements. Be sure you understand what the client wants, the project parameters, and the goals for final outcome. This task review and initial brainstorming should last for no more than 10-15 minutes.

3. Launch a 60-minute development blast

Time to send the troops into battle!

If you are the sole designer, it’s all you. If not, send a small batch of people to work for one hour. The group has 60 minutes to come up with ideas. No more! The abbreviated timeframe forces your brain into green light thinking, prompting more spontaneous creativity. Typically pencil, pen, and paper are best for stretching ideas without inhibitions.

After an hour, meet again to chat. Give comments or suggestions to develop the full potential of the best ideas. Usually, a handful of ideas emerge as the best candidates. Now a final concept can be clarified, assigned for full development, and kicked into the digital realm.

If you can’t decide which idea is best, pick the top three and draw scamps to a higher level of finish. Pin them to the wall, talk about the pros and cons of each, and see what the collaborative process brings. Just a little team mojo can make a mediocre idea magical.

4. Keep early and rejected work

Often when you pitch ideas to clients, some of the best ideas get cut.

This is unfortunate, but not all is lost. All good designers will build up a collection or rejected work. Whether it’s an early stage scribble or a fully developed logo, keep a printout of every piece of work. Scan sketches and scamps and clearly label them, so they are accessible later and easy to find.

You invest lots of time shaping a concept, so don’t let an initial rejection close the door on your idea forever. Down the road, these ideas may be a catalyst for an even better spinoff design!

Increase Customer Engagement with Out-of-the-Box QR Codes

Not long ago, scanning books or groceries by a rectangle barcode seemed quite novel.

It was fast, convenient, and just a little fun. But as society’s pace accelerated, so did our need to read barcodes efficiently. In 1994, Japanese auto-makers adopted “Quick Read” QR codes (square matrix barcodes that could be scanned from any direction) that stored a hundred times more information than conventional barcodes.

Enter QR Creativity

In this micro-attention age, QR codes can catch the fleeting attention of your audience by adding both efficiency and quirkiness to your designs.

Today’s customers love to actively participate – not just passively consume – so why not take people on a “digital scavenger hunt” you’ve created by leading them to a URL for your landing page, a direct link to your social media page, or to retrieve personalized texts from your team?

While many QR codes are bland, they don’t have to be. Here are just a few out-of-the-box ways businesses are using printed QR codes to build bridges with clients:

WiFi Network Sharing

Want to make your network accessible and convenient for your guests?

Simplify this step by building a QR code that allows them to connect to your WiFi with just one scan. Instantly connect users to the network and make their lives more simple and stress-free.

Surprise Gifts

Gifts are a treat, but surprise gifts are even better.

When you want to thank a VIP customer or impress a first-time client, offer them a printed thank you postcard with an unexpected giveaway they can access by scanning the QR code. This builds emotional engagement by adding both participation and a greater level of surprise.

Menus

Try replacing bulky tri-folds with simple table tents or bookmarks when you want to keep your menus crisp and current.

Customers can scan the QR code to read the full menu, view seasonal or daily specials, or even pay after completing the order.

Invoice Surveys

When you ship goods to your client, offer a discount if they complete a quick survey after scanning your QR code.

Happy clients are more willing participants. Grab them on the spot as they unbox their new purchases!

Die Cut Overlays

If you use plain brown gift bags or simple white boxes, you can add color and charm with die-cut labels that double as a funky patterned QR code (like this playful QR valentine).

Who says beauty and functionality can’t co-exist? Have some fun taking people on “the code less traveled.”

Captivating Colors

Why live in the monochromatic when you can design in color?

Modern QR code generators allow you to add zest to your QR code based on your aim, style, and brand theme. Some software even allows you to choose patterns, build logos or faces into your code, or add sophisticated gradients.

Bridge the Gap Between Print & Digital

Nielson found about 56% of consumers rely on printed matter for sales information, specifically when seeking information on a purchasing decision.

Print is seen as a concrete, reliable source, especially for prospects nearing a decision. By including QR codes in print marketing, you increase the potential for landing a valuable client. Consider using QR codes for:

• Product packaging, invoice stuffers


• Printed menus, business cards, or rack cards


• Store promotions with discounts available at checkout


• Promotional games, puzzles, or scavenger hunts


• Stickers for merchandise, packaging, displays, or cards

Increase your conversion rates while coaxing prospects further down the sales funnel in a fun, effortless manner.

Shape Crystal Clear Lead Generators with Three Building Blocks

Presidential campaigns are a time when passions run high and candidates jostle for the spotlight.

Avid supporters of each candidate put signs in their yards, wear buttons, or put stickers on their bumpers. Politicians who use simple, repeatable slogans have a higher success rate and a longer shelf life in the public square. Can you finish any of these popular mantras?

• Tippacanoe and __________ (Tyler Too/William Henry Harrison)


• A Chicken in Every Pot and __________ (A Car in Every Garage/Herbert Hoover)


• Happy Days are ________ (Here Again/Franklin Roosevelt)


• I Like ____ (Ike, Dwight D. Eisenhower)


• Make America ________ (Great Again/Donald Trump)

A good presidential campaign slogan is memorable, meaningful, and highly quotable. More than a phrase, it builds a heart connection with the dreams and needs of listeners.

And it is often a candidate’s key to victory.

Why Confusion Scares People

Voters and prospective customers aren’t so different.

Both are weighing decisions and navigating information overload, so strong messages should be short and sweet. Customers will not progress when in a fog because no one likes being confused. If you are confused about the rules of the road, you could smash your car. If you are confused about a medication's dosage, you could poison yourself. Feeling uncertain about an idea leaves people feeling vulnerable.

The human brain is designed to experience delight when it understands something and resistance or fear when it doesn’t. This is a basic survival mechanism and a way to logically categorize information. When someone feels uncertain, they naturally move away from situations that confuse them and toward places they feel more in control.

Many companies miss this point and underestimate the emotional weight of precise, repeatable messaging. They overcommunicate, bury the lead, or complicate the storyline.

Lift the Fog and Move Prospects Toward Action

Want to eliminate uncertainty and move your prospects toward action?

From a direct mail postcard to an email drip campaign, here are three basics that every lead generator should include:

1. Pique Curiosity

In the header of your brochure or the beginning of your proposal, pique curiosity with a poignant phrase, like:

• Save $500 a month and buy your next car with cash


• Put a stop to this before it puts a stop to YOU


• Increase your ACT score by 4 points in 4 months


• Own your own little piece of paradise

Strong hooks work to draw people in, press the pain point, paint a compelling future vision, or appeal to the selfish desires of key customers.

2. Preview a Solution

After the hook comes your pitch.

If your lead statement draws them in, the next idea you communicate should answer the “but how?” question.

Like this:

• Save $500 a month and buy your next car with cash . . . with our Freedom Finder Debt Consolidation plan


• Increase your ACT score by 4 points in 4 months . . . with one-to-one Varsity Tutoring


• Own your own little piece of paradise . . . Unlock the world with thousands of hassle-free timeshares

3. Offer a Next Step

Businesses are meant to be transactional, and it’s not pushy to ask for a sale.

Having a “Buy Now” or “Schedule a Call” button on your sell sheet or website helps your customer understand the kind of relationship you are inviting them into. Make your next step to put prospects in the driver’s seat.

By adding clarity to your lead generators, you’ll build customer confidence, make your brand more memorable, and ultimately close more deals.  The better your hooks are, the more successful your sales will be!