Want to Connect With Your Prospects? Get Emotional!

 We’ve all seen THOSE ads.  The ones that bring a tear to your eye, tug at your heart strings and make you want to take action.  Think the SPCA commercial with Sarah McLachlan crooning in the background.  Very impactful, very emotional.  Great marketing tactic.

What organizations like the SPCA are utilizing is emotional marketing – taking an extra step to connect with your target market’s emotions in order to persuade them to choose your brand or to raise awareness. This marketing strategy uses generalized emotions that can trigger people to create a connection that achieves a more promising brand loyalty than any other marketing means.

Millions of brands and organizations use emotional marketing to win their potential and target market’s hearts by siding with their brand.  This marketing tactic can and should be a part of your promotional plan for a variety of reasons.  But, before incorporating the emotional message, let’s take a look at what emotional marketing is and how it can help your business better connect with your target audience.

What Is Emotional Marketing?

Emotional marketing is a marketing strategy where brands use human emotions as a connection to persuade customers into choosing their brand. It shows that they are empathetic, relatable and in tune to the current tone and emotions of the world.  The emotional messages reveal happiness, sadness or anger - as these are general views that could be shared by millions of people on a relevant topic. (Nobody likes to see starving, abused and neglected animals outside in cages, right?)

Many companies respond to current affairs or relevant trends that are globally popular to choose a side with customers.  COVID and the ensuing pandemic is a prime example of how many companies changed their messaging – taking a stand for or against masking and vaxxing. While the “We’re all in this together” mantra was way overused, the impact of the switch to emotional marketing kept those companies relevant.

Using emotional marketing as a bridge between a brand and customers forms a deeper connection than any other form of marketing. The brand loyalty lasts longer and the response to purchasing or investing in the brand is higher than other marketing tactics. 

Is Emotional Marketing Right for Your Business?

Emotional marketing, if executed the right way, can produce fascinating and profitable results for companies. This is why many of the biggest global brands, such as Coca Cola or Apple, use emotional marketing on a regular basis.

If your business follows the same model or shares the same customer base, chances are emotional marketing may work for you as well.

• Triggering Memory and Nostalgia

The emotion of memory or nostalgia can recreate the happiest of moments. As a person’s memory subconsciously plays an important part in their daily life, many brands run advertisement campaigns that use aspects to trigger memory or nostalgia.

This is done for brands that have a rather older customer base where triggering happy memories in them can make people feel comfortable with the brand and may influence them to buy more of it.

Think McDonald’s and the McRib.  The ‘limited time’ offer(s) brings a hype and a trigger to where and when the consumer bought their first McRib.

• Impulse Buying and Helping the Customer Decide

The most influential way of marketing except for advertisements is emotional packaging.

Most brands have an active competitor they fight against. Like Pepsi for Cola, Burger King for McDonald’s, and Adidas for Nike.

If you offer a retail product, a good way to convince customers to choose your brand from the shelf rather than the competitor’s sitting beside it is by adding emotions in the packaging itself.

When the price and quality are the same, a customer decides solely on the visual impression a brand expresses. Use emotional colors or nostalgic designs that could appeal to the customers better and make them listen to their hearts.

• Moving People and Inspiring a Call to Action

If the brand chooses to side with a popular opinion on a global affair and convinces people, even if they’re not specifically their target market, to side with their cause using an emotional ad campaign or packaging, the brand can enjoy additional marketing done by the customers themselves through social media shares, comments, and promotions.

Once you understand what drives your customers, reference the above to create a broad marketing strategy based on making emotional connections. This strategy should include every link in the chain, from product launches and sales to marketing and service. Storytelling can be an indispensable tool here. Stories can be compelling and easy to share. They can help trigger the emotions you may need to get your desired outcome.

As Dale Carnegie said, “When dealing with people, remember you are not dealing with creatures of logic, but with creatures of emotion."

Emotional connections in the marketing field are not a secret strategy anymore — but they can be a real advantage. To be successful, find out how your customers feel and what they need and be able to identify what motivates them. This customer-oriented attitude and strategy can help you inspire customers' devotion.

If you are struggling to connect with your target audience,
SKConsulting can help create the story and message that best fits your brand.

Your Company Name Impacts Your Branding Path

 

When a business is started – or rebranded – perhaps the most essential decision to make first is determining the name. Choosing the right name is vital in setting your company up for success.  The wrong name can pave the path of destruction.  Why is choosing the right name so important for branding and marketing your business?  Check out some of the reasons we tell our clients. 

1.  Brand Recognition

In a world where new businesses keep popping up every day or are adding new services to broaden their reach, it is crucial to have a name that sets your company apart from the rest. The right name can help with brand recognition and make it easier for customers to remember you and find you online.

Strong brand identity starts with a great name. Therefore, you should register a company name (yes, research what names are already taken) that is unique to the world and to what you do. A catchy or clever name can also help with brand recall, which is especially important for small businesses that may not have the budget for traditional advertising.  But just because you think it’s catchy or cool, doesn’t make it so.  Do some market testing – even if it’s just with your friends or close circle.

2.  Helps you Stand out from your Competition

As more entrepreneurs and start-ups enter the competitive landscape, companies must work harder than ever before to stand out from their competitors.  One way to do this is by having a solid branding strategy, which begins with selecting the right company name.

A good company name can also create an authentic connection with customers, leading to loyalty and long-term relationships. Additionally, a good company name can help you attract top talent and investors.

When choosing a company name, make sure it is available as a domain name and trademark. It’s best to have the name of your company (or your slogan) as the URL.  If the domain name isn’t available, don’t get creative with it…get real.  If you’re having trouble choosing a name, consider hiring a branding consultant to help you.

With so much at stake, it’s essential to take the time to choose the right company name for your business. By doing so, you’ll be well on your way to establishing a solid brand that will help you stand out from the competition.

3.  Builds Customer Loyalty Trust

In order for a business to be successful, you have to win and maintain customer trust.  A company’s name is one of the first things customers will judge.  You only get one chance to make a first impression, right?  If your company has a confusing or unprofessional name, customers may not trust you enough to do business with you.

Make sure to choose a name that accurately represents your company, is easy to remember, and sounds professional. By putting thought into this important decision, you can create a successful brand that wins the trust of your customers.

4.  Helps Attract Top Talents

Experts and top talent want to work at a place in which they are proud to share.  It would be great to be recruited as a top-level executive and make great money, but if it’s for a company whose name embarrasses you, is all that money worth it?  Be smart.  Be creative.  Be unique.

Many employees would rather work for a company with an exciting name than a forgettable one. A strong brand and unique name will also help attract investors and partners.  But, don’t overdo it.

If you are looking to rebrand your business, it is also crucial to choose a new name that still accurately represents your company. The last thing you want to go through is changing your company’s name too often or going through the process of rebranding multiple times. Choose wisely!

5.  Attracts New and Returning Clientele

One thing that almost every business owner wants is new (and loyal) customers. A company’s name can play a role in how successful they are at attracting new clientele. A well-chosen company name will help potential clients remember your business and what it does.

In addition, a strategic name can help your business show up on the results page, which can lead more people to your website. Therefore, if you’re looking to increase your customer base, it’s essential to put some thought into choosing the right company name.

A Good Name and a Successful Business Needs a Good Marketing Strategy

Marketing is an integral aspect of any business, yet it can be challenging to get started. There are myriad of marketing channels to navigate and your name can help penetrate each of them in a positive way – with the right strategy.  You need to know your target audience and craft a message that resonates with them. But it all needs to be consistent.  You can’t have a catchy, fun, creative name and have a serious, preachy tone as part of your brand.  It’s confusing to your prospects. Your business name sets the tone.  Your messaging and marketing reiterate it and your delivery confirms it.

A strong brand can help you stand out from the competition. When people think of your company, they should immediately associate it with a specific quality or attribute. By choosing the right name, you can make sure that your company is associated with your authentic qualities. When you pick the right name for your business, you’re not just choosing a moniker to represent your company; you’re also laying the groundwork for an effective marketing strategy.

When choosing a company name, it is essential to consider all aspects of your business. The name should be easy to remember and spell, and it should communicate the type of business you are in.

If you need help creating your company name, brand and strategy, SK Consulting can help!

Marketing Should Be The Last Thing to Go

When businesses and non-profits feel the stretch of the dollar and their bottom line is negatively impacted, the first instinct is, more often than not, to cut the marketing budget.  Many view marketing as the easiest line item to slash, but it can be the hardest to recoup.  During a recession or a post-pandemic, the worst thing a business can do is go dark.  Saving a penny at that moment could cost you thousands down the road. Cutting your marketing budget can hurt your business long-term, even when it might help it slightly in the immediate future.

Before you decide to reduce or eliminate your marketing budget, consider the following:

1. What if your competitors keep their marketing intact?

You may consider cutting your marketing budget, but if your competitors don’t, where does that leave you? When you reduce your marketing budget, you decrease how and how often your customers see you — allowing your competitor(s) to move in.  Your customers notice if you’re NOT there for them.

2. Your customers can support you if you market your message right

The return on investment for your marketing strategy is still valid during tough economic times. When the economy is booming, your strategy is probably to drive sales and build relationships.  However, when everyone seems to be tightening their belts, you can and should be more focused on the relationship-build side of things – keep your customers invested in your success. They love you as much as you love them, and they don’t want to see your business struggle. Your marketing team can help you show the right amount of vulnerability and transparency, while still sending the message that you are still in business, offering the services they’ve come to expect and admire.

3. Your marketing team protects you

People often think about marketing as advertising, but it is so much more.  Your marketing team helps to tell your brand’s story.  That story should reflect market research on what your customers are searching for and are still willing to pay for.  As with COVID, businesses needed (and still need) to shift their messaging strategies to be reassuring, sensitive and empathetic.  Having a marketing team you trust can help shift and shape your message so that your mission and services are promoted – keeping your brand top of mind.

4. Your customers don’t want to feel abandoned

Your marketing strategy strengthens your relationship with your audience. A reduction in your budget can leave your customers wondering where you went—or worse, if your business has or is in the process of shutting down.

Show them you’re there.  Your messaging may be different.  Your tactics of reaching them may be different.  But your brand should not be different.  Your marketing team and strategies can tell your audience what you’re doing to keep their best interests in mind.  

5. It may be time to launch that new product

What?  Spend time and resources to launch a new product?  Yes!  You have less competition during a recession or tough economy, as other companies are focusing on staying afloat. They aren’t putting their time and effort into launching new products or growing their business. If you are in the position to, and you have ideas ready to launch, work with your marketing team to put your new product out into the world.  You may even be able to better negotiate advertising rates as media outlets are also looking to stay afloat.

6. You will not bounce back as easily

If you reduce your marketing efforts, it leaves you in a difficult position when you and your customers are ready to return to the economic cycle.  You’ve spent a great deal of time and money growing your brand’s reach. Rather than scaling back, discuss a strategy with your marketing team to find ways to keep your reach consistent. Once the economy is on an upswing, you will appreciate not having lost months — or years — of progress.

7. You’ll have a harder time reaching your overall business goals

No matter what the financial landscape, you want to continue moving forward. Your marketing team can help you keep your goals in mind and find new strategies to meet them. Don’t underestimate a marketing team’s versatility and the potential to keep your business growing, even when the economy is less than ideal.

Talk strategy before you make cuts!

Cut the panic, not the budget! Take a look at your budget prior to the pandemic or recession.  Where is there padding?  Where can you streamline operations?  Before you decide to cut anything from your marketing budget, discuss all options with your marketing team.  A versatile, professional and experienced team can and will work with you to achieve your goals – or define new milestones and benchmarks.  The true bottom line is your marketing team is your life line to the ‘outside world’. In reality, if you don’t succeed, they don’t succeed.  Show them that you have faith in their expertise and they’ll show you a positive ROI.

Your Personal Brand Determines Your Success

Personal branding is more than just a 30-second elevator pitch used to introduce yourself. While it is important to quickly and concisely explain who you are and what you can bring to the table, personal branding goes much deeper than that; it is a vital key to small businesses and entrepreneur success.

What Is Branding?

The definition of brand has evolved over time. Today, when most businesses talk about their brand, they are referring to the thoughts, ideas and feelings people associate with it and the image they are trying to convey to their target audience. Brand marketing is a way companies promote their products and services in order to attain the desired perception, distancing themselves from the competition and creating a bond with their customers.

What Is Personal Branding?

Just as a business’ brand is a representation of the company’s image as others see it, personal branding is the way others see you. It is what sets you apart from the world – what makes you uniquely you.

Why Personal Branding Is Important

As small business owners and entrepreneurs, your personal brand can be the strongest marketing tool you have. It can get your foot in the door with potential clients and help you establish a reputable standing in your industry.

1. Your business is tied to your name.

When it comes to new businesses, your name can be more valuable than the business itself. Who would you rather do business with: the company whose owner is constantly missing deadlines or the owner who goes above and beyond to deliver what is promised and then some? By having a strong, positive personal brand, you set your business up for success.

2. It answers why someone wants to work with you.

Being transparent with your views and opinions helps potential clients easily decide if they can envision working with you. If clients establish that their values are aligned with what your name represents, they will feel confident in their decision to work with your company. Your brand is also a way to show what you know and what you are passionate about.

3. It sets you apart from competitors.

By taking the time to define your personal brand, you’ll stand out from competitors. Even if you offer similar products or services, your personal branding can highlight what makes you different (or better) than anyone else. Ask yourself what makes you unique and build on that.

How To Build Your Brand

Everyone has a name. While your name is how your brand is identified, building the reputation to go with it requires time and hard work.

1. Define who you are.

What are the top three things you want people to know about you?  What are the top three things you want people to know about your business?  Take a look at where the two meet and start building your brand there.  Essentially, what do you believe in, stand for and excel in?  By being true to who you are and owning your strengths and weaknesses you build trust.

2. Speak up and share your knowledge.

Once you know who you are, the next step is sharing what you know. Don’t be afraid to speak up and offer your experiences and insights to your audience. By being open to answering questions, you will start to build yourself and your brand as an authority figure people will look to for answers.

Do not be closed off to people who have different opinions and views than your own. Remaining open to feedback can help you increase your knowledge of the topics being discussed.

3. Get your words out there.

Another way to share your knowledge and build your authority is by writing articles and participating in interviews. As you build your coverage and are quoted in more articles, your brand’s credibility will also increase. Blogs are a great tool to share your knowledge with the world in written form. What makes them even better is that writing with keywords in mind has the added benefit of making it easier for potential clients to find you through SEO.

4. Get connected online.

As you build your personal brand, make sure your message is consistent across all platforms. By keeping your message and information uniform it will be easier for people to find and follow you. When was the last time you searched for your name online? Do you remember what came up in the results? You need to be aware of how you look online so you can make sure what you want people to see is what is out there. It is a continual process of monitoring and improving.

5. Never stop learning

The world is constantly and swiftly changing and evolving. Stay on top of the latest trends and new technologies for your industry to increase your personal brand authority. If you are not striving to move forward, you’re sinking in place.

6. Share the conversation.

Follow the 80/20 rule.

While you want everyone to know who you are and what you are about, it shouldn’t always be about you. In social settings, do you only talk about yourself? If you do, people probably don’t stick around!

The same principle should be applied to your personal branding efforts.

• 80 percent of your content should engage with your followers through material that is not related to yourself or your business. Ask questions, show interest in others and be genuine in your contact.
• 20 percent should be self-promotional, informing individuals about your brand and any promotions or updates you may have.

By sharing the conversation with others, you open up the floor to engaging and interesting topics, meeting new people and creating a positive environment for people to follow.

If you are struggling to develop a personal brand that is clear, concise and consistent, contact the experts at SK Consulting.  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there with you every step of the way!

Attention Startups! Effective and Efficient Marketing is a Must!

We all would love to win the lottery.  And in the entrepreneur and startup world, landing a large investment at the onset is just as likely as winning said lottery.  So, it’s likely that you don’t have a great deal of cash to spend on marketing for your business. And that sucks.  But, you can still develop an effective and efficient, successful marketing plan – even with limited resources.  How?

The majority of startups don’t have enough money to hire a marketing expert right away. Therefore, it’s up to you to determine the best route to take to get the word out regarding your startup. If you’re working with a very small budget, the road to success can get tough. But, keep the faith because here are a few guidelines that will get you started in the right direction.

1. Solidify your brand.

You must have a solid concept regarding what your business is, what you desire to accomplish, and why it even exists before you can even think about launching a successful marketing campaign. Make sure you know exactly who you are, since understanding this will greatly help you determine how to position both you and your company.

·         Stay true to yourself.

Be yourself and stay true to your original business concept. Show people who you really are and don’t pretend to be somebody you’re not.

·         Determine why you’re unique and what sets you apart from your competitors.

This is your key selling point. What can you offer the world in a special and unique way that no one else can? If you’ve ever watched Shark Tank, you know how detrimental it is to show up without a solid understanding of what sets your business apart and what the competitive landscape is.  The Sharks will rip you apart…and so will your prospects.

·         Be consistent when presenting your image.

Don’t try to change your image to attract a variety of audiences. Present a consistent overall look and feel so you’re crystal clear about who you are.

If your business is experiencing an identity crisis, it’s best to address it prior to marketing your company. If a brand is continually changing their approach or image, it can be a huge red flag to potential customers. While every startup will inevitably face challenges that will make them rethink or even second-guess certain things, branding is the one aspect that you can control 100 percent right from the start.

Simple tip: Use the same company name and your name consistently.  If people know you as James T. Kirk, then use that name everywhere in exactly the same way.  Don’t be James on your business card and then Jim on LinkedIn.  The same is true with your company name.  

2. Clearly define your key goals and metrics.

The less money you have to work with, the more you need to be completely clear and detailed concerning your goals. Of course, you want to make money, but not every marketing endeavor is going to make money. Therefore, you need to figure out all the potential outcomes in terms of what you actually consider ‘success’; whether that means a certain amount of lead generations, more subscribers to your list, or more traffic to your website. All of these things combined mean more publicity regarding your startup and can eventually result in making more money.

3. Determine your budget.

This is a complicated, yet simple step. Determining your budget simply means figuring out how much cash you can actually afford to spend on marketing and how much time you can spend both planning and managing your marketing campaign?

This step often confuses people since they don’t exactly know the amount of money it requires to achieve results. It’s kind of like “which came first, the chicken or the egg” scenario.  Unfortunately, no magic number exists. For most startups, this dollar amount boils down to putting aside only as much as you can spare.

Tip:  Focus on internet spending first.  Other marketing avenues can come once money flows in.

4. Choose your target niche.

Although your products may appeal to the masses, that also presents somewhat of a problem when marketing your business. Overall, the more customers you desire to reach, the more money and time you will need to pull it off. Choose a segment, or niche, of your potential audience and focus on that. Not only will it decrease your marketing expenses, it makes sense regarding messaging.

5. Follow and engage with your audience through social media.

In order to succeed, you need to market your brand where your potential customers are. If your niche is in the fashion industry, using Pinterest is a great way to connect to your female-based audience. However, if you want to reach young male gamers, Pinterest is not the ideal social media channel to use.

Study the various social media outlets and find out where your target audience hangs out so you can connect with them. Spend your time and resources on the ones that are most conducive to your brand.

6. Focus on quality content and audience interaction.

Although you may not have a great deal to offer people in terms of discounts and giveaways in order to attract potential customers, you can present good, quality content that’s related to your target audience.

The most successful brands continually share interesting content that’s frequently not obvious advertising or a direct call for action. They often post and share ideas that their audience is most interested in. Interact with your audience. Directly connect with them by responding to their comments. This is huge in terms of building a long, trustworthy relationship with your potential customers.

7. Know your partners and potential partners.

Find key experts within your particular industry and start interacting with them. Follow your brand’s influencers on Facebook and Twitter without coming right out and asking them to directly promote you. Simply continue to comment and share the good content they keep posting. The key is to develop a solid relationship with people. You can do that by continuing to publish useful content that your audience can benefit from. Over time, one of your brand’s influencers will eventually notice it and then share it, which results in getting you exposed.

8. Listen and observe.

You can’t simply launch a marketing campaign and receive instant results. It doesn’t work that way in the real world. You must listen and pay close attention to what’s actually happening.  See what is trending in the news and on social media.

Chances are your initial marketing efforts will probably fail. Successful marketing is all about refining your methods so you can determine what works best for you. Go back and evaluate each step of your campaign. What areas can you improve upon? Are you targeting the wrong audience? Are you using the wrong social media channels for your particular niche?

Marketing your startup can be overwhelming.  There are so many components to consider that you may feel like a failure before you even start.  Don’t go it alone.  Enlist some help.  SK Consulting would be happy to help you effectively and efficiently navigate the marketing landscape.  From concept to creation to implementation – we’re there with you every step of the way!

Don’t Settle for Mediocre Marketing

The word fluffy can be used to describe a wide variety of things – a puppy, a diet-cramping dessert, a new bath towel.  All of those are acceptable.  But, when your marketing efforts are referred to or proven to be ‘fluffy’, that’s not a good thing.  That means it is not measurable, not accountable and it is unclear how it impacts the business – it’s mediocre. 

As a business owner, you need to understand what your message is, what your products and/or services are, and how you want to effectively market them.  We can all learn a lesson from Unilever’s founder Lord Leverhulme who stated, “Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted, and the problem is I do not know which half.”

Turn Fluffy into Functional and Fortuitous

Think of a chair. It may be a fairly beautiful chair; imagine its intricate carvings and a polish that reflects a flawless finish. But chairs aren’t for viewing.  They’re functional purpose is for sitting.

At the crucial moment of trust, we place a significant measure of personal pleasure or pain, joy or embarrassment in the functionality of a chair. No one desires to come crashing to the floor due to a mediocre chair construction process.

No one strives for mediocrity.

We all know that mediocrity is the result (at best) of minimal effort. Mediocrity simply accepts things as they are and does not push beyond normal desire to make anything better. Mediocrity, when accepted, is the acknowledgement that the goal isn’t truly worth pursuing and not valuable in the eyes of the pursuer. It is laziness in not finding new avenues to reach a desired goal…to think outside the proverbial box.

Does anyone value mediocrity? Is there any honor or prestige that accompanies that level of effort? Quite honestly, we all experience inherent shame in knowing that the effort could have been better and that it should have produced a more excellent result.

Commit to excellence instead.

In many ways, the concept of excellence is the foundation to all other guiding values in life. We may desire knowledge, wealth, or accomplishment; but, without a standard of excellence to measure our effort, we may be left with an empty hand or a half-finished journey. We are left with very little satisfaction from what we desire. Excellence frames for us a standard by which we measure everything we do. By setting a high standard of excellence, we convey a desire to do everything in the best way possible.

Most people will respond well to excellence. They will value the product of an excellent process, and they will trust the builder of the product if they see a commitment to an excellent method.

Now think of the well-made chair.

Imagine a chair made by an excellent craftsman, with hands skilled in the art of weight distribution and fingers controlled by a mind that is driven by excellence. The mind that is ever growing, ever improving, and seeking a better, more efficient way to build a better chair. The chair becomes more beautiful and sturdier, benefiting you and all who sit upon it.

Just like chairs, everything we build, or make, or do in this life should be done with a commitment to excellence.

Commit to excellence in both what you do and how you do it.

At SK Consulting, we don’t build chairs.  But, we do create effective and efficient marketing campaigns and materials – building trust within your target audience.  Don’t be mediocre in your marketing efforts.  Hire the experts who will help you not just reach your goals, but exceed them.

From concept to creation to implementation – SK Consulting is there with you every step of the way!

"Old-School" Branding Techniques Still Have a Place In Today’s Market

Everything is so fast-paced these days: You go to bed thinking you’ve mastered the world of technology and wake up to a brand new invention – the ‘latest craze’ in communication or business development. 

If you think it’s hard for you to keep up with change – think of it from a company’s standpoint.  They have to keep up and stay relevant, they have to adapt their branding, marketing and sales efforts at the same or faster pace than new technology emerges.

The show Mad Men encapsulated the old-school way of advertising – designing billboards and magazine ads relevant to those times.  These jobs still get done, just in a different way and with different tools.  Today, instant publishing is all the rage. Despite the changes that the marketing industry has experienced, some old-school branding and marketing strategies just as effective today as they were decades ago.   

The following are a few branding and marketing strategies that are just as valuable today as yesteryear:

Business cards. Business cards are less common now that texts and apps and email are so prevalent, but they’re still effective. Business cards visually represent you and your brand -- they have your logo and contact information, which should stand out in your prospect’s mind. When designing your business card, make it one that people will remember so that when a prospect needs your type of services, he or she will think of you first.

Snail mail. We all love getting personal mail.  Most of the time, our trips to the mailbox result in bills or advertising disguised as letters.  You don’t have to trick consumers into opening your mail in order to have a successful snail mail campaign. Although impersonal ads are disappointing, coupons and discount notifications are not. There are many card companies that can help you become more personal and relevant to your potential and current customers.

Public Speaking. Speaking at events is a great way to get your company’s name out to people already interested in your industry. Search out events related to your field or let connections know that you are available to speak; then prepare an address that is educational and meaningful and will make a lasting impression.

Think about the last time you attended an event about something you were interested in. Did any of the speakers stand out to you? Why?

Publishing testimonials.  At SK Consulting, we preach the need for testimonials. Customers turn to online reviews and testimonials all the time before making purchasing decisions or deciding which service provider they want to use.

Asking existing clients for testimonials and then publishing their words on your website and printed marketing materials helps establish trust.  Don’t forget to ask your customers to write a review on Facebook and Google – provide them the direct link to where their words can be published.

Sponsorships for community events. Whether a local high school football team or a charity walk to raise cancer awareness, an event that gets you involved in your community – and noticed -  will raise awareness of your company and the things you do. It makes for great PR as well because it shows that you and/or your company care about the community and are dedicated to giving back.

Cold calls. The term “cold calls” has a negative connotation because rejection is tough and some people just aren’t cut out for sales. Assigning one of those people to cold calling won’t result in much success. But, others do their best work when making cold calls.

With cold calls, you need a plan in place that includes a list of potential customers and a ‘non-scripted’ script. Once you feel confident in your pitch, call the prospects on the list. Don’t be afraid to digress a little bit or indulge in a personal conversation.

A branding redesign. If your brand has been around a while, it may be time for a redesign.  Although this can be a difficult undertaking, redesigning your brand, logo and the overall look of your company can get you a lot of attention. This is especially true if your branding is outdated. Old customers will enjoy a fresh new look while potential customers will get curious and pay more attention because, let’s face it, sometimes we do judge books by their covers.

Trade shows.  Whether you attend trade shows in your local area or travel to national and even global events, participating in and presenting at trade shows is a great way to increase brand recognition. Not only can you get your name out there, but you can show potential partners and customers your products, what they do and what else you have been working on.

The above strategies may not be the newest ways to brand and market your business.  But, they have been tried, tested and proven true. If you need help incorporating traditional strategies into your forward-thinking marketing plan, contact the experts at SK Consulting today!