Tag Archives: small business branding

Wichita small businesses: We just want you to look good in public

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Look, we know we don’t always have all the answers. In fact, it’s our ability to admit what we don’t know that makes us better able to serve our small business clients. So, when we give you a point of view, a perspective, a hint, a guideline, an opinion or an informed recommendation, our motives are pure.

You might say we’re a bit like the fashion experts on “What Not To Wear,” who take style-challenged individuals and help them make better decisions on, well, what to wear.

worst-dressed

Did someone tell her NOT to wear this?

One big difference is that many times, we small business marketing experts don’t offer our clients a radical makeover and a complete change of clothes.

But what we have in common with TV’s Stacy London and Clinton Kelly is that we try to take what’s on the inside of the person–in this case, the company, the owners and the brand–and create an outward representation that makes them feel comfortable while conveying that TRUE personality accurately to onlookers.

In other words, we don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater, so to speak. We try to take what’s best about your company and leverage it with a look and feel, and communication channels that best suit your business.

Unfortunately, not everyone listens to us–at least not the first time–and, like on “What Not To Wear,” we have to do our convincing in a little stronger manner. We’re not necessarily saying you shouldn’t stick with the brand-equivalent of the sequined tube top and Spandex® miniskirt, but you might want to look at some alternatives. After all, we’re only looking out for your best interests.

The other good news is that we can help you find solutions that fit you to a tee but don’t bust your budget.

And remember, it’s what’s on the inside that counts. Let your small business marketing experts help you bring that to the forefront. Because it’s not just about the pretty pictures and the clothes don’t make the person or the business. But we’ll make sure what’s on the outside represents you accurately and in a way that’s attractive to customers.

New Michelle Wie Kia Ad Campaign Signals Future of Small Business Marketing

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Worlds collided for me today when I saw sexy, sporty, sophisticated Michelle Wie in a television advertisement for Kia automobiles.

Why did that strike me as so unusual, you ask?

Well, it’s just that Michelle Wie, a Korean-American who plays what has become a decidedly American womens sport now dominated by Koreans was advertising for a Korean brand made from Korean parts assembled in America.

Whether you can follow all of that or not, it doesn’t matter. What does matter is the continual melding of what used to be disparate companies and nations into a truly global economy.

We see it every day on the television, online and in print. Many times, the brands don’t even make it apparent where they’re based, and we don’t take the time to look behind the scenes.

But that doesn’t matter, either. The point is, that barriers are coming down. Through technology, more rapid access to information and the blurring and blending of cultural lines, it doesn’t even necessarily mean a whole lot whether a Volkswagen is German or a Chrysler is American. In fact, they are as much Canadian and Italian, respectfully.

National labels are meant for food and beverages. Give me a Gruyere cheese. That’s fine. Other than that, brand nationalism is for a bygone era.

If brands like Kia can start making a name for themselves based on quality and the personification of a winner like Michelle Wie, then doesn’t it make more sense to build your small business brand on characteristics, rather than country lines?

Cause marketing is the right kind of marketing for small business owners

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It might sound crass, but some people are starting to get tired of the seemingly incessant pink tie-ins trying to increase breast cancer awareness. But that doesn’t do anything to blunt the effectiveness of cause marketing as a cost-efficient and loyalty-building promotional tool.

Here in Wichita, we have seen Dawson Grimsley of Davis-Moore Auto Group successfully employ cause marketing as a tool to obtain and retain customers. The company has made safe driving its pet cause, going so far as to make safe driving the main topic of many of its radio and television ads. But what makes the community-focused cause marketing even more effective is the well-known high level of financial giving and involvement of the company and its principal owner.

For small business owners, this kind of marketing makes perfect sense for a few reasons.

First, it’s usually money you’re going to spend, anyway, because the cause is important to you. Therefore, the out-of-pocket expense is like leverage, rather than redundant spending.

Second, when you choose the right causes, it’s a great way to send a message to your core audience that you care about the same things they care about. The marriage of passion and desire for profits is a powerful combination. Think about a company like Patagonia, which supports naturalist and outdoor causes. Or Chick-fil-A and Hobby Lobby, which close on Sundays. People buy from these companies loyally because their values are aligned.

Third, it’s a strategy that’s relatively easy to execute, especially in a Web 2.0 world.

Here are a few ways to boost your small business image and profile with cause marketing.

1. Create a cause on facebook by visiting http://facebook.com/causes. You can even invite others to give and ask them to raise money for the cause by inviting their friends to give.

2. Put a facebook badge or Web link for an existing cause on your small business Web site. It’s easy.

3. Whether your small business sells online, at the cash register or over the phone, offer your customers the opportunity to make a donation to the cause.

4. Publicize the fact that a portion of the proceeds from sales to your small business goes to the cause.

5. Sponsor events and put your small business advertisements in publications for your causes, e.g. newsletters and event programs.

There are a few guidelines that can help your small business be more effective in cause marketing.

First, make sure you have true strategic alignment. That means your values, your small business values, the cause values and your customers’ values all line up.

Second, just because it’s a good cause doesn’t mean you should just throw money at it. You still want to stay within your budget.

Third, cause marketing is measurable and you should track your return on investment compared to your goals.

When in doubt, create a new category for your small business

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Yellow Tail Wine

There’s a little bit of something for everyone out there. Don’t like the taste of Coke? Try Pepsi. Don’t like Pepsi? Try Dr. Pepper. Maybe you’re one of those people who doesn’t need a brand, just the functional flavor, refreshment and kick delivered by a caffeinated soda. So you prefer Big K Cola. Or maybe you define your identity by being the quintessential anti-brand person. So you drink Sam’s Club Cola.

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