Despite this, keeping your brand consistent is essential. Without consistent branding, your business will quickly be forgotten. The only way to keep customers interested in your brand is by making it recognizable. And recognizable means being consistent no matter what. In this article, we’ll show you six great ways to keep your branding consistent.

What Is Brand Consistency Exactly?

Your brand is everything that best represents your business. A brand, however, should be focused and aligned with what you believe your business is. Everything that makes up your business is part of branding. For example, advertisements, matching color schemes and slogans all work to exemplify your business.

Brand consistency is the act of making sure that all of these separate parts follow one unified goal. By focusing on a single aspect of your business, your brand becomes more recognizable. With a single focus, your brand will be easy to remember and even easier to trust.

6 Great Ways To Keep Your Branding Consistent

Have a Clear Focus

Your branding should have a clear purpose. It should be able to tell customers everything they need to know about your business. The important part is that it needs to have a singular purpose. A mixed message should be avoided.

When you’re figuring out your branding goals, take the time to understand what it is you want your business to represent. Coming up with a singular goal or purpose can help you to narrow down your focus. Once you have an idea in mind, you should use it to guide the approach you take when building up your branding.

Think About Each Element

Branding extends to every part of your business. Everything from the color palette to the fonts you use are a key part of branding. Each of these elements should also work towards expanding the message you want your brand to tell. Likewise, how you interact with customers is as much a part of your branding as everything else. Take the time to go over each aspect of your business. Try to come up with a simple plan on how you want each element to express your goals.

How You Interact Matters

Branding doesn’t stop at the uniform your employees wear or the color of your new slogan. The way you interact with the world is just as important. Take word choice for example. The type of vocabulary you use goes a long way in expressing to others what sort of business you are. A more technical audience could be targeted by using complex terms that require industry experience to understand.

Like every other area of your business, it’s important to make sure that how you express yourself to your customers is a reflection of what your business believes in.

Know Your Customers

There is no better way of creating a consistent identity than by focusing your efforts on what your primary customers want. Exploring your targeted demographic can allow you to more effectively create a plan that focuses on their needs. And the better you know your audience, the better you’ll be able to focus your branding towards them.

It’s a good idea to get in touch with your ideal customer. Figure out what they want and try to get a better idea of the big picture. Once you know everything about your target demographics, you’ll have an easier time tailoring your branding towards their needs.

Have a Set Strategy in Place

Planning is an essential part of everything. Branding is no different and a strong strategy can make it easy to keep everything consistent. From how you interact with customers to how you design your visual elements, a branding strategy can give you an idea of where to go. The deeper you figure out this strategy, the easier it will be implemented too. Just like having a clear and singular focus, a strategy is essential in allowing you to keep your messages clear.

Keep Your Marketing Channels Uniform

Marketing is a complex topic that expands across many different avenues of connecting with your customers. Each of these various channels of communication, however, should all follow the same standard of branding as the rest of your business.

Each of your social media accounts, for instance, should be uniform in how you brand them. Logos should be the same and any text should use the same tone of voice. Ideally, you should tailor your branding towards each marketing channel’s specific demographic. The overall image, however, should all follow a uniform vision.

The Power of Branding

Having the right branding is the difference between a successful business and failure. That’s why it’s important to take as much time as you need and really focus down on what you want your business to represent. When you have a single, clear goal in mind, it becomes a lot easier to tailor your brand towards a single idea.

Clear branding is consistent. And when it comes to attracting new customers, a consistent brand leads to prolonged interest. Don’t let your branding be forgettable. Build up your branding with a clear focus and you’ll know that your business will make an impact.

The post The 6 Best Ways to Keep Your Branding Consistent appeared first on SiteProNews.

To take advantage of the opportunity, however, entrepreneurs first must push through the pressure that accompanies a media interview. Those who come across as ill-prepared, uninformed, or untrustworthy can sink their reputation and their brand with one awkward response. After all, media interviews offer an opportunity to build brand awareness and credibility, but not a guarantee.

Media training helps entrepreneurs maximize the impact of media interviews by imparting the skills needed to speak with confidence and clarity, appearing to potential customers and investors as business leaders who can provide solutions. While media training requires an investment of both time and money — two things that are often tight for entrepreneurs — it is something that should be prioritized, as few things can boost brand awareness for businesses seeking traction like a well-executed media interview.

The essentials of media training

Investing in media training is like adding a communications minor to your business degree. It gives you insider insights on what media reporters and podcast hosts value, how they approach the communications process, and how you can prepare to play an impactful role. The right training makes sure you are never caught off guard when the cameras are live.

Active listening is one of the top skills media training provides. Media interviews are not monologues during which you deliver a polished presentation. As an interviewee, you are partnering with the media outlet to provide answers that add value to their reporting. Active listening allows you to notice every nuance of the questions asked and respond in a way that highlights your expertise while also acknowledging the viewers’ needs.

Media training also helps you to engage in a way that shows you understand your market’s needs. Viewers who are dealing with problems want solutions that are easy to engage with and simple to understand, so entrepreneurs who communicate on complex issues in clear and concise ways come across as someone whose products and services are accessible and reliable. Media training imparts the skills needed to communicate with clarity.

Media opportunities come in many shapes and sizes, which means entrepreneurs also must be ready to adapt their communication to a variety of formats. An interview with an industry-focused outlet can be very fast-paced and technical, whereas an outlet serving a broader audience may be looking for a broader explanation of issues and their potential impact. Media training helps entrepreneurs to know the difference and engage appropriately in any context.

The impact of media training

The deck is stacked against entrepreneurs. Stats put the rate of startup failures at 90 percent, with 10 percent not surviving their first year. Leveraging media training to capitalize on media opportunities is a way to level the playing field.

A solid media appearance adds instant credibility to your brand. The outlet in which you appear serves as a third-party endorsement, testifying to your trustworthiness. Nailing an interview provides positive media exposure that earns the respect of both consumers and investors.

Unlike advertising, which can feel intrusive and irrelevant to consumers, a media interview is a just-in-time appearance that presents your brand as a reliable problem solver. Rather than presenting you as a company spokesperson seeking an audience to promote your brand, interviews position you as a thought leader with sought-after insights appearing at the request of the media source.

Any business can purchase ads on social media and other channels. However, appearing as a thought leader in a media interview is exponentially more valuable.

Media training also empowers entrepreneurs to bring authenticity to their interviews, which is critical to maximizing their value. Today’s consumers are hungry for brands they perceive as authentic. Recent research shows that 75 percent of US shoppers are willing to spend more to obtain products and services from the brands they see as authentic.

An interviewee can come across as inauthentic if they appear anxious or ill-prepared, but media training fixes those problems by giving entrepreneurs the media skills they need to overcome nervousness and put the focus on their expertise. Consumers and investors will be more likely to trust a business leader who is comfortable with answering tough questions in front of a large audience.

Media training also reduces entrepreneurs’ stress levels when media opportunities arise. Entrepreneurs who have invested in training don’t need to worry about what they will experience as an interview unfolds and can remain confident that they have done the work needed to represent their brand well.

Every business can benefit from the increased brand awareness that results from media interviews, provided they have the skills to show up and present a compelling message with confidence. Media training is the key to obtaining the poise needed to excel during media interviews, as it transforms any business leader into a confident speaker who is ready to engage on a global scale.

The post Why Every Entrepreneur Needs Media Training appeared first on SiteProNews.

However, Marvel Rivals also received some press that was not the norm. The wording in a contract NetEase extended to prospective previewers sparked some press that cast the company in a negative light.

One popular video game streamer described the situation in a tweet: “Extremely disappointed in Marvel Rivals. Multiple creators asked for key codes to gain access to the playtest and are asked to sign a contract. The contract signs away your right to negatively review the game.”

The streamer’s tweet received more than 3 million views, which may have had something to do with the negative press that percolated to the top of Google News for searches involving Marvel Rivals. The news reported NetEase had “blocked streamers from criticizing the game” and “forbade negative reactions.”

How did NetEase respond? The good news is that a quick response from the company that addressed the contract and the previewers’ concerns seems to have contained the situation before it could deteriorate. NetEase owned the mistake, apologized, and revealed its commitment to doing better moving forward.

The action taken by NetEase as the Marvel Rivals situation unfolded provides a textbook case study on how businesses should engage when news reports threaten their credibility. The following steps were central to NetEase’s strategy, but should also be considered by any business suddenly facing negative press.

Respond quickly and transparently

When negative reports on your business begin bubbling to the surface of the media landscape, it can be tempting to sit back and wait to see how things will unfold. You might think the storm will blow itself out or that any oxygen you throw on it with your response will just make the media fire burn higher, but you must resist that temptation and respond quickly and transparently.

The NetEase case provides a great illustration of why a quick response is helpful. The majority of headlines on the Marvel Rivals story mention the contract component that was frustrating previewers as well as the apology from NetEase. One BBC headline from May 12 read, “Marvel Rivals developer apologizes after banning negative reviews” while the IGN headline from May 13 read, “Marvel Rivals Dev Apologizes for Contract That Blocked Creators From Criticizing the Game.” 

By responding quickly, NetEase was able to craft the narrative surrounding the situation to include not just a problem but also a solution. A quick response shows that a business is listening to its customers and cares what they think.

Engage with empathy

As the BBC article reported, NetEase’s response to complaints included a statement that said it was sorry for the “confusion, suspicion, and frustration caused by these excessively restrictive terms.” Rather than ignoring, denying, or deflecting, NetEase acknowledged the problem and took ownership by responding with empathy, showing it understood and appreciated the position in which it had put its previewers.

We live in an age dominated by customer feedback. Social media channels allow every user to be an influential user, and most potential users pay close attention to those influencers.

Engaging with empathy shows users and potential users you have a genuine concern for their experience. Here is how NetEase responded on X: “We cherish and appreciate every suggestion given by our players and always respect your feedback. We are currently working with Creators who have expressed these concerns and are revising the current version to be less restrictive and more Creator-friendly. Thank you for bearing with us while we make these adjustments.”

Utilize effective communication channels

Quickly crafting an empathetic and transparent response is the first step in addressing negative press. Making sure your audience sees the response is the next step, which can be accomplished by effectively utilizing appropriate communication channels.

Generally speaking, you should address the issue wherever people are talking about it. For NetEase, going to X to address its issue made perfect sense since that’s where its fans get their information. Providing press releases to the outlets covering the story can also be valuable. The key is showing up where the conversation is happening and engaging in a constructive and productive way.

It’s also important that businesses continue to monitor communication channels to know how their response is received. Issuing a statement — no matter how quick, empathetic, and transparent it is — will rarely be the end of it, so pay attention to the feedback and reinforce or update your position as needed.

Learn and adapt

As companies get on the other side of a negative press situation, they should invest time in analyzing the situation. Identifying what went wrong can help to avoid those types of missteps in the future. Analyzing what went right in terms of the effectiveness of the media response can help fine-tune strategies to be even more effective in the future.

Every business faces negative press eventually. Whether it’s a customer complaint, a social media gaffe, or an unforeseen scandal, it can damage your reputation. But with the right approach, you can minimize the impact and emerge even stronger.

The post Defending Your Brand: Expert Strategies for Handling Negative Press appeared first on SiteProNews.

Sustainable Recognition Methods

Traditional methods of recognizing achievements often involve grand ceremonies or the production of physical awards that may not be environmentally friendly. However, by embracing modern recognition methods such as digital certificates, virtual events, and awards made from recycled or sustainable materials like glass, companies can significantly reduce their carbon footprint. Not only does this demonstrate a commitment to sustainability, but it also enhances the brand’s image as a responsible corporate citizen.

Highlight Sustainable Achievements

Businesses can support these sustainable achievements by embedding environmental and ethical considerations into their strategic plans. This can be done through various practices, such as investing in renewable energy sources, reducing waste through recycling and upcycling initiatives, designing products with a longer life cycle, and sourcing materials ethically.

Brands that have successfully incorporated eco-friendly practices into their operations can take their celebrations a step further by specifically acknowledging these efforts. Whether it’s achieving zero waste to landfill status, reducing overall carbon emissions, or pioneering green products, these milestones deserve recognition. By highlighting these achievements, companies not only bolster their brand image but also encourage the industry at large to follow suit.

An excellent real-world example of a company achieving significant sustainable progress is Coca-Cola. In 2013, Coca-Cola set a goal to reduce the carbon footprint of “the drink in your hand” by 25% by 2020, compared to a 2010 baseline. By the end of 2020, they successfully met this target. Further expanding its commitment to sustainability, Coca-Cola has also pledged to reduce its absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030 compared to a 2015 baseline, with an ultimate ambition to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050​.

What Does Your Brand Gain Enhancing Through Sustainable Celebrations?

• Integrating Sustainability into Celebrations Reflects Modern Values: By adopting sustainable practices in recognizing achievements, brands not only showcase their accomplishments but also demonstrate a commitment to modern, ethical values. This alignment with sustainability reflects a brand’s awareness of global challenges and its proactive stance in addressing them.
• Sustainability as a Brand Differentiator: Celebrating environmental milestones can set a brand apart from competitors. By publicly acknowledging their sustainable efforts, companies can enhance their market position and attract customers and partners who value environmental responsibility.
• Employee and Community Engagement Boosts Brand Integrity: When a company involves its employees and the local community in its sustainability initiatives, it strengthens internal and external perceptions of the brand’s integrity and commitment. This collective involvement not only enriches the brand’s culture but also amplifies its sustainability efforts through shared goals and collaborative action.
• Celebrating Sustainability Fosters Long-Term Business Resilience: Recognizing and honoring sustainable practices contributes to building a resilient business model that is better equipped to face the challenges of an evolving corporate landscape. This resilience is key to sustaining long-term success and adapting to regulatory and environmental changes.

By celebrating their sustainable achievements, companies play a crucial role in inspiring industry-wide change. Their actions not only reinforce their own commitments but also serve as a beacon for other businesses to follow. This collective shift towards sustainable practices can lead to significant improvements in environmental stewardship, contributing to broader social and ecological benefits.

Sustainability as a Pillar of Brand Success

To achieve long-term success, businesses must align their recognition practices with sustainable and responsible business strategies. This approach honors the brand’s past achievements while committing to future responsibility and innovation. It enhances the brand’s reputation, engages stakeholders, and sets a positive example for the industry. By adopting this approach, companies can demonstrate that success and sustainability are intertwined elements that can drive a brand toward greater heights. This approach ensures that celebrations are meaningful and contribute to a more sustainable future for everyone.

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One of the best places to focus your energy if you are seeking top-tier placements is pitching. A great pitching process can unlock the door to top-tier media exposure, ensuring that you get noticed by the people who are crafting top-tier coverage, as well as reveal fresh opportunities that others have yet to discover.

Pitching 101

A pitch is what lets the media know you have a story worth telling. It explains who your client is, highlighting their expertise and the unique voice they bring to key topics, and positions your client as someone who can add value to trending conversations.

A well-crafted pitch will normally include a compelling headline to attract attention as it hits the outlet’s inbox, along with a concise summary that explains the key facts of the story and why it is newsworthy. Beyond that, a pitch can include some supporting stats to reinforce the value of the story and a call to action that directs the outlet to the next step in making contact.

The power of pitch alignment

Modern technology makes it extremely tempting to practice what is commonly known as mass pitching: preparing a generic pitch on a broad topic — such as the release of a new book or the launching of a new product — and using a digital platform to send copies of the pitch to thousands of potential outlets. While this practice might be efficient, it is often far from effective, especially with top-tier outlets.

A better path to top-tier exposure is aligned pitching. Developing this type of pitch begins with understanding an outlet’s target audience because the more you can align your pitch to resonate with that target audience, the higher the chance they will take notice and follow up.

For example, a financial advisor seeking top-tier exposure in an outlet targeting retirees could focus a pitch on solutions for optimizing retirement savings. In comparison, a pitch focused on setting up a retirement account would not be valuable to the readers of that outlet.

Track with the news for optimal impact

It’s also important to note that most media outlets are seeking stories that track with trending news. Consequently, pitches designed to tie in with current stories will have the most value for the outlet.

If the economy takes a downturn, media outlets will be looking for articles that help their audience to navigate the change. In this case, a pitch from a realtor on what the downturn means for buying and selling homes will be more valuable than an evergreen piece on how to prepare a home for a great showing. A pitch from a business leader on how corporate budgets might need to be adjusted in light of the downturn is another example of a pitch that leverages the latest news.

Pitches that feel fresh and relevant do more than just increase your chances of attracting an outlet’s attention — they position the spokesperson for the pitch as someone who is up-to-date on current topics. Establishing that type of reputation with an outlet can make it easier to land pitches in the future.

Always be professional

Engaging with media outlets in a professional manner is another important part of pitching. The reporter or editor who receives the pitch is a busy person, with statistics showing they may receive as many as 20 pitches a day, further adding to an already heavy workload. Any steps you take to communicate courteously and professionally will increase your odds of making a fruitful connection.

The tone you take with follow-up messages is one factor that can help in this area. Make sure it’s respectful, as being critical or demanding will probably get your pitch deleted — regardless of how valuable its content might be.

Always offer more

It’s not unusual to get a response that says the outlet is not interested at this time. When that happens, offer more and follow up with a message that keeps the conversation going.

For example, if a reporter says they aren’t interested in your pitch, let them know you would be happy to help with whatever story they are currently working on. This shows them you are willing to go the extra mile for their benefit, which could help to unlock an opportunity.

As a PR professional who represents many clients, I often respond to messages that communicate a lack of interest by explaining I represent several clients who can contribute valuable content on a wide range of issues. I have seen this approach lead to client placements on a number of occasions.

I also check in with my media contacts at least once a month to offer help with the stories they are preparing. This strategy has landed some remarkable top-tier opportunities for my clients, especially around the holidays when it can be more difficult to track down an expert for a timely article.

Crafting a compelling pitch is a critical step in achieving top-tier exposure. Aligning the content with the outlet’s readers, leveraging the latest news, and establishing an ongoing, professional conversation with reporters and editors are key steps you can take to optimize pitches and unlock top-tier opportunities.

The post Tips for Getting Featured: Unlocking the Door to Top-tier Media Exposure appeared first on SiteProNews.

Intrigued to know more? We have prepared a brief guide outlining how exactly Twitch and YouTube streamers can become effective brand ambassadors.

What is Twitch?

While YouTube is a mainstay of almost any digital marketing campaign, the popularity of Twitch among digital marketers is significantly lower. Even though in January 2023 alone, the 2.4 million viewers of Twitch consumed more than 1.2 billion minutes (yes, you read that right) of video content.

Here are some misconceptions about Twitch that resulted in this platform becoming a bit of a black sheep in the world of digital marketing.

• Twitch streamers primarily focus on video games.
• Twitch is owned by Amazon and does not allow for third-party advertisements.
• The audiences of Twitch streams are not loyal to one streamer and frequently “change the channel”.

All of the above is simply not true. Within the past five years, Twitch has launched very prominent streams on arts and crafts as well as a variety of talk shows. Twitch also has functions for running third-party advertisements and generally does not enforce any rules established by Amazon. Finally, major streamers on Twitch typically have more than 30,000 paid subscribers. Twitch viewers are not only loyal to their content creators but are also willing to demonstrate said loyalty with money.

All of that means that Twitch is a very decent platform for digital marketing if used right and when catering to the right audience.

What Are the Main Ways in Which Streamers Can Market Products?

While both YouTube and Twitch allow for third-party ads, we are here to discuss using streamers as brand ambassadors.

The process is very simple. You provide a streamer with some form of benefit (e.g., discounts or a paid sponsorship) and they become obligated to promote your products. In other words, streamers are just another form of celebrity endorsement.

What distinguishes streamers from other celebrity endorsers, however, is interactivity. Streamers very rarely run pre-recorded content. In fact, the majority of any stream is dedicated to interacting with a live audience. With an average of 2.4 million daily viewers in 2023, Twitch can easily rival YouTube in terms of the potential outreach of your marketing campaigns.

Interactivity means that you do not have to limit your marketing creativity to simply recording a video advertisement. Here are just some examples of how you can spice things up when relying on Twitch and YouTube streamers to promote your products.

• Run live raffles and contests.
• Join the chat yourself to respond to the audience’s questions and queries.
• Offer benefits to the subscribers of a particular streamer (e.g., a small discount).
• Encourage the streamer to show how your products are used in their daily lives, arousing consumer interest.

The interactivity and the live format of Twitch and YouTube streams, therefore, open a variety of interesting marketing avenues that are not available on any other platform.

What Are the Benefits of Using Streamers as Brand Ambassadors?

Well, just like any other celebrity, streamers try to create their own brand. This means that their audience is usually very homogenous in terms of their habits, interests and other characteristics.

Below are just some examples of how businesses, even kid businesses, can instantly access specific audiences when relying on streamers.

• The audience of video game streamers will be receptive to new consoles, unique gaming periphery (such as headphones) and other gadgets.
• The lovers of art streams will react positively to offers on art supplies, self-development books, or gadgets for creating new artwork.
• The subscribers of ‘real life’ streamers will be attentive to clothing, kitchen appliances, foods and home improvement materials and solutions.

Streamers are used to interacting with large audiences of over 10,000 viewers. When partnering with a celebrity for an endorsement, it is difficult to predict exactly what you are getting. Non-actors, for example, may turn out to be poor at delivering their lines in video advertisements.

Streamers, on the other hand, are basically professional marketers in their own niche. Most large streamers have used their significant marketing skills to gain a large following and a decent subscriber count. Because of this, you can be sure that your promotion is in the right hands.

The reliance of YouTube and Twitch streamers on subscribers as their main source of revenue also highlights the loyalty of their audiences. It is difficult to estimate how exactly your customers are going to react to you recruiting a particular celebrity for an endorsement. Regular viewers, however, trust streamers and will likely react positively to whatever endorsements are delivered on these channels.

Are There Any Risks When Using Streamers as Ambassadors?

Well, to put things simply, yes. For example, Twitch became a subject of controversy for revoking privileges from one of their streamers in 2021; the streamer in question had previously expressed positive opinions of the Capitol riot in the US. YouTube, on the other hand, regularly faces criticism concerning its draconian copyright laws and the slow progress of any meaningful changes to these provisions.

We would argue, however, that the above risks are far less significant compared to regular celebrity endorsements. Both Twitch and YouTube streamers typically have a very strong base of fans who are willing to stick with their content creators no matter what. Regardless of contingencies, you should still have access to your targeted audiences when partnering with Twitch or YouTube streamers.

While using Twitch and YouTube streamers as brand ambassadors can seem a bit risky, the reality is that both of these platforms provide great means for improving your digital marketing campaigns. By interacting with live audiences, streamers can promote your products to a degree that is not really comparable to any other form of celebrity endorsement.

The post Can Twitch and YouTube Streamers Be Effective Brand Ambassadors? appeared first on SiteProNews.

How can CEOs flip the script on traditional branding and incorporate a proactive rebranding strategy that rises above the noise, following a tried and proven sequence that’s driven billions in revenue? Here’s the blueprint.

Historically, branding has been the end game. Choreographing how companies were seen. Building loyal customers. Becoming cash cows. Increasing lifetime value of the customer and making moves that customers loved.

Due to technological advances, and fleeting customer loyalties, branding is now an exercise in “discovery” and creating for customers “an endless supply of unexpected and pleasing surprises.”

The new standard? Test widely. Fail fast. Learn even faster.

Tentative, cautious, “safe” branding moves are gone, like the dinosaurs that once roamed the Earth.

Unsustainable brands fail in three fundamental ways:

1. They’re too slow and too over-analyzed,
2. They’re too obsessed with “covering every possible outcome” that their efforts are tentative and too small that they discover nothing from what they put out, and
3. Worst of all, they try to be everything to some poorly defined “audience.”

All while being passed over by much more nimble brands that have learned where the market is headed rather than pouring over where the market has been.

So what does it really take to make your brand not just survive but dominate?

Forget Playing It Safe: Bold (and Smart) Wins

Customers (and stakeholders in the business world) don’t reward timid stances or tentative gestures.

Let’s take this stat from Salesforce’s 5th edition of their Connected Shoppers Report:

“74% of shoppers say it takes no more than three bad experiences to abandon a brand.”

Whoa. How did we get here?

Today’s consumer landscape is very different.

Everything under the sun exists at every turn — from what can be found on Amazon to tons of existing stores and chains, and of course online stores — that it’s become a buyer’s market.

So when it comes to rebranding a company, it’s crucial to have that ideal balance between bold conviction and an uncompromising ownership of who the hero is with your brand and who the villain is.

Show Me the Money: Which To Do First? Marketing or Branding?

The spend on B2B branding is hitting the roof, projected to jump from $32 billion in 2022 to $37.7 billion in 2024.

When does this expenditure become nothing more than burning hard-earned cash?

When companies try to solve branding problems with marketing solutions.

Marketing solutions never solved branding problems.

Why is this? Because branding supersedes marketing. It comes before, and is followed by marketing.

An unstable branding foundation leaves marketing spending tons of cash hoping something will stick.

Branding, and particularly rebranding, isn’t just about increasing the ad spend. It’s about a smart, strategic investment that lays down the roadmap first, establishing the brand, its hero and its villain first, so it’s faster for marketing to dial on where we are and where we’re headed.

Case in point, Nielsen research found that even a one-point gain in brand metrics like awareness and consideration can drive a 1% increase in sales.

And the Harvard Business Review presented a case study about Lilypad Hotels and Resorts, where experts discuss the need to build up the corporate brand to crea

te long-term value and the importance of clarifying what the brand represents before giving it more emphasis.

Even more vital why ingenuity is leveraged to ensure every dollar screams for attention. Intelligently. Meaningfully.

Mastering the Art of Quick Turnaround

Time waits for no brand. Neither do customers. In today’s fast-paced market, dragging one’s feet on a rebrand is the kiss of death.

Look at the shrinkage or demise of once-great brands such as:

• Kodak
• Sears
• JC Penney
• Xerox
• Toys R Us

Each moved too slow, and grew out of touch with how rapidly customer needs were evolving.

Here’s the kicker: speed should never sacrifice quality.

It’s a tightrope walk, but with the right strategy, brands can make it to the other side with a brand that’s fresh, relevant, and ready to take on the world.

By the Numbers: Stats That Matter

With B2B branding spend on the rise and the undeniable link between brand consistency, emotional connection, and customer loyalty, the writing’s on the wall.

This is where brands must focus their energy, resources, and creativity.

When branding or a rebrand is ill-conceived, no amount of Super Bowl ads or commercials can cover up a shallow reason for existence.

Cases in point:

• Once a retail giant, Sears’ efforts to rebrand and modernize its stores and online presence failed to stop its decline. Filing for bankruptcy in 2018, this shallow cosmetic rebrand reflected a failure to translate anything meaningful into financial stability or market share recovery.

• Despite a new logo and store experience, Toys “R” Us filed for bankruptcy in 2017 due to inability to compete with online retailers and embrace cultural changes in how customers engaged with products. The chain did not move with the times and convert their stores into a “playground for discovery” where kids could share their discoveries online and thus build a meaningful online discussion. Before its closure, Toys “R” Us previously accounted for 20% to 25% of the U.S. toy market, and had shrunk to 50% of that, a significant decrease from its market dominance in previous decades.

• Gap introduced a disastrous new logo in 2010, moving away from its classic design. The backlash was immediate, leading to a return to the original logo just six days later. This incident showed how a lack of understanding of Gap’s brand identity and consumer perception could lead to wasteful expenditure.

• In 2009, Tropicanaspent $35 million on a packaging redesign that consumers disliked for its “store brand” generic appearance. This resulted in a 20% sales drop in just two months. The company reverted to the old packaging, showcasing how misunderstanding brand identity can lead to significant financial losses.

• On the flip side, Old Spice‘s rebranding and marketing campaign in 2010 targeted a younger demographic, revitalizing the brand’s image. They did not try to mask their change, they took the right sequence: they addressed their brand positioning first and then executing a viral marketing campaign, boosting sales by 125% in one year.

Crafting a Killer Rebranding Strategy

Rebranding is a beast, but it’s one you can tame with the right approach. And more importantly, the right sequence.

The 3 pillars are:

1. Branding
2. Marketing
3. Sales

These three are a sequence.

1. Skip to sales and you’ll see some revenue but you won’t have a brand which means something that’s memorable AFTER your sales people have left the room.
2. Focus on marketing and you’ll be wasting hundreds of thousands if not millions.
3. Branding is your Northstar and the anchor simultaneously.

One article used worldwide to help companies during their rebrand is “How To Rebrand: 19 Questions To Ask Before You Start” which sheds light on the blind spots many companies encounter.

But most important? Getting this sequence right: Branding, Marketing, Sales.

Because sales is harvesting the seeds planted. Marketing spreads those seeds and branding defines the seeds and how they are unlike all the other seeds one can buy.

Do this and you’ll turn heads, open minds and unzip wallets.

The post Can a Proactive Brand Strategy Catapult Your Brand to New Heights? appeared first on SiteProNews.

Most companies are falling short of this goal. Two-thirds of customers are not receiving a personalized experience, despite 76% of customers wishing to have consistent interactions with a brand. 90% of businesses struggle with having inconsistent branding with their content, which has serious repercussions. This can create marketplace confusion with other companies’ products, a slower sales cycle, and a hindered ability to generate sales leads. On the flip side, companies that do focus on creating a consistent brand experience a 10% or higher increase in revenues.

The secret ingredient to creating a hyper-personalized experience for customers is the use of AI. Empowered by machine learning and artificial intelligence, this technology has the ability to create an ultra personalized shopping experience for specific audience segments. AI can track a consumer’s browsing data and purchasing data in real time to produce targeted ads and recommendations  for their specific interests. The beginning stages of this method include single message mailing, field segmentation, and rules based segmentation. As a company moves into more mature stages of hyper-personalization, they begin to give behavioral recommendations, omin channel optimization, and predictive personalization. Each new stage leads to greater revenue growth. 

There are already some major brands using this method to interact with customers. For example, 80% of Netflix users are relying on personalized recommendations for movies and shows to watch based on their previous viewing history, rather than searching it up on their own. Amazon has experienced 35% higher conversion rates on certain products based on sending out personalized product emails. Even Starbucks has experienced a significant improvement in performance (3x increase in incremental revenue) due to releasing personalization algorithms in their loyalty rewards apps. 

The research is very clear- companies are making more sales the more efforts that they spend on personalizing their brand. 90% of customers find personalized ads more appealing, meaning they are much more likely to interact with and ultimately purchase from a brand. 72% of customers actually respond to marketing messages that are crafted to directly relate to their personal experiences. For example, if a customer has already searched up culinary sets on Amazon, they will likely engage with ads related to these types of products. Brands that fail to pursue these initiatives could lose up to 38% of their customers as they are no longer being engaged, which could result in a 23% loss of revenue. 

Some of the world’s biggest brands have already become a success story in the world of generating a hyper-personalized brand identity. easyJet has a brand value of over $4 billion, which is largely driven by their focus on curating an extremely personalized customer experience. Some of their methods include sending out over 12 million emails that have branded graphics and destination imagery. These emails draw upon email copy with 12 modules and 28 data points. The results are staggering- 7.5% of email recipients made a booking in the following 30 days and 78% of customers reported a positive reaction to the campaign. 

Spotify has been another successful company in this realm. Spotify Wrapped has generated a lot of social media buzz from users that are able to share their most frequently listened to artists and genres with family and friends, while sifting through their own personalized stats. In addition, playlists are created based on these metrics, which allow Spotify users to easily listen to their favorite music without much in-app navigation. In one year, between 2020 and 2021, there was a 461% increase in tweet volume related to Spotify and 131% more engagement with Spotify Wrapped tweets. The massive public press has direct impacts on drawing more users into the music streaming service. 

Cadbury’s brand value is a massive $6 billion, and this is largely due to their efforts to create a personalized experience with their chocolate-consuming customers. They developed a Flavor Matcher app that matches users with one of their 12 offered flavors of chocolate. These custom results were produced by leveraging data-driven personal profiling to create specific advertisement videos and hashtags for their customers. 90% of viewers watched their personalized videos until the end, which is a huge feat considering the shorter attention spans of customers when it comes to ads. Cadbury also had a massive 33% conversion rate from viewers completing the next promotion form. These successful stories prove that brand personalization can be one of the best methods for driving higher business revenue. 

The post The Importance of Maintaining Brand Consistency appeared first on SiteProNews.

And brand trust is the subject of this latest piece of research from the team at OnDeck. It decided to find the most trusted companies across the entire USA by analyzing and ranking them based on the number of 5-star Trustpilot reviews.

Let’s check out the results.

The Most Trusted Company in the USA

The award for the USA’s most trusted company goes to NCH (Nevada Corporate Headquarters), a small legal firm operating out of Nevada.

NCH specializes in helping young businesses and startups cut through all the red tape and stay compliant. And it appears to be doing an excellent job; over 97% of all its Trustpilot reviews are five stars.

The Most Trusted Company in Every US State

The second part of the study segmented the data by location, highlighting the single most trusted company in every US state.

Sporting goods store Ski Butlers came out on top in the state of Utah.

Another outdoor specialist is the most trusted brand in South Dakota. Hunting goods store Silencer Central, which operates out of Sioux Falls, boasts a 5-star Trustpilot rating of 91%. That’s a lot of satisfied customers.

Hawaii’s most trusted brand is a travel firm (no surprise there). Maui Activities, which runs everything from snorkel tours to helicopter rides around the islands, scored 82%.

The Most Trusted Tech Companies in the USA

Next up, OnDeck decided to find the most trusted US company by industry and sector, starting with tech.

And there’s absolutely no sign of any of the big and established names, like Meta.

Instead, the list is dominated by smaller firms that focus on providing a personal service with a human touch.

Of these, Georgia-based repair shop Vision Computer Inc. scored highest, with a 5-star Trustpilot rating of well over 95%.

“You will be in extremely capable hands with Vision,” posted one customer. “The team guides you through each step of the process. Not only are they efficient and so knowledgeable, but they also care. They make the most complex process seem effortless.”

In case you’re wondering how Meta does on Trustpilot, then the answer is…not good; 96% of all Meta Trustpilot reviews are one star.

“I only wish I could leave a 0-star review,” left one disgruntled customer. “Everyone needs to uninstall their products and stop using them completely. Terrible company with terrible employees. I would trust them as far as I could throw Zuckerberg. Everyone needs to uninstall Meta’s products and stop using them completely.”

Harsh. Extremely harsh.

US Clothing and Accessory Stores that Customers Trust

Watch retailer DavidSW is the most trusted US clothing or accessory store, according to its percentage of 5-star reviews. 98 out of 100 DavidSW customers took the time to leave the maximum score review on Trustpilot after visiting the store.

“This was my first true luxury watch purchase, and they did an excellent job of quick responses to my many emails,” stated one 5-star review. “The watch I wanted was not in their inventory, but they were able to track one down just for me, which was very cool. I couldn’t imagine any better buying experience! I’ll definitely come back here again in the future.”

The Most Trusted Media Companies in the USA

Trust in the US mainstream media is at an all-time low – on both sides of the political spectrum. One study shows that less than 1 in three Americans trust the mass media to report the news “fully, accurately, and fairly.”

Thankfully, there’s still plenty of trust in the smaller media and publishing firms offering direct services to US customers.

Several US media companies scored above 90% in the 5-star Trustpilot rankings, including Morris Press, a publisher based in Nebraska.

MyComicShop is one of six book shops featured in this section of the study. The Texas-based geek haven

has a 92% five-star review rating on Trustpilot.

“Best place in Texas to find rare comic books,” reads one review. “And the staff member knows their stuff. Serious knowledge about comic book history and culture.”

Nearly 100% Trust Rating for PolicyPro

Does anybody really trust their insurer to stand by them when the chips are down?

PolicyPro customers do. Despite operating in an industry known for its shady practices, 99% of Trustpilot reviews for the Texas-based insurer are 5-star. Incredible.

“Just when I had lost hope in finding a lower premium, PolicyPro worked some magic and found me something better with higher coverage! Thank you!” read one review.

Trust in US Wellness and Beauty Stores

The US wellness industry has some trust issues. After all, how can we verify all those ‘amazing’ health claims and benefits?

Well, the proof is usually right there in the customer review. Leading the way in that department is Soap Korner, an herbal store in Denver, Colorado. It scored 97% in the Ondeck study; that’s higher than any other wellness store across the entire United States.

The post Trust the Brand: The US Companies with the Highest Percentage of 5-star Trustpilot Reviews appeared first on SiteProNews.

In the competitive business landscape, logos are so much more than just aesthetic symbols.

Treating them like lipstick, as in “Which color is my favorite?” is the most common crime against a strategic (and successful) rebrand.

One one side, logos are the face of a company’s identity, greeting the world with a visual statement.

On the flip side, a logo is that “gold standard” that represents a set of values, a set of expectations, and something that reflects our sense of self.

A misstep in this critical element leads to a communication breakdown, much like speaking the wrong word in a country you’re visiting that insults someone’s mother instead of saying, “Those flowers smell lovely.”

Done well, a rebrand attracts and builds consumer interest, distinguishes itself from competitors while influencing stakeholders and investors, and effectively communicates the brand’s essence across multiple forms of media.

There are two aspects to consider a rebrand:

1. The logo itself and how well it moves the brand forward while differentiating against the noise in that market, and
2. How well is this rebrand and new logo incorporated in all the places it appears?

How Powerful Is a Logo in Shaping Consumer Perceptions and Brand Identity?

Let’s take a look at one of the more cringe-worthy rebrands: The Gap rebrand of 2010.

It was such a badly executed logo transformation – it was quickly reversed due to overwhelming public backlash.

How bad and tone-deaf was it? The logo lasted a mere 6 days before they reversed course.

Some estimate that this cost the company around $100 million.

Tropicana’s 2009 redesign serves as another cautionary tale.

It comes down to five points every brand should note:

1. Goodbye, memorable orange; hello, anonymity. Tropicana’s ‘makeover’ turned their once-iconic packaging into something anyone would mistake for a no-frills store brand.
2. Ditching their classic arched logo, Tropicana’s new look was as bland as a cardboard box. It screamed generic, not premium juice giant.
3. Instead of flaunting their brand, Tropicana opted for a ‘what’s-inside’ visual that just left customers scratching their heads. Talk about an identity crisis.
4. This branding blunder wasn’t just a faux pas; it was a financial faceplant, with a jaw-dropping 20% nosedive in sales.
5. The cost of this design disaster? A cool $137 million flushed down the drain in less than two months forcing the company to revert to its original design, a costly lesson in understanding brand equity.

From the Supermarket to the World Stage

In the supermarket aisle, Kraft Foods’ 2009 logo revision, meant to signify change, ended up conveying confusion: a classic case of a rebranding effort that misjudged its audience’s attachment to the existing brand identity.

Six months of relentless flak after the unveiling, Kraft Foods sheepishly crawled back to their classic logo restoring its place as one of the most memorable and known brands worldwide.

While not a rebrand, the London 2012 Olympics logo, at the hefty investment of $625,000, was intended to be dynamic and modern and part of the legacy of a fresh new look every 4 years.

Instead, the London Olympics logo ended up alienating the very audience it sought to captivate.

Many considered it a visual misfire, demonstrating the fine line between innovation and unusual design.

Some got into religious disputes saying the word “Zion” was hidden in the symbol.

Others even said the logo resembled the Simpsons siblings – Lisa and Bart causing considerable disruption amongst its audience instead of uniting everyone in celebration of this global event.

Disruption should occur to awaken customers, build affinity and provide clear brand differentiation.

Disruption is not what one should cause amongst its customer base.

Simply put, it failed to connect and unite the venue on the world stage: London, with its rich history and culture, seemed like a distant connection to the rebrand with its quirky shapes and colors.

For whatever reason, 2012 seemed to be the year many rebrand failures happened.

Two of the most dismal examples were JCPenney turning into JCP (possibly worse than Kentucky Fried Chicken becoming KFC) and the other was Arby’s rebrand.

Besides being horrendously executed, they made no sense.

And their execution was inconsistent and short-lived. Other rebrands have also been equally inconsistent: Caribou Coffee or Radio Shack and others.

None of these rebrands were ever fully exported to their entire line of stores or franchises and lacking that consistency, they took a bad start and only made them worse.

The Missing Ingredient in Rebranding Failures

These examples underscore the critical role logos play in branding. In an era where digital presence is paramount, logos become silent yet powerful ambassadors across marketing platforms, e-commerce, social media, SEO, and website optimization.

A well-designed logo acts as a keystone in building brand recognition and trust. It’s not just about visual appeal; it’s about crafting a symbol that embodies the essence of the brand’s story, resonates with the target audience, and stands out in a crowded market.

And this is the pivotal point: a well crafted brand story will smooth the pathway and journey to introducing the new (or refreshed) face of the brand.

Sometimes, people don’t welcome change.

Done brilliantly, people (having a context for the world that’s coming) will welcome the new brand with open arms because a new context, a new reframe, instantly makes it clear why the previous identity has become outgrown.

For businesses, C-level executives, SMBs, and startups, the message is clear: a logo ushers in the future.

But a brilliant story and brand narrative lays the foundation for why the rebrand is being done.

But seeing first-hand how this can done with minimal infighting and food fights, everyone involved must understand that a rebrand is a rite of passage into the next exciting chapter, and not merely change for change sake.

It’s the difference between mere survival and thriving success in a market driven by image and perception.

The post Unlocking Brand Success: The Power of a Well-Managed Logo in Rebranding appeared first on SiteProNews.

According to digital marketing expert Cassandra Gucwa, Founder of Menerva Digital, taking an adaptable, insight-driven approach to optimizing content can empower brands to create more meaningful connections amidst this change. Companies that shift their SEO efforts to focus on understanding and responding to emerging search trends and user intent see engagement rates rise by up to 42%, along with faster lead conversion.

“Search algorithms are constantly being refined to deliver the most relevant results to users,” said Gucwa. “If brands can keep pace with these changes and align their content to what people are searching for right now, they have a huge opportunity to connect with audiences looking for their solutions.”

The Growing Challenge of Relevant SEO

Gucwa points out that Google alone runs over 3,200 algorithmic updates and refinements each year, aiming to surface helpful content that precisely matches user intent. At the same time, people’s search queries and behaviors are changing faster under the influence of current events, new technologies, and shifting cultural trends.

For brands, the combined effect poses a growing challenge: how do you ensure your SEO strategy stays relevant? Content optimized for outdated queries or intent fails to rank well or engage searchers. Any decline in organic traffic and leads means missed opportunities in a fiercely competitive marketplace.

“There has always been an element of volatility in SEO,” Gucwa said. “But the pace and scale of change today means that strategies which rely on outdated or surface-level analytics rather quickly lose their edge.”

Lagging Indicators Hinder Relevance

Many brands rely heavily on historical SEO metrics like keyword rankings, website traffic, and conversion rates to gauge success. While these measures offer value, focusing solely on past performance reflects outdated relevance rather than present potential.

“These lagging indicators tell you where you’ve been, but not where the opportunities are right now,” explained Gucwa. “To understand what will connect in the future requires expanded, forward-looking analytics capabilities.”

For example, high keyword rankings traditionally signaled strong SEO health. But in isolation, claimed rankings ignore the actual experience people have when they click through to your pages. Low dwell times or high bounce rates reveal lackluster relevance despite otherwise pleasing rank positions. Without understanding the bigger picture, progress stalls.

Rising Needs for Real-Time Optimization

Consumer interests and algorithms shift continually, sometimes seemingly overnight, with breaking developments in the news cycle. But quarterly planning cycles leave brands reacting far behind the curve.

“By the time you detect changes in lagging indicators and implement responses, you’ve already lost ground with connections,” said Gucwa. “People have moved to other options that did meet their needs in real-time. And continued volatility means constantly trying to catch up.”

Instead, maintaining relevance requires identifying leading indicators that reveal rising queries, traffic opportunities, and consumer needs the moment they emerge. Then near real-time optimization must occur across on-page content, technical enhancements, earned backlinks, and other engagement levers coordinated for relevance.

Adopting an Insights-First Approach

So, how do brands access the necessary search and consumer insights to drive agile SEO on an ongoing basis? By expanding analytics capabilities and refreshing strategy based on emerging trends.

“Leading indicators around featured snippets, user intent shifts, query trends, and context-based measures accurately point the way forward if you know how to interpret them,” Gucwa commented. “Making these the foundation of decisions empowers smarter, more responsive optimization across all SEO activities.”

Potential leading measures to incorporate include:

• Featured snippet impression share

• Related Google Discover impressions

• Natural language query analysis

• Evolving contextual analysis

• Competitor movement tracking

• Click-through rate heatmaps

• On-page engagement metrics

Several leading enterprise tools now help surface these insights automatically, including SEMRush, Ahrefs, Moz, Search Metrics, BrightEdge, and Conductor. But brands can also take a manual approach, combining Google Search Console, Google Analytics, and Google Trends to spot leading indicators.

“No matter the exact tools, adopting a future-focused, insights-led process is crucial for timely optimization,” said Gucwa. “Anticipating what aligns next allows brands to get ahead and connect, not just react.”

The post As Search Algorithms and Consumer Needs Evolve Rapidly, Brands Struggle to Keep Their SEO Strategies Relevant appeared first on SiteProNews.

Brands are woven into the fabric of our society to become a large part of our individual stories, and businesses seeking to integrate their brands into this fabric have some options as to how they approach it. By leveraging certain programs and activation methods, brands can become so memorable that they become part of people’s fond memories and pop culture in general.

Leveraging Established Partnerships 

It can be difficult for brands to get a leg-up in brand recognition when they first get started. They are up against other competing brands that have already been established within the community, and may not have yet built up engagement with their target audience to get a foothold in the market. 

Whether new or established, brands that struggle with integrating into the community may consider establishing partnerships with more known community-orientated brands. Simply by perusing the average community, it’s easy to see how some brands are more integrated into the fabric of how the community operates — such as local grocery stores or the corner sandwich shop that’s been in operation for decades. By partnering with these community brands, new businesses receive the “stamp of approval” of a brand that is already trusted and has a loyal following. 

To this extent, businesses should choose partners whose goals align with their own. The focus should be on providing value to the target market together, with an eventual positive effect of better brand activation for the new business through the partnership. 

Establishing these partnerships will not happen overnight, however, so new businesses must reach out to and engage with potential partners authentically. All the while, they must remember that the partnership will need to be mutually beneficial to be ultimately effective.

Retail Presence for Enhanced Brand Trust 

Much like partnering with already-trusted brands, establishing a retail presence with a trusted brand can ultimately enhance one’s own brand trust. Placing one’s brand within these trusted locations capitalizes on the established location’s goodwill and loyalty. 

For example, many communities have a trusted grocery store that is the “go-to” for most shoppers. These brands may vary by location, but are often well-known and have established trust within the community. 

By placing their product within this trusted community space, brands can enhance their own trust and loyalty, even if they are fairly new. For example, a new makeup artist who is attempting to establish a business within the wedding industry can try to partner with the most popular local photographer. This partnership is mutually beneficial because the makeup artistry will enhance the look of the photographer’s photos, and the trust the photographer has built up will spill over to the new makeup artist. 

Association with a trusted retailer will automatically lead the consumer to assume that your brand can be trusted in the same way. Customers will naturally link your brand with the partner store’s endorsement, fostering that all-important trust and credibility. 

Community Connection and Local Pride 

Pride in one’s local community is a part of being a social creature — it’s the human element of community. As we saw during the early days of the pandemic, when local favorites are in dire straits, the community will often step up to help support them. Building a community connection and showcasing one’s local pride is a great way to achieve positive brand activation. 

Many brands rely on “localism” to remain relevant and spark loyalty among their target markets. Localism describes the consumer preference for brands and retailers that are geographically close to them. People not only develop loyalty to these brands, but the brands become part of that person’s story. 

Every community has its own culture. By tapping into this community culture, brands can forge a connection with that community. 

According to a recent consumer insights article from Google, people are beginning to link shopping locally with shopping ethically. The shift is all part of a move toward conscious consumerism that newer brands must be aware of as they move toward brand awareness and activation. 

According to studies, 55% of consumers prefer to buy local brands. Having a branding strategy that includes community integration will allow brands to leverage this information, capturing this significant part of the market. 

Brands can utilize several strategies to build their communities and get their names and missions recognized, including social media, advertising, and word-of-mouth — all of which play a part in overall brand activation. By leveraging brand partnerships with trusted local retailers, establishing a presence within those retailers, and forging meaningful community connections, brands can be woven into the fabric of the community and become one of those brands that people recall with fondness over and over again.

The post Helping Businesses Integrate their Brands into the Fabric of the Community by Leveraging Amazing Programs and Activations appeared first on SiteProNews.

For certain types of apps, things like games, this is really simple to see. If an app is simply an addictive game, it only makes sense that people will have a hard time staying away. The real challenge is making someone return to a shopping app, or food app. It’s no longer enough to just provide a service, or even to do it well.

The top rated restaurant app today is Chick-fil-a. On some level this makes sense, it’s one of the most well liked fast food chains out there. Yet the Chick-fil-a app also does more than just sell food to willing customers. It provides a points system. This means that the more people buy, the more points they have. The more points someone has, the more free food they can start to buy.

Chick-fil-a’s system is particularly popular, but countless other food apps are repeating this trend. McDonalds will offer a free large fry to anyone who creates an account. Dominos has coupons which are exclusive to their apps. Chipotle has a similar points system to Chick-fil-a. The basic principle is clear, use the app, get a reward.

This is the basic principle driving some of the most popular apps today. Of course, there are better and worse ways to do this. Chick-fil-a bridges the gap by making it advantageous to the consumer and business. Although this line can be hard to manage at times. Shein, for example, is an online fashion retailer which has an extensive points system.

Customers earn points for logging in, for leaving reviews, for purchasing products, for playing minigames even. There is no shortage of ways to earn points. The issue is that the application of these points is much less direct. Instead of entire food items like at McDonalds, points may instead just lead to a very partial discount.

This issue is only made worse by flooded and overwhelming deals and front pages. Overwhelming the consumer, even with positive forces, can lead to negative reviews. Comparing Shein to Etsy really starts to reveal this issue. Etsy, while not as popular as Shein, has a much higher review rating.

Etsy accomplishes this with a much more clear interface, less predatory practices, and more direct communication. Sometimes the best way to keep a customer coming back is with a slightly less gamified experience. Another app which shows this off is the app for Sam’s Club. Sam’s Club is the top rated shopping app on Google Play, and for good reason. Sam’s Club doesn’t have a point system or anything which is overtly engaging, but it does have solid features.

The Scan and Go feature in particular makes the app a near necessity for many shoppers at the store. As the name implies, Scan and Go allows people using the app to scan and purchase products with their phone. A big issue with a lot of grocery stores and supermarkets is how long the process can take. This feature helps to alleviate this issue. Considering how impactful it is, it absolutely keeps people coming back to the app.

The final set of apps which will be discussed are Uber and Airbnb. These are both travel related apps which have one key similarity. They were created with the internet in mind. In terms of travel services, the biggest issue will always be when someone can’t get where they want to be. Regardless of the why, people hate to be stranded.

An important part of not being stranded today is having a really clear and direct digital service. If an airline’s app fails to update a boarding pass, this can lead to someone missing their flight. If a hotel app doesn’t give the customer enough information, they can miss their check in. Lyft and Airbnb are great at avoiding these issues because they were made with the internet in mind.

These two apps have incredibly clear interfaces, active updates, and use the app format to their advantage. These are features that other travel apps have historically had issues implementing. Today they are two of the top five rated travel apps on the App Store. 

So how do businesses keep people coming back to their apps? Well it depends on the category. Food apps benefit from gamifying the process. Shopping apps benefit from uncluttered marketplaces and solid features. And travel apps benefit from prioritizing things going smoothly and clear communication. These are the factors that cause people to return to apps over time.

The post Bringing People Back to Loyalty Rewards Apps appeared first on SiteProNews.

When designed well, workshops transcend one-way branding to become revelations through which attendees don’t merely learn about brands, but also involve themselves more deeply with their brand’s mission. By connecting with causes greater than products or slogans, a brand’s essence begins to seamlessly interweave with human stories.

Curating Engaging Content

The cornerstone of any successful brand activation initiative lies in crafting compelling and captivating content for workshops and classes. Creating content that resonates deeply with the audience demands a meticulous approach, integrating various techniques to ensure both informational value and sustained engagement. From understanding the audience’s preferences to harnessing the emotive power of storytelling.

Facilitators can create an immersive environment by integrating interactive elements and balancing entertainment with education. This approach allows for real-time adjustments in content delivery, fostering participant engagement and enabling them to absorb information while becoming deeply involved in the brand’s narrative.

Here are several strategies to help curate engaging content:

• Audience-centric content development: Crafting content that deeply resonates with participants requires a thorough understanding of their preferences, learning styles, and needs. Employing audience analysis and market research helps tailor content to meet these criteria, ensuring it aligns with participants’ expectations and effectively fills knowledge gaps.

• Harness the power of storytelling: Incorporating storytelling techniques within the content framework serves as a potent method to captivate and connect with participants. Stories humanize information, evoking emotions and establishing a profound connection between the audience and the brand’s narrative, making the content more relatable and memorable.

• Integrate interactive elements: Designing activities such as brainstorming sessions, role-playing exercises, problem-solving scenarios, or collaborative projects fosters an interactive and engaging environment. Multimedia, visuals, videos, and real-life examples enrich the content by catering to diverse learning preferences and sustaining participants’ interest.

• Striking a balance between education and entertainment: Ensuring the content delivers valuable insights while being entertaining is vital. Injecting elements of humor, intriguing anecdotes, or surprising facts prevents the content from becoming dry, helping participants stay more engaged and involved throughout the session.

• Adaptable delivery and customization: Flexibility in content delivery allows for real-time adjustments based on participants’ reactions and needs. Responsiveness to engagement levels enables facilitators to modify the pace, depth, or format of the content, ensuring it remains engaging and pertinent.

• Continuous improvement through feedback analysis: Implementing tools to measure participant engagement, such as feedback forms, polls, or interactive assessments, enables the evaluation of content effectiveness. Analyzing this data post-session facilitates iterative improvements, refining content for subsequent workshops/classes and ensuring ongoing enhancement of engagement levels.

Creating compelling content for brand activation workshops and classes demands a multifaceted approach. By thoroughly understanding target audiences, integrating interactive elements, leveraging storytelling, and continuously gathering feedback, facilitators can craft deeply engaging content. This immersive audience-centric experience establishes strong connections with the brand narratives, delivering informative value while sustaining high levels of involvement essential to successful brand activation.  

Weaving Brand Narrative

Weaving the brand’s narrative into the fabric of a workshop session is a crucial element for establishing a profound connection with the participants. This involves more than just imparting information — it’s about embedding the brand’s story and values within the content to create an emotional resonance.

Infusing the brand’s story and values throughout the workshop or class helps participants relate to the brand on a deeper level. By seamlessly integrating the brand’s ethos, history, and core values into the session’s content, facilitators can cultivate a sense of alignment between the participants and the brand’s purpose. This connection goes beyond mere awareness, allowing attendees to emotionally invest in the brand’s journey and its underlying mission.

Establishing this alignment during the workshop or class fosters an environment where participants not only understand the brand, but also identify with its narrative. As participants engage with the brand’s story, they are more likely to forge a lasting connection, making the overall brand experience more memorable and impactful. Weaving the brand’s narrative throughout the session serves as a powerful tool for fostering genuine connections and leaving a lasting impression on participants.

Designing for Experiential Learning

The essence of experiential learning lies in providing participants with opportunities to engage beyond passive observation. By creating interactive and participatory elements, facilitators can immerse participants in activities that allow for hands-on experiences with the brand. This approach not only enhances comprehension, but also fosters a deeper connection and understanding of the brand’s core message.

Crafting an immersive environment encourages active participation and exploration, encouraging attendees to interact directly with the brand’s products, services, or ideologies. This direct involvement allows participants to internalize and comprehend the brand’s essence more profoundly, leading to a more impactful and memorable learning experience.

Furthermore, an experiential learning approach ensures that participants don’t just hear about the brand, but actively engage with it to solidify their understanding and emotional connection with the brand. Designing workshops and classes with experiential learning in mind transforms them into platforms that transcend traditional teaching methods, leaving a lasting impression on participants and solidifying their relationship with the brand.

The conjunction of engaging content, brand narrative integration, and experiential learning creates workshops that go beyond mere information dissemination. They foster genuine connections, leaving a lasting impact on participants and enhancing brand activation efforts significantly. 

Embracing these strategies empowers brands to forge deeper relationships with their audience, ensuring enduring brand loyalty and advocacy. As brands continue to evolve, the implementation of these techniques will be pivotal in shaping memorable and impactful brand experiences.

The post Designing Interactive Workshops and Classes for Your Brand Activation appeared first on SiteProNews.

However, finding the person to represent your brand isn’t easy. You will have to prepare for a thorough vetting process that takes into account a person’s communication skills, personality, emotional intelligence, and storytelling ability.

Your Organization’s Spokesperson Needs Strong Communication Skills

For starters, your organization’s spokesperson must be able to speak clearly, concisely, and confidently. They must be able to demonstrate this ability when delivering prepared announcements and answering questions on the fly. Whether using their own words or prepared statements written by someone else, your spokesperson should be able to speak on behalf of your company or organization eloquently and persuasively.

This spokesperson should also feel comfortable addressing people one-on-one, as well as in large crowds, and must be comfortable speaking on a variety of topics. Additionally, be sure to select a spokesperson with experience speaking on camera and managing replies to comments from both your customer base and the general public on social media.

Remember that the spokesperson your organization selects will need to communicate articulately with the press, so they should also have experience with regularly reaching out to journalists and news outlets both in person and online. Any background that gives them expertise in handling the media is a huge bonus.

When Vetting an Ideal Spokesperson, Personality Matters

As you search for the person who will become the face of your organization, think about what kind of personality will best resonate with the demographics of the people you want to reach. A good spokesperson should connect with their audience in a relatable and genuine way.

Personality is a crucial consideration for your organization’s spokesperson because it determines how others — including stakeholders, clients, and the public — will respond to them. An engaging personality influences their ability as an effective communicator and empowers them to interact effectively with the people around them.

The ideal candidate should have an authentic and engaging personality that matches your brand’s values. Think about the personality that will convey your message best. For example, do you want a spokesperson with a sense of humor or a hard-hitting spokesperson who can field controversial topics?

Remember that the public will respond to your organization if they like and trust your spokesperson. Furthermore, the media will be more likely to cover your organization if it can feature a spokesperson who is relatable and engaging.

Your Spokesperson Must Possess High Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence, or EQ, is the ability to understand and manage your own emotions and those of others. It involves being able to empathize with others, control one’s emotions, read other people’s emotions, and use emotional information to guide thinking and behavior.

High emotional intelligence enables a spokesperson to read people, situations, and body language. This skill is vital for any spokesperson because it helps them understand what their audience needs and how best to communicate it.

A spokesperson with high emotional intelligence can relate meaningfully to others, will be better able to understand what makes their audience tick, and speak directly to its needs with a message that resonates on an emotional level. Essentially, a spokesperson with high EQ becomes more relatable and personable.

Your Spokesperson Needs the Ability to Empathize

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others, which allows a spokesperson to see their message from the perspective of someone in the audience and to anticipate how it will be received. Empathy is a crucial skill for any spokesperson because it enables them to connect and make their message relevant.

When choosing a spokesperson for your organization, look for someone who has demonstrated empathy in past roles or life experiences. For example, if your organization is focused on helping people who are struggling with addiction or mental illness to find support services in their area, you will want a spokesperson who understands what it is like to live with these challenges.

Your Organization’s Spokesperson Should be a Compelling Storyteller

Storytelling is one of the most powerful ways your organization can communicate its message with donors, supporters, and other key stakeholders. Stories also help your customers and clients understand your organization’s mission and values. A good narrative can also illustrate the problem you are solving and the solution you provide.

When told well, stories build relationships between the narrator and the listener. By sharing your organization’s story, your spokesperson can draw people in, get them to listen, and make them feel like they belong in your community.

In summary, the right spokesperson can be a powerful tool for your organization, but finding that person is not easy. Your selection requires careful consideration of communication skills, personality, and emotional intelligence. The more prepared you are to take your time and truly evaluate each candidate, the better off you’ll be when making your selection.

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