Just Do It
Over the past few emails, we’ve talked about the importance of a brand strategy, and some practical ways this can make a significant difference for your business.
Now, all you gotta do is IMPLEMENT!
Honestly, that’s where so many companies get stuck. We KNOW the right thing to do, but most of us are just too busy to make it happen.
The problem is, you cannot NOT brand. One way or the other, your target audience ALREADY has a perception of your brand – but is it the perception you want??
As we’ve said so many times:
Your brand is not what YOU say it is,
it’s what THEY say it is.
That’s why BOS MEDIA GROUP exists. We don’t want you to miss out on the benefits that come with a clear brand strategy – we want your business to shine!
Let us help. This is WHAT WE DO – it might feel like extra work to you, but it’s literally our favorite part of the job. We would love to come alongside you, customize the perfect plan to fit your needs, and then present you to the world.
Schedule a FREE Consultation with me by clicking on the button below – we’ll help you put your best foot forward.
Brand Examples
I really hope these recent blogs have helped you understand the importance of a brand strategy. Today, I wanted to highlight some companies who show us some tangible examples of how effective it can be when you do this right.
Presenting: Our Top 5 Favorite Branding Role Models.
1. Apple
If you’ve ever seen Simon Senek’s Ted Talk “Start with Why,” you know Apple is the first example he mentions in his “Golden Circle” framework. They start with answering “why,” making the “how” and “what” much more compelling. If that sentence made no sense, I strongly recommend watching this.
| On top of that, Apple does a brilliant job of highlighting the same qualities in their consumers that they do in their products – if you are an Apple person, you are also innovative, imaginative and creative. Somehow using a Mac reflects that you Think Different. THAT is some meaningful branding. |
2. Trader Joe’s
First of all, Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are the best branding strategy ever.
But we also like how they’ve differentiated themselves from their competitors by positioning themselves as a “national chain of neighborhood grocery stores.” It feels like shopping in a corner store, with elements that make shopping fun – whimsical product names and helpful employees in Hawaiian shirts. All of that adds up to a brand that feels like a friend.
3. Oreo
Speaking of sweet treats, we gotta show some respect for milk’s best buddy. Mainly because despite being 108 years old, they definitely figured out social media:
This doesn’t mean you have to chew on your product until it looks like Elvis. It’s about bringing creativity, fun and innovation to your messaging. As we say at BOS Media, “Be more human” (even if you’re a cookie).
4. M.Lovewell
Just in case you thought only the big companies have a brand strategy, here’s a local shop that is an inspiring example of knowing who you are and letting that shine through all aspects of your brand.
I love everything about M.Lovewell – the font, the photography, even the way their store smells when you walk in the door. So it’s not surprising to read their About Us page (click on image below) and find, this flows right from their story, and their mission to “inspire others to love well.” That’s exactly what they do.
5. Southwest
Had to end with this one, because at BOS Media, we believe in businesses being “all heart.” Southwest is so committed to that, they made it their logo. Here’s to more of that in our companies (and in the line for open seating on your next flight).
Bottom line: I would love to do anything I can to add YOUR NAME to this list. Whenever you’re ready to re-think your brand strategy, please give me a call.
Building A Strong Brand
Last week, our family watched the movie Inside Out together. On top of it being an “emotional” experience (literally – much love, Bing Bong), it also speaks to the way BOS Media believes the best brand strategy should be built.
Inside Out.
Too many companies do the opposite – they look outside first, trying to figure out what’s cool or trending, then reverse-engineering a strategy around how to please most people. I think we all knew someone like that in middle school – let’s not run our business that way.
If you’re going from the inside out, it starts with a question that only you can answer:
“What’s your story?”
If you really know that, it will help you set priorities, and give customers a clear understanding of your identity. When you feel lost, it will be the North Star to guide you home.
Your story matters. The good and the bad, the stuff that changes along the way, and the non-negotiable things you are willing to fight for. All of those ingredients will lead you to your most effective brand strategy.
What is a brand strategy?
- What your brand stands for.
- What promises your brand makes to customers.
- What personality your brand conveys through its marketing.
Don’t underestimate the power of your story to inform this strategy. You may take it for granted, but the unique details that brought you to this point will differentiate you from the competition and help you have a sharper focus on what to highlight.
At BOS Media, we would love to help you create a brand strategy. But before you reach out to us, start with someone even more important: YOU. Our hope is that you don’t just go to work and do a monotonous job day after day – remember who you are! The more you stay aligned to that, the more other people will be inspired to join in and do business with you.
Logo Doesn’t Matter
I hope that subject line got your attention, because there are way too many companies out there who have the wrong idea about this. In fact, many of them would finish the sentence:
Your logo doesn’t matter unless it’s BIG!
They think putting their logo on the side of a building will make it significant.
But there is a much more important question that we need to be asking:
WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
If you don’t know the answer to that, it doesn’t matter how huge your logo is. The branding that truly resonates with people has a lot more substance underneath it.
It reminds me of a podcast that we did a while back [Brands are the new human]. We talked about one of the most important questions that will help differentiate your business from anyone else:
“What problem are you solving?”
The more you understand this, the more it drives everything you communicate.
I know we keep coming back to this, but I’ll say it again:
Your brand is not what YOU say it is,
it’s what THEY say it is.
Ask yourself:
- What do others feel about my company?
- What do others say my company is about?
- What problem am I solving for them?
This might sound cheesy, but seriously: once you’re solving problems for your customers, your logo size will increase in the place that matters most: IN THEIR HEARTS.
So please, stop trying to make it BIGGER, or prettier, or bolder. Dive deeper into what your company represents. The logo that has a PURPOSE behind it will resonate the most.
Your logo doesn’t really matter – unless it means something.
If you still want to make it bigger, I guess we can help you find a skyscraper. But if you want to MAKE IT MATTER, give us a call, we’d love to work with you.
What Makes a Great Logo?
I get this question a lot… “What’s the difference between BRANDING and a LOGO?” I wanted to clarify it a bit for you.
As we said last time, a logo is a symbol for your brand. It can help people to remember you, using images, text, shapes, or a combination of all of those to depict the name and purpose of your business. BUT it should be more than just a way to identify you.
If you do it right, it can capture the whole story of your company in a meaningful way.
That’s all great, but one thing I’ve learned from the internet: if you really want people to hear what you have to say, it’s gotta be in a TOP 5 LIST. OK – you asked for it:
Top 5 Things a Logo can do for you:
- Creates a positive first impression
- Gives you a brand identity
- Helps you stick out from competitors
- Fosters brand loyalty
- Makes you memorable
Now that you know why it’s valuable, what are the key elements of a logo? Here you go!
Top 5 Elements of a Logo:
- Color – like the visual mood music of a logo.
- Typography – a fancy designer way of saying “font.”
- Image – as the saying goes, a picture is less boring than 1000 words.
- Tagline – “Your slogan can change everything.” (according to people who write slogans).
- Meaning – Hopefully all of the above reflects some deeper values of your company that will resonate with your target audience.
Awesome example: the Nike swoosh. When you see it, you don’t just think of Nike – you think of the grit and determination required to JUST DO IT (side note: if you haven’t seen this, it’s one of the best commercials ever)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WA4dDs0T7sM).
One last question – how can we make a logo stand out? Yep, we’ve got a top-5 list for that too! Coming in at number 3 on our list of Logo-Related Top 5 lists…
Top 5 Ways to Make your Logo Stand Out:
- Know your Audience – once again, branding is not what YOU say, it’s what THEY say.
- Be Clear – don’t be like those weird personalized license plates that no one understands.
- Be Unique – “You are totally unique, just like everyone else.” –Margaret Mead
- Be Versatile – Scalable across any newfangled social media platform.
- Last but not least: Be in touch with BOS Media Group.
The truth is, there are a ton of variables in the creative process, and it can all feel pretty subjective. Plus remember, the logo is just a small part in the big picture of your overall branding. If you think your branding and logo design could use a makeover, we would love to support you however we can – give us a call today!
Branding
Hope your week was amazing! Mine? Well, while other people may have spent last weekend enjoying a BBQ, or watching Netflix, I was doing a deep dive on BRANDING. Most companies don’t realize how important branding can be for their business, but don’t worry – we are here to pass that knowledge on to you.
The first thing you need to know is, there are a lot of misconceptions about branding. So let’s start with what branding isn’t:
- Branding is NOT a LOGO. That’s just a symbol of the brand.
- Branding is NOT a TAG LINE. Although those can help make a brand memorable.
- Branding is NOT a PRODUCT. There are lots of products – branding is what makes someone pick one product over the other.
We all want a well-defined, attractive brand, but the biggest thing I learned is:
Your brand is not what YOU say it is,
it’s what THEY say it is.
Branding is the gut feeling someone gets when they think about your company. It’s your business’s reputation that lives in the hearts and minds of your potential customers.
People experience the reliability of your products, or whether a service interaction was pleasant, and little by little it all shapes the picture they have of you in their minds. This is why branding matters – because ultimately, whether or not people choose to do business with you is based on one thing:
TRUST.
So, how do you build a successful brand for your company? Great question. It starts with a strategy to map out how you are different, how you are trustworthy, how you are memorable, and how you are likable by your ideal client. This is critical and foundational for building a successful brand. Do not overlook this and just jump into design and marketing.
Maybe it’s time to start thinking through what your current branding is saying to your clients. Take a minute to brainstorm some ideas about what you want to come to mind when people think about your company. Here are some questions to consider:
- Why do you exist?
- What makes you different?
- What problem do you solve?
- Why should people care?
Let’s start there, I will send out some more information next week. Until then, I hope you can start taking a step back and looking at your company from a different perspective…to see your customer’s point of view.
Let me know if you have any questions, I would love to dialog with you more
Digital Marketing Package
Today, I want to start out with a little activity – you’ll need a pencil and a piece of paper. I’ll wait for you to grab it…
OK, now – two steps:
- Write your signature using your dominant hand.
- Below that, sign again, but this time using your non-dominant hand.
You can probably see a pretty massive difference (Or if you’re ambidextrous, repeat the exercise using a hand for #1 and a foot for #2).
Here’s the point: the first signature represents the work you do every day. You’ve spent years honing your craft, and learning how to put your uniqueness into the job you do. It comes so naturally that now, you don’t even have to think about it – you’re an expert.
The second signature represents digital marketing. You know it’s important, but it’s not the job you’ve studied and trained for… but WE HAVE.
At BOS Media Group, making you look good online is our signature work. It’s all we think about. And it brings us tremendous joy to FREE YOU UP to put more of your energy into stuff you’re good at.
Over the past month, we’ve shared the secrets of what makes a Landing Page so effective for your business. We’ve shown how three key elements work together – the landing page campaign –> the lead capture –> the email drip = Business growth
But we also know: even with all these tools available, many of you probably haven’t been able to make it happen. Don’t feel bad! At some point, maybe it’s time to stop using your left hand for this, and let BOS Media Group be your right-hand man.
We would LOVE to help you get this all set up for your business. We will customize a campaign that is specific for your target audience around a problem they face and the resolution that you’ll provide for them.
Click on the button below to take your next step in growing your business – looking forward to connecting with you soon!
Drip Email
As we talked about last time, not everyone is ready to buy the moment they get to your landing page. But ideally, that’s just where the conversation begins.
If you do it right, your landing page will offer people a valuable solution to their problem, in exchange for their contact info.
So… WHAT NEXT?
Once their email is captured through a “lead magnet,” you now have a few more chances to prove yourself worthy of their business.
In other words: Keep Giving, one email at a time. That’s the magic of what we call The Email Drip.
Your landing page made a great first impression; the email drip is where you make a second impression, a third impression -– as many impressions as it takes!
Don’t get me wrong – we don’t believe in spamming people. It’s about building trust through COMMUNICATION. Taking time to be thoughtful and share meaningful information, including your own personal secret sauce about how to be successful. Pretty soon, people will have learned and gained so much from your insight, they’ll want to work with you.
It actually reminds me of back when I first met Maria. At first, she just wanted to be friends (the dreaded friend zone…) But I liked her so much, I was willing to be patient – I even wished for her to have the most amazing future spouse, whoever he may be! For years, all I could do is keep showing up and giving her a chance to know who I really am, like tiny drops of water dripping on a rock.
27 years of marriage later, I can tell you: however many impressions are needed, it’s all worth it in the end.
Please let us know if BOS Media can help you in this process – here’s to email drips that help your business live happily ever after!
Casablanca
For your business to thrive, it all comes down to connecting people.
But how do these connections happen? Where do you begin? At BOS Media Group, we answer that question in one word: Giving.
It may seem counterintuitive at first: how can giving help a business grow?
Once again, this is why a landing page is so important. Like we said last time, a landing page is a place where you identify a problem for a potential customer and offer them a solution. And the best thing you can do is GIVE THAT SOLUTION AWAY.
Wait – shouldn’t they have to PAY YOU for the solution? The problem is, they don’t even know you yet. How can you expect them to hire you when there’s no relationship?
Instead, take the first step and make a positive first impression. You just met, and all they know about you is: you’re one who helped them without charging a thing.
PLUS (this is HUGE, hence the ALL CAPS) it’s not exactly for free – there is a small, but very important exchange. You give them the solution, they give you… their CONTACT INFORMATION.
The reality is, most visits to a landing page don’t immediately translate into new business. People see what you do, and hopefully, experience the value that you offer. At this point, the goal is just to be the one they think of at some point in the future when they’re ready to do business.
And when that moment comes, they won’t have to search for you – because of lead capture, you’ll already be there waiting in their inbox.
Stop letting new customers slip through the cracks! If you do this right, in the iconic words of Casablanca, “This is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” At BOS Media Group, our passion is creating lasting relationships where it’s actually a joy to give to the people we serve – we’d love to help you do the same.
For more on the magic of giving, we strongly recommend the book Give and Take by Adam Grant – it’s one of our favorites. (in fact, we even did a podcast about it – check it out!)
You are one click away from taking your business to the next level – let’s get to work!
Moth Landing Page
As we talked about last time, at BOS Media we believe the most successful digital advertising starts with a landing page. But WHY?
Because according to studies, digital ads that lead traffic to a homepage rather than a landing page are actually less effective.
The homepage of your website has to serve a bunch of purposes – it’s meant to make a positive first impression, show off your brand, and let people explore all the services and products that you offer (Note: if your website doesn’t do this, please call us immediately). Having such broad objectives means the site has to speak more generally to give multiple audiences an overview of your company and its values, as well as the different personalities who make up the culture. For a new customer, it’s easy to get lost.
But a landing page is totally focused on one thing: to generate leads for your business. It removes all the other noise and focuses on defining one problem and offering your customers a single solution.
Watch My Video “Landing Page vs Homepage” Below Explaining this Further…
Which brings us to moths. If you’ve ever seen a moth meme, you know they’re only interested in one thing: LAMPS. The world is full of distractions, but as soon as a lamp turns on, the moth mind is extremely focused.
Wouldn’t it be great to hold a potential customer’s attention like that?
Landing Pages = Lamps
Seriously, you have no idea how much the above sentence would slay in digital marketing to moths.
But for humans, let BOS Media help you out – we use the researched, studied and proven method introduced by Donald Miller in Story Brand and further defined in his latest book called Marketing Made Simple. We’ll implement these concepts to create a perfect lamp landing page for you.
|
|