Blog Archives

Why being ‘the best’ isn’t in your brands best interests – and what is.

Be the ‘best’, the ‘greatest’, the ‘ultimate’, and the ‘#1’. When pressed, it’s often the greatest desire or aspiration people have in business and in our respective fields. ‘Leave a legacy, make your mark, create a splash, be the ‘best’ ‘you’ you can be.’ Do any of these resonate? We’ve all heard them before. They are all great visions to align with but visions always sit on the horizon – they’re all about possibility, inspiration, focus and prediction as a strategic brand communication tool.

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Brand: be insightful for business growth

Brand insights are the result of a process of deep understanding and awareness of your customers’ perspective and personal situation. Being able to see the world from your customers’ perspective – walk in their shoes – is key to an effective brand.

Why are insights so valuable when it comes to brand and business growth?

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Brand: harnessing your power of purpose.

There is an often overlooked power of brand that is lost on many people in business today. No one is at fault here – business owners, leaders, managers and employees are often too distracted by business goals, targets, KPIs, ‘fighting fires’, politics, protocol, serving customers, finding customers or thinking about that growing pile of admin or invoices to notice what is sometimes right in front of us. A wise man once told me this phenomenon – being unable to see something right in front of you – actually has a name. It’s called…

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Brand: Why your brand is not for everyone (and why it shouldn’t be).

A fact’s a fact: your brand isn’t for everyone. Some customers won’t value it, others won’t understand or resonate with it, others will believe they don’t need your brand and still others will disagree or dismiss it outright – and that’s ok. It’s not for everyone. To all the business owners out there who are considering investing in their brand, get comfortable with this reality. In fact, if you want business growth this is exactly what you need to do. Sounds crazy right?

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Brand: why perception is everything when growing your business.

Often, when networking with other business owners, the core brand message I deliver is that ‘perception is everything’. It’s such a succinct message that it features on The Brand Experts business card (the tagline) because it’s a simple belief and a simple message that encapsulates and embodies a fundamental part of ‘brand’ and The Brand Experts offering: it links our brand purpose, the brand vision and the brand promise. If you agree with that belief and it resonates with you, then great –  we’re aligned and we can continue the conversation; if not, then maybe we’re not aligned? Not just yet anyway… Read on.

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Brand: 7 pointers to create a powerful brand for business growth.

If you’re serious about business growth then you seriously need to consider your brand and what you’re saying to the market – because image is nothing, today it’s all about how you’re perceived. Brand is mentioned a lot in conversations about business growth and there’s a lot to get your head around – a lot more than meets the eye.

If you’re researching brand, wondering if brand is right for your business or you’re feeling overwhelmed by the whole ‘brand’ world and how it applies to business growth then you’re not alone. It’s hard to know where to start – but it does start with you. Begin with this question: how do you want to be perceived in the marketplace?

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Brand: Why Big Data won’t grow your brand – and what does.

The trend for Big Data over the past few years has been valuable for businesses from the perspective of gaining quantitative data and other relevant information, details and metrics that aim to reveal what customers are doing and what they actually buy.

Taking the focus away from important privacy issues for a minute – with the right analysis, Big Data can reveal vital information that may inform strategic marketing decisions and assist in wider business decisions as well as the overall business direction. Information is power after all right?

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Brand: be counted for business growth.

It’s one thing to stand up for something. It’s another thing entirely to actively express it and associate it with your business if you want business growth.

Be brave in business. Hold or form an opinion; be strategic, be divisive, be bold, be controversial. Expressing a distinct point of view can be a very powerful brand positioning and marketing strategy to consider, but it’s one strategy few businesses entertain. Fortune favours the brave of course.

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Brand: Stand Up For Something. Be counted.

If we were to ask your customers to describe your brand in just 2-3 sentences, what would they say about you? What would you want them to say about you? This is linked back to your values, what you value and how you express these values to the market.

Harvard Business Review reports that ‘64% of consumers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand.

Unfortunately, as business owners, we often stumble or get into fancy and elaborate explanations of what we stand for and what we believe in. The root of this usually lies in one of three areas –

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Brand: three simple tips to remember when building your online brand platform.

Many digital marketers, social media strategists, online influencers and brand strategists recommend to build your own online platform such as a blog or a website (that you own) when building your brand and then amplify your content by engaging with your audience on social networks or platforms.

While this makes sense and, if implemented well, is a solid strategy to help raise your business/brand awareness and build an online community, it does requires your time, commitment and consistent focus. Which is where the problems start…

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