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By Steve Hall

Hey there! Navigating the digital landscape can feel overwhelming. What strategies do you use to make your brand stand out in a competitive market? There are numerous ways of enhancing online presence, from crafting engaging social media posts and optimizing for SEO to improving user experience design. Just picture a brand voice that is so compelling and visuals that are so attractive that the audience has to keep returning for more. Whether you’re a pro at digital marketing or just starting, we’ve got your back. Let’s dive deep into ten creative strategies to elevate your brand’s online presence, creating long-term relationships with your client base. Ready to stand out? Here we go!

1. Develop a Unique Brand Voice

A unique brand voice is essential for a firm footing in today’s online world. Your brand voice should be consistent across all channels on which it is present to communicate company values, culture, and personality. Begin by identifying your tone–are you formal, casual, funny, or serious? You must find one that matches your target audience’s expectations and likes.

For example, if you work in the tech industry, you may want a professional yet friendly tone. Apple uses language like this: clear and plain but always representative of innovation and simplicity. On the other end of the spectrum, Wendy’s brand uses humour on its social networks, leading to high engagement rates as well as customer loyalty.

Stay consistent with everything, from blog posts to tweets, because they must reflect this particular tone wherever possible. Imagine one tweet, for instance, by your sustainable fashion label saying, “Every thread tells a story about sustainability # join us in making fashion green again.” This uniform tone helps develop an identity recognizable across platforms while forging deeper connections with customers.

Periodically review your brand guidelines, too, as they may need modifications when trends change, or people start having new preferences. This could mean adjusting your tone for relevance or updating the language to reflect new corporate values. A brand voice serves as your unique selling point, differentiating you from competitors and creating trust among your clients, who will keep coming back.

2. Leverage High-Quality Visual Content

High-quality visuals are crucial for capturing your audience’s attention and effectively communicating your brand’s message. Images and videos naturally appeal to people, making them powerful tools for engagement. Use professional photography and graphic design to ensure your visuals look well-polished.

You can present complex data using infographics that are eye-catching and easily understandable. For instance, a health brand could use an infographic showing the benefits of having a balanced diet, which grabs attention while educating at the same time. Infographics are known to be shared more frequently than other kinds of content, hence increasing their reach.

Video content is another powerful way of doing this; examples include tutorials, behind-the-scenes looks, or customer testimonials that enhance interaction levels–for example, creating a behind-the-scenes video of how your team makes products can add a human touch to your brand and strengthen its customer bond. On the other hand, customer testimonials increase social proof, thus improving credibility.

Ensure all visual elements are optimized for different platforms and devices, too, so that a high-resolution image on a website may be equally impressive on mobile devices. Use tools like Photoshop or online services like Canva to maintain quality standards when working on various formats.

By strategically implementing high-quality visuals, you can make your brand more appealing and engaging and achieve better results from marketing efforts.

3. Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for increasing your brand’s visibility on the internet. Conduct extensive keyword research to determine the terms or phrases your target market uses most frequently. Tools like Google Keyword Planner or Ahrefs can help you discover these valuable keywords. Integrate these keywords naturally into your website content, blog posts, and metadata, ensuring they flow seamlessly and enhance readability.

Creating high-quality, informative content that responds to your audience’s needs and interests is crucial. For example, writing detailed guides on using specific equipment or explaining why you should engage in various workouts would help attract organic traffic if you sell fitness gear. This enhances a brand’s search ranking and makes it an expert within its niche.

Make sure a mobile-friendly site that loads fast. Google’s mobile-first indexing using a mobile-optimized site can lift your rankings significantly. The above tool, Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test, will confirm if you are compatible with mobile devices while helping improve your website’s performance. A quicker-loading site improves user experience and reduces bounce rates, positively influencing SEO.

Keep updating your content regularly to make it new and relevant. Use analytics tools like Google Analytics to get insights about which content works best among your audience and adjust accordingly. Your team can continuously refine your SEO strategy to maintain your brand’s online presence and reach effectively.

4. Engage with Influencers

Working with influencers can significantly expand your brand’s reach and credibility. You may begin by identifying influencers who share your brand values and have a large following in your niche area of expertise. For example, if you own a beauty brand, partnering with popular beauty vloggers or Instagram personalities would make sense, thus exposing your products to a broader but more targeted audience.

Ensure that the influencers you choose genuinely support your brand and its products because authenticity is vital; followers can quickly tell when a partnership feels forced or fake, which could damage their trust in both parties involved as well as tarnish reputations – one way this could happen would be if an established fitness influencer creates a workout video using your fitness equipment while highlighting its benefits to engage their followers.

Many types of collaborations can be considered, such as product reviews, sponsored posts, or social media takeovers where the influencer takes control over your brand’s platforms for some time; however, sponsored posts work best when they include use and discussion about the company promoting the product. This provides social proof alongside building trust amongst potential customers, thus leading to higher conversion rates. Similarly, takeovers also help bring brands closer together, allowing them to promote each other’s fans to experience different sides of either business through a shared content creation process.

Always use analytics during such periods to track performance. Hence, engagement is measured vis-à-vis return on investment (ROI); remember that partnering strategically with the right people and ensuring authenticity throughout collaborations will not only increase visibility among wider audiences but also enhance credibility within the same space, thereby leading to increased interaction levels across the board.

5. Utilize Social Media Effectively

Social media platforms are excellent tools for establishing an online presence; therefore, use them wisely by developing detailed strategies tailored towards each platform and following them religiously till results start showing up. Start with regular posting. Just keep yourself visible at all times; let’s say you can come up with exciting contents that last a few seconds before disappearing like smoke on an Instagram story or reel so that users may notice them quickly due to their nature being short, snappy, and visually appealing (use of videos). LinkedIn is great for professional updates, networking opportunities, and sharing industry news and thought leadership articles.

The worst thing you can do on social media is not engage. Respond fast to comments and messages; this way, people will know they matter to you, too. Jump into conversations where your brand has some relevance, or even better, participate in those trending within your niche area. Doing so increases both party’s visibility–no one should ever feel left out here. Hosting live sessions, such as Q&As or product launches, can also create real-time interaction, fostering a sense of community and immediacy.

Consistency matters most; therefore, always be there lest somebody assume otherwise. Then everything goes downhill from that point onwards, only to realize later when it’s too late, giving wrong impressions about being inactive or uninterested in certain things altogether. Create a content calendar that covers all aspects of social media platforms, ensuring regularity across the board while using features to their fullest potential. Twitter polls could help gather opinions. In contrast, Facebook groups to build a community around your brand.

Monitor performance using analytics tools because, through them, we get to know what works best, enabling us to make necessary adjustments to improve engagement levels further, extending reach even more than before. This applies equally well whether targeted or mass markets are involved. Such being the case, it’s always good practice to keep oneself up-to-date with the latest trends regarding how people interact with various types of media associated with different devices since these two things tend to evolve hand-in-hand over time given technological advancements in the communication sector; thus, if done correctly social media can become a powerful tool for keeping brands top-of-mind among audiences which leads into sustained interest levels forever more.

6. Create High-Quality Written Content

Creating high-quality written content, including blog posts, articles, whitepapers, and case studies, is essential for attracting and retaining your audience. Focus on producing informative, engaging content relevant to your audience’s interests and needs. Well-researched and well-written content can establish your brand as an authority in your industry, driving traffic to your website and encouraging repeat visits. Regularly update your written content to ensure it remains current and valuable.

Thorough research is the foundation of any good content. For example, if you have a tech-focused brand, writing detailed guides on current tech trends or doing deep dives into new gadgets with reviews can help attract a loyal following. Make sure your content is well-structured with clear headings and concise paragraphs so that it is easy to follow and understand.

Using data and statistics to back up your points will add credibility to your words. Visual aids such as charts or graphs can also help make complex information more digestible for readers. Keep your work updated regularly to reflect the latest happenings and remain relevant.

Speak to your audience’s pain points by providing actionable solutions they can apply immediately. For instance, a finance services company could share practical tips on managing personal finances that help people solve real problems. Encourage interaction with comments or feedback sections, building a community around your content.

Creating high-quality written materials establishes trust among readers while positioning one’s brand as an industry authority figure, thus driving traffic over time.

7. Invest in Paid Advertising

Investing in paid advertising like Google Ads or social media ads can immediately boost brand visibility. These allow you to direct your message according to specific demographics, interests, and behaviours, ensuring it reaches the ideal audience.

Define the target group first. For example, if you own a fitness company, target people who are enthusiastic about health and well-being. Facebook and Instagram are platforms where one can create attention-grabbing advertisements using captivating imagery and as few words as possible that make the viewers’ eyes glued to them. A short video of someone doing a new workout or an endorsement from a happy client might be good ideas.

Track your ad’s performance regularly through analytics tools. This could include click-through rates, conversion rates, or even return on ad spend (ROAS). The information will help you determine what is working and what isn’t so that you can review your strategies accordingly. For example, when one ad set does well, you may increase its spending limit or use similar tricks in subsequent campaigns.

To achieve a balance between paid ads, use organic approaches. They make both immediate traffic jams and popularity while at the same time building long-term relationships with customers. Integration of both methods ensures a higher online presence and sustained growth of brands rather than either alone.

8. Foster Community Engagement

Loyalty and long-term engagement can be promoted through community building around your brand. A brand’s audience’s interaction with it is critically important in fostering familiarity with the people interested in its products. Use social media groups, forums, or specialized community sections on your website to boost conversation. For example, you may have a Facebook group where enthusiasts congregate and talk about everything concerning the brand: discussions, advice, and shared experiences.

You can also run contests or feature customer stories that encourage user-generated content. For example, by having customers submit pictures of themselves using your product to participate in a photo contest, you may increase awareness and make customers feel like they are part of its making process. You can demonstrate appreciation for this work on their websites or the company’s SNS and online networks.

Furthermore, active involvement entails responding to questions, supporting, and sharing valuable insights in these communities. If a customer asks you something in your forum, reply quickly and try to help them with whatever issue they might face. This positions your brand as friendly and trustworthy.

Also, regular events like live Q&A sessions, webinars, or community challenges would ensure sustained involvement among participants at any given time. These events provide real-time interaction and feedback opportunities, strengthening your brand’s and its community’s bond.

Moreover, creating solid and engaged communities can turn them into powerful advocates for your brand. Members likely share positive experiences with others, organically expanding their reach. Therefore, improving buyer loyalty through vibrant communities leads to evangelism networks that ensure long-term success.

9. Implement Email Marketing

Email marketing is among the most successful ways to connect with and interest customers. Construct an email list by providing helpful content like free manuals, exclusive discounts, or special event passes in return for email sign-ups. For example, an industry insights eBook can attract subscribers who want more information about your expertise.

Divide your email list into segments so that you can send personalized messages to different groups within your audience. Marketers can base segments on age, location, buying history, or any other relevant factors–this will allow you to make every message count by tailoring it specifically toward their needs and interests. You might find that people who have just bought something from you would appreciate some tips on using it better, while those who’ve subscribed for years might love hearing about loyalty discounts.

Send out newsletters regularly that contain updates and promotions, but don’t forget about valuable content, either! Share behind-the-scenes glimpses into your company culture or upcoming product launches so that people stay engaged with what you’re doing, even if there’s nothing new for them right now. Make sure all emails are designed well enough to look good on mobiles, too – most of us read our mail on phones these days.

Measure open rates, click-through rates (CTRs), and conversion rates (CVRs) using analytics tools like Google Analytics or Mailchimp’s built-in reports. These numbers will help identify which parts of each campaign worked best and why, allowing future improvements in targeting efforts. For example, if many people click through product reviews, maybe try including more such links next time.

Consistently adjust your strategy using the data you gather. Experiment with different subject line content formats and send times to see what works best. By implementing a thoughtful, data-driven email marketing strategy, you can maintain strong engagement with your audience and drive consistent traffic and sales for your brand.

10. Monitor and Adapt Your Strategy

Due to its dynamic nature, the digital landscape requires constant reviewing and adaptation to your online strategy. This can begin with using analytics tools that enable you to observe how efficient your content, social media, SEO efforts, and paid advertising are. Tools such as Google Analytics, SEMrush, and social media insights can help one understand what works and what doesn’t

Identify trends and patterns in your data. For example, if one blog post consistently attracts massive traffic, create more in this style. On the other hand, if a particular social media campaign fails to capture any audience’s attention, the designers may have mis designed it, and thus, it needs readjustment. Therefore, those facts in the form of data drive decisions, which are very important when optimizing strategies.

They are keeping up with industry trends and emerging technologies to stay ahead of the curve. Subscribe to industry newsletters, attend webinars, and follow industry leaders for insights on recent developments. For instance, as marketing tools become increasingly AI-powered, there are various new ways through which brands can customize customer interactions while enhancing efficiency.

For marketers to truly understand their target market preferences, they need regular feedback. Therefore, let your clients give you feedback about their needs through multiple channels, like surveys–for example, after purchasing products–feedback forms or engaging them directly on social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, etc. Companies can determine customer satisfaction rates by issuing brief surveys after purchase to identify areas for improvement.

Thus, adapting your strategies based on these findings will ensure that your brand remains relevant and effectively attains its goals. By continually monitoring and refining your approach, you will successfully navigate through the ever-changing digital landscape while maintaining robust engagements, achieving long-term success for your brand.

Summing Up

In conclusion, elevating your brand’s online presence requires a multifaceted approach that blends unique content, strategic partnerships, and continuous optimization. By implementing these ten creative strategies, you’ll build a strong, engaging, and recognizable online presence that drives growth and success for your brand. Ready to take your brand to the next level? Start by crafting your unique brand voice, leveraging high-quality visuals, and engaging with influencers. Don’t forget to monitor and adapt your strategy to stay ahead of the competition. Dive into these strategies today and watch your brand thrive online!

By Steve Hall

Sourced from AdRANTS

By Jodie Cook

Anyone can write a landing page, run some ads and start a business. It’s not difficult. But very few can build a brand that stands the test of time. One with happy, repeat customers, a solid reputation, and a commitment to quality in every transaction. Businesses that started decades ago have one thing in common: they cracked the code of longevity. They figured out what was working and doubled down. They listened to their customers. They didn’t give up until they were established. Set up your long-term brand right now and you’ll see more success in the short term too.

Chris Orzechowski is a brand growth strategist and founder of agencies including The 100 Year Brand. His work has generated over $120million in revenue for e-commerce brands, including Carnivore Snax, Gold Medal Wine Club, Factor 75, and author of Rich Dad Poor Dad Robert Kiyosaki. Orzechowski wrote the bestselling book, The Moat: How to Build a Durable, Profitable E-Commerce Brand That Can Last Forever, and has trained over 5,000 students in his marketing and brand growth practices.

Orzechowski wants to help you build a brand that never dies, and these 5 ChatGPT prompts make the ideal place to start. They have been modified to include the 9 crucial components of an effective prompt. Copy, paste and edit the square brackets in ChatGPT, and keep the same chat window open so the context carries through.

Build a brand that goes the distance with ChatGPT

Define your X-factor

In a sea of sameness, you can only compete on price. And no one wants to do that. Stand out for something else. Find your X-factor. According to Orzechowski, this is “the thing about your brand that means consumers inconvenience themselves to buy from you instead of taking a more convenient or cheaper option.” You should know exactly what your X-factor is so you can lean into it more. Use this prompt to clearly articulate the difference between you and everyone else.

“My company provides [outline your offering] for [outline your target audience]. I want to identify what specifically makes my brand unique and compelling to establish my “X-factor”. Acting as a brand specialist, analyze my brand and its offering to ascertain why a customer might prefer my brand over more convenient or cheaper alternatives. Start by opening a dialogue and ask questions, one by one, about aspects including product quality, customer experience, brand values, or any other unique selling points, to establish my X-factor. After five questions, suggest how I can further enhance and communicate this X-factor to make my brand even more irresistible to potential customers. Include the strategies I should employ to emphasize these unique qualities in my marketing and branding efforts.”

Build a moat around your business

Waste no energy being defensive by protecting your business interests. Spend more time on the offense, executing your plan of attack. “This prompt helps you forecast disruptions in your industry and come up with a plan to thrive,” said Orzechowski, who knows running a company on the back foot is no way to operate. Ask for ChatGPT’s assistance on what might be around the corner so you can cover every base and thrive during any turmoil.

“Given what you know about my company, our target audience and how we differentiate ourselves, help us prepare for future change, especially the impact of AI and other new technologies and how they might affect our revenue and position in the marketplace. Our ultimate goal is to build a moat around our brand so our company can survive and thrive for the next 100 years. Acting as a business analyst, outline the 5 steps I should take to ensure my company’s success over the next century.”

Assess your brand voice

“Brand voice is an abstract concept,” explained Orzechowski. “But this prompt will make it concrete.” He said it’s especially important if you’re hiring marketing team members or agencies, because “you need to be able to communicate your brand voice, as esoteric and ethereal as it might be.” If you can’t delegate work to others, your company will stay small and won’t fullfill its potential. “This prompt will list the key elements of your brand voice so your team members or partners can incorporate it into your communication.”

“Act as a brand strategist and analyse the attached origin story of my brand. My objective is to be able to confidently delegate the creation of marketing copy in the style of the document pasted below. Answer the following questions in a way that’s helpful to a marketing manager responsible for creating content from the analysis. 1) How would you describe the style and tone of this copy? 2) What would this copy suggest are key life goals and obstacles for my customers? 3) How does my brand aim to help them? After answering these questions, list the 5 key elements of my brand that should be incorporated into all marketing messaging. Here’s the copy: [Include the copy].”

Lock in your acquisition

Prospects in your pipeline mean nothing until they have converted to paying clients. Without paying clients, you don’t have a business. Orzechowski explained that, “every customer you acquire is a future cash flowing asset. But getting the cash to flow requires them to make that first purchase.” And that’s where most businesses fall down. Find out why people aren’t buying right now by analysing the ones who already said no. Dig into the lost reasons; the causes for someone to look elsewhere or decide to do nothing. The more data you have, the more you can find out how to compel products into a purchase. Secure the medium term of your business and the long term takes care of itself.

“I want to find out the main reasons prospects don’t turn into customers. I’m pasting a list of lost reasons by the number of times they were used. We also have [number] prospects in our existing pipeline who haven’t yet gone ahead. Act as a positive business analyst and use the data we have to suggest our main weaknesses in customer acquisition and suggest tactics we could try to (a) re-engage people who previously said no and (b) go out to current active prospects with a more compelling offer.”

Punch up your emails

Build a 100-year brand with email campaigns that can run autonomously. Make your email campaigns an extension of your high quality brand, not set up for a quick buck. When you get this right, your prospects will turn to customers as if by magic. You won’t need to change them up, you won’t need to spend any time writing new ones. Orzechowski said this is, “one of the easiest ways to increase your sales” and recommends using ChatGPT as your “writing assistant and copy chief.” He believes business owners often “forget crucial conversion elements that diminish the power of your sales message.” This prompt will help you double check your work so you can handle your customers objections before they even think of them.

“I’m writing an email to [describe the people on your email list] with the purpose of selling [describe the product the email is designed to sell]. Acting as a marketing specialist, analyse the copy and tell me its strengths and weaknesses from a conversion perspective. Using what you know about my business and its X-factor, highlight any key points missing from the copy. Make suggestions on improvements I can make to ensure the email is more compelling, true to my brand voice, and more likely to convert.”

5 ChatGPT prompts to build a 100-year brand

If you could get everything right today, your business’ upward trajectory would start from now. As your customer base grew, so would its reputation, website power, pipeline and number of referrals. More customers would tell their friends, more of your future would be secure. Start the ball rolling with these five key elements. Define your X-factor, build a moat around your company, and assess your brand voice to communicate with clarity. Lock in your acquisition by assessing prospect lost reasons and punch up your emails with ChatGPT’s critical eye. The next century starts today.

Build a brand that goes the distance with ChatGPT

Define your X-factor

In a sea of sameness, you can only compete on price. And no one wants to do that. Stand out for something else. Find your X-factor. According to Orzechowski, this is “the thing about your brand that means consumers inconvenience themselves to buy from you instead of taking a more convenient or cheaper option.” You should know exactly what your X-factor is so you can lean into it more. Use this prompt to clearly articulate the difference between you and everyone else.

Feature Image Credit: CHRIS ORZECHOWSKI

By Jodie Cook

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Founder of Coachvox AI – we make AI coaches. Forbes 30 under 30 class of 2017. Post-exit entrepreneur and author of Ten Year Career. Competitive powerlifter and digital nomad.

Sourced from Forbes

BY EMILY REYNOLDS BERGH

Having a solid brand and getting your brand publicized are two distinct things. Here are insights on how to increase your chances of garnering your brand’s media coverage.

Let’s clarify something right from the start: crafting your brand and promoting your brand are two distinct functions. The first is a wholly creative process, usually the foundational floor you lay before ever adding one brick to your business. Your brand is a look, a feel and a message. It has a tone, a personality, a presence — it’s what you’re all about.

Getting that brand presence out there into the world is a whole different matter, however. It has to land with your audience, align with the current marketplace and resonate with investors and stakeholders. And when it comes to the media — those individuals and outlets that are hugely influential in determining which brands will be highly publicized and which brands will flounder amid the vast landscape of competitors — you actually have to sell them on your brand.

How do you do that? By piquing their curiosity and capturing their attention. Securing media coverage depends on enticing influencers to take a closer look at your brand, then (consequently and hopefully) widely disseminating all the good news about your company that you already know.

Here’s what I’ve discovered about selling a brand to the media in my 20+ years as a public relations specialist.

Selling point #1: A compelling story

Media people are people first, journalists second, and just like me and you when we’re out shopping around for something new, they want to be interested in something potentially enriching and exciting. Nowadays, the route to elicit that interest is captivating storytelling. In fact, at the heart of any on-point media pitch is compelling storytelling, and although it’s your publicist’s job to compose a narrative that integrates your brand’s journey, values and impact, it’s your job to make sure that narrative is relatable and emotionally engaging by infusing it with authenticity and originality.

For example, there might be nothing new to say under the sun about Brussels sprouts. But when one of my restaurant clients started telling me one day about how his exposure to community gardening as a boy when he was volunteering with his uncle led to his passion for organically grown farm-to-table produce, suddenly my pitch about “Uncle Bernie’s Brussels Sprouts” on his menu came alive with character and flair. I had a similar experience with an interior designer who just started sharing with me how sitting on the floor as a child watching her mother paint in the basement led to her obsession with color and space. Voilà, I had my brand pitch.

The point is: To do something that has invariably been overdone, infuse it with the personal because that’s the direction in which media coverage is moving. Your product or service doesn’t matter as much these days as your givebacks, your community imprint or your origin story. Media professionals are always on the lookout for something with a touch of uniqueness — appeal to their humanity by delivering that in the way that only you can.

Selling point #2: Clarity and conciseness

Next comes appealing to the ear. The media industry is abuzz with announcements of the “latest and greatest” this or that and is positively awash in a sea of submitted content. To get your piece to rise to the top instead of drowning, recognize that time is a precious commodity in this fast-paced industry and act accordingly.

When pitching your brand, ensure that your messaging is succinct and easily digestible. Clearly articulate what makes your brand singular and why that should matter to the modern consumer. If you can showcase how your brand addresses a specific need or accords with a particular trend in the market, all the better. Short and punchy; a well-crafted elevator pitch — that’s what the media wants to hear.

Selling point #3: Visual interest

Appealing to the eye is equally vital to lure attention to your brand, and this step is actually fun to pursue. Enhance all your brand materials with visually arresting images, high-quality and thought-provoking photos, spiffy infographics and entertaining video snippets. All should support your brand’s story and messaging, and yet all do so in graphic format instead of text-only language. People like this; the media loves this — you’re supplying them with ready-to-use content that’s already primed for public viewing!

Selling point #4: Data-driven impact

A picture may be worth a thousand words, but in business spheres, facts will almost always trump even the most imaginatively composed fiction. The story still matters — the story will always take centre stage — but you’ll want to back up your brand’s story with concrete data and evidence of effectiveness.

The media is drawn more to brands that can demonstrate quantitative, not just qualitative, success, so brand pitches are an ideal place to seamlessly work into the narrative customer satisfaction ratings, market share percentage and social impact. Appeal to the intellect here by incorporating applicable statistics, case studies and testimonials that speak to the relevance of your brand in the market and give your story backbone and validity.

Selling point #5: Media-friendly assets

Lastly, don’t underestimate the value of supplying the media with eye-catching, user-directed assets that have been custom-tailored to present your business in its best possible light, in its most irresistible packaging. You’re appealing to the media’s sensibilities here with materials that serve as excellent resources to supplement and support the pieces you’re hoping they’ll write or air.

I recommend creating a media kit that includes high-resolution images, print-ready logo formats, links to video content, key points that make you stand out and any other pertinent information that will infuse journalists’ articles with details and descriptions exclusive to your brand. Then, when requests for interviews start coming in, be responsive and make yourself easily available. The objective for brand pitches — for any kind of pitch, really — is to snag the media’s interest in further exploring your brand. When you get them on the line with your hook, the sale has been made!

BY EMILY REYNOLDS BERGH

ENTREPRENEUR LEADERSHIP NETWORK® CONTRIBUTOR

Founder at R Public Relations Firm. Emily Reynolds Bergh — vintage-shoe hoarder, cycling junkie, & lover of pink drinks — is a marketing & PR pro with 15+ years of experience under her belt. Now the founder & owner of the award-winning R Public Relations based in New York, she’s been featured in numerous publications & podcasts.

Sourced from Entrepreneur

By Jeff Stillwell

In the age of big-box online retailers, social media influencers and the option of next-day delivery on most online purchases, brands are often left to wonder how (and if) traditional retail growth should be prioritized. Over my 25 years working in the apparel industry, I’ve found the answer to be a resounding yes. Based on this experience, here’s my playbook for successful retail expansion in the e-commerce era.

1. Don’t guess; follow the data.

Most executives know that it’s important to delegate and defer to the expertise of others when needed. For our company, when it came to selecting locations for new storefronts, I knew that we needed real expertise in real estate and market research. So we engaged a company to assist with site selection. This taught me the importance of analyzing metrics such as total population, local home values and average incomes.

Another important data point when considering a storefront is tourism data: What percentages of potential visitors live in the area, and how many are visiting? This analysis can help ensure you’re meeting your current customers where they are. Additionally, examining demographic data such as age, income levels and lifestyle preferences in the target location can provide valuable insights for tailoring your retail storefront to the local community. Understanding the landscape of competitors, including similar businesses and their success rates, can also help you with strategic positioning.

Lastly, evaluate the accessibility and convenience of the chosen location, like transportation infrastructure and parking facilities. These features can be essential to enhancing the overall customer experience and attracting a diverse clientele.

2. Use retail spaces as an interactive way to tell your brand story.

Once you’ve identified the ideal spot for a new store, focus on the experiential aspects of the build-out. Even as you expand to new markets, keep in mind what your current and future customers expect when they come to your location, and ensure the same top-quality experience across all of your locations, from the look and feel to messaging and staff training. Staying committed to making your brand story tangible can allow you to take the next step toward incorporating unique design touches and merchandising that will make customers in the area feel understood.

3. Make smart decisions, and don’t be afraid of rapid growth.

When pursuing expansion, it is important to develop a robust strategy. Instead of spontaneous choices, devise long-term strategies that incorporate potential growth avenues. Keep an eye out for market situations that present favourable conditions, and stay in tune with sector trends and consumer patterns in order to make informed decisions. By recognizing and adjusting accordingly to demand swings, your business can flourish and become more resilient—which helps make long-term growth sustainable.

While strategically growing my company’s retail footprint, our key takeaways have pointed to the continued importance of traditional retail in an e-commerce-driven world. By emphasizing data-driven decision-making, the branded experience your storefronts provide and a diversified channel mix, you can achieve informed, strategic growth. In an era of uncertainty and rapid change, embracing opportunities, investing in expertise and maintaining a strong physical presence can be pivotal as you forge lasting connections with your customers.

Feature Image Credit: GETTY

By Jeff Stillwell

Jeff Stillwell is president of Salt Life, LLC, and a 25-year veteran of the apparel industry. Read Jeff Stillwell’s full executive profile here.

Sourced from Forbes

By Hannah Cranston 

Let this year be where your brand’s story becomes not just told but celebrated.

The onset of a new year brings a fresh perspective, encouraging leaders to evaluate and enhance how they communicate and connect with their audiences. Brands and their leaders are presented with the opportunity to redefine and strengthen their public relations (PR) and media approaches. The new year is a time for innovation and growth, and in the realm of PR, it’s about crafting strategies that resonate with your audience and set your brand apart.

Let’s explore five transformative strategies that can redefine how you approach PR this year, ensuring your brand remains at the forefront of innovation and engagement.

1. Be proactive, not reactive

The cornerstone of a robust PR strategy is proactivity. Anticipating trends, understanding your audience’s evolving needs, and preparing your narrative well in advance can position your brand as a leader rather than a follower. However, the magic lies in balancing this preparedness with the ability to pivot.

The PR landscape is dynamic, and success often hinges on your ability to swiftly adapt to unforeseen events and trends. Your PR strategy must continuously monitor the media landscape, understand emerging platforms and identify potential opportunities or threats. It’s about having a strategic plan in place while being ready to make quick, informed decisions when the unexpected occurs. This blend of foresight and flexibility enables a brand to stay relevant and engaging in our fast-paced world.

2. Storytelling over selling

Consumers seek more than just a product or service; they crave a connection, a story they can be part of. This shift necessitates a move from straightforward selling to compelling storytelling. Crafting narratives that encapsulate your brand’s ethos and resonate with your audience’s aspirations creates a deeper, more meaningful connection. These stories should be authentic, relatable, and, most importantly, reflective of your brand’s values.

Effective storytelling in PR is about weaving a narrative that informs, inspires and engages the audience. It’s about finding the unique elements of your brand’s story and telling them in a way that creates an emotional resonance with your audience, making your brand memorable and impactful.

3. A 360-degree approach

In today’s multifaceted media landscape, relying solely on digital media can limit your brand’s reach. A holistic approach encompassing podcasts, Instagram Lives, broadcast media, and more can significantly enhance your PR strategy. Each medium offers unique opportunities and access to different audience segments.

For instance, podcasts can provide a more intimate way to convey your story, while Instagram Live can foster real-time engagement. This diverse approach ensures a more comprehensive and impactful reach. A 360-degree approach also means integrating your PR strategy with other marketing efforts, ensuring a consistent brand message across all platforms. It’s about leveraging each medium’s strengths to create a cohesive and far-reaching brand narrative.

4. Think beyond the press release

While the traditional press release still has its place, today’s PR landscape calls for a more creative approach. It’s about breaking the mould and finding innovative ways to share your story. This could mean crafting immersive digital experiences, collaborating with influencers in unique ways, or leveraging emerging technologies to create engaging narratives.

The key is to think outside the box, offering your audience something fresh and unexpected, which in turn can generate more interest and coverage. It’s about creating content that not only informs but also entertains and engages your audience, making your brand stand out in a crowded media landscape.

5. The power of delegation

Hiring a dedicated PR team is a game-changer for any business looking to elevate its public image. The complexity and nuances of modern PR require specialized skills that only a dedicated team can provide. A PR team allows the brand to have experts solely focused on PR, ensuring that each campaign is well-crafted and aligns perfectly with the brand’s overall goals and image. This dedicated team becomes the brand’s storytellers and reputation guardians, adept at navigating the ever-changing media landscape and adeptly crafting the brand’s presence in the public eye.

Let this new year be the moment you ignite a transformative journey in your PR endeavors. Envision your brand not just as a participant in the market but as a trailblazer, setting new standards in how stories are told and connections are made. Let the passion for your brand fuel innovative strategies, and allow the expertise of a dedicated PR team to amplify your voice.

By Hannah Cranston 

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor

Hannah Cranston is CEO of HCM, a PR & communications agency that helps changemakers share their story with the world. HCM’s clients have run for President, developed a TV series, created a YouTube channel with millions of followers, interviewed the top business leaders in the world, and gone viral!

Sourced from Entrepreneur

By Jon Michail

Nowadays, everyone wants to “build their brand” and grow their social media following. But authentic personal branding goes far beyond vanity metrics on Instagram or X (Twitter). At its core, your brand is simply your reputation — what you’re known for based on the value you consistently provide over time.

While social platforms are tools for amplifying your message, your brand exists with or without them, like before social media. Your message will differ in strategy if you have a mass-market brand compared to a niche market brand. So, don’t equate the size of your following with the strength of your brand.

You should focus on the 11 things I’ve highlighted instead.

1. Focus on providing real value

Gaining likes or followers shouldn’t be the goal. You want to attract engaged “true fans” who eagerly consume whatever you share because it enriches their lives somehow. That comes from consistently publishing original non-AI content they can’t find elsewhere.

Social media rewards quick, superficial content. But bite-sized posts alone won’t build authority. You also need in-depth educational content like blogs, videos, and courses. Demonstrating deep expertise earns trust and loyalty.

2. Be multi-dimensional

The most powerful personal brands showcase diverse talents, not just one narrow identity for social media. Consider what makes you uniquely you. What are your varied interests and abilities beyond any one label? Find creative ways to showcase those multi-faceted aspects through diverse content forms.

For example, Chef Joshua Weissman is known for his fun cooking videos. But he also posts candid vlogs, music parodies, and lifestyle content to show more of his personality. Sharing broader perspectives beyond a single niche makes you more relatable.

3. Focus on giving, not just taking

On social platforms, it’s easy to get caught up in a mindset of maximizing what you can get – followers, shares, and sales. But the most influential people focus on how they can give value to others first. When your audience feels you’re invested in their interests, they’ll invest in you.

Rather than trying to hook followers with self-promotional content, offer something useful for them. Teach a new skill, share hard-won lessons, and recommend helpful tools. Aim for content that improves people’s lives, not just grows your metrics.

4. Let your work speak for itself

There’s an art to self-promotion on social media – you want to get discovered. But nothing turns people off faster than constantly bragging about yourself. Show, don’t just tell. Let the quality of your evidence-based work demonstrate your talents so people spread the word for you.

5. Establish yourself offline too

While you can build a brand through digital content alone these days, having offline elements bolsters credibility. Speaking at events, getting media coverage, publishing books/courses, and other real-world achievements help take you to the next level. Look for opportunities beyond social media.

6. Stay authentic

In the quest for likes and follows, presenting an exaggerated or idealized version of yourself and life is tempting. But trying to mould your image into someone else’s idea of a “personal brand” just rings hollow. The most magnetic people share their real, unfiltered selves. Don’t become a caricature.

7. Take a long-term view and listen first, market later

Growing an engaged audience organically takes time. Social media rewards rapid output and trends. But consistency over the years is more important than any one viral post. Your audience will stick with you when they relate to you as a real person, not just a content machine. Play the long game.

Here are more ways to build a powerful personal brand beyond just social media metrics:

Relentless self-promotion fails to make real connections. Instead, listen to your audience’s needs first before deciding where you can provide value. Pay attention to comments and questions to identify pain points you can address. Let them guide your content.

8. Collaborate with those outside your niche

Partnering with complementary creators, even in other fields, helps expand your reach. Introduce your audience to someone new and vice versa. But choose collaborations strategically with those whose work has substantial value, not just because they have a big following.

9. Represent yourself professionally

How you present yourself in business contexts also contributes to your brand. Pursue speaking engagements, write guest articles for prominent publications and participate professionally on social media. Becoming an industry thought leader establishes credibility beyond just popularity.

10. Invest in original content and don’t neglect non-social channels

Great photography, graphics, and other production values elevate your content and brand. However, learning new skills or hiring help requires investment. Consider the return in terms of increased audience engagement and marketplace authority.

While social platforms are great for awareness, channels like email newsletters better cultivate lasting relationships. Someone may casually scroll past your post, but subscribers who opt into your newsletter are highly engaged fans. Don’t over-rely on social channel algorithms. Social media companies are deliberately changing the algorithms to keep you chasing your tail.

11. Live your brand values

To attract your ideal audience, identify your core values and express them consistently through your content and conduct. Standing for something gives your work a deeper meaning. People will support brands whose beliefs align with their own. Authenticity draws the right crowd.

Owning your niche often means filling gaps others miss. Provide resources you wished you had. Interview people you’re curious about. Share details no one else covers. Becoming known for addressing unmet needs makes you indispensable. The most powerful personal brands are built on passion. Let your enthusiasm for your niche fuel consistent, high-quality, original content. That passion is contagious.

Conclusion

Don’t just focus on vanity metrics and social media image. Build a multi-dimensional personal brand by providing value in diverse ways over time. Your long-term aim is cultivating true fans who are enriched by your work, not just chasing engagement. Be intentional and keep on giving real value, and the right audience will keep finding you.

By Jon Michail

Entrepreneur Leadership Network® Contributor. Jon Michail is the CEO and founder of Image Group International, an Australia-based corporate and personal-brand image advisory and coaching organization that conducts transformational seminars, workshops and one-on-one coaching in over four continents.

Sourced from Entrepreneur

Sourced from The Network Journal

Online competition for attention and engagement has never been more intense and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is exponentially increasing this tension, experts note. They advise leaders to get their personal and business brands AI-ready in order to stand out from the crowd and compete.

One such expert is Karen Tiber Leland, founder of Sterling Marketing Group, a branding and marketing strategy firm specializing in personal, business and CEO branding.

“Any CEO or entrepreneur who is not preparing their personal and business brands for the coming AI tidal wave is in a dangerous place,” Leland says.

Because AI language models (such as the hyper-popular ChatGPT) rely on large datasets of text from the Internet to learn and generate responses, she explains, “You have to teach Google who you are and what your company is about — across the net…If you don’t have online discoverability, credibility and relatability, you can’t compete.”

Not having enough quality content that Google can find creates AI generated generic responses about a brand based on the limited information available, she notes.

In a recent test, Leland asked AI about CEO clients who had very little online presence. “The response was, ‘I don’t have enough information to provide an accurate response,’ or, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know much about this person,’” she says. “Not being on the radar becomes a huge opportunity cost.”

Below are seven essential steps Leland recommends taking to prepare personal and business brands for AI and explains why.

Stop avoiding AI and embrace education and experimentation. The more you avoid AI, the further behind you will get. One way to stop avoiding AI and prepare your brand is to educate yourself with the abundant online resources and experiment to see how it could work for your personal and business brands.

Accept the need to create a parallel CEO brand. Although 82 percent of all Americans (88 percent of older millennials) agree that companies are more influential if their CEO and executives have a personal brand, many C-suite leaders still believe they don’t need to create one, Leland says. “What they fail to understand is that they already have one. It is just a matter of if they want their brands to be by default or design.”

Consistently create an abundance of online, high-quality content. AI models can better understand and generate contextually relevant and accurate responses as they become more advanced. If your content is visible on Google and considered an authoritative source, it is more likely to be referenced by AI models when generating answers to relevant queries. Content can be articles, blog posts, podcasts, media interviews, social media posts, videos, etc.

Take a fresh look at your target audience. Knowing whom you are trying to reach and their concerns is critical in being AI-ready. AI itself can be a good source of gaining data and insights about what your target audience is now wanting and needing. This allows you to create brand messaging and content that resonates with them.

Monitor your online reputation monthly. Keeping track of when you are mentioned online, by whom and what is said is necessary in today’s wired world. A whole host of AI online reputation management tools can help you stay on top of your personal and business brands and allow you to address any issues sooner rather than later.

Flip the focus of your social media. A robust social media presence is undoubtedly essential in building a brand. Leland says the problem is that 80 percent of most companies’ posts focus on the company, with only 20 percent being educational or entertaining. The key is to start having 80 percent of your posts written around keywords, industry topics, trends, customer interests and thought leadership.

Teach Google who you are and what you stand for. If you want to be an authority, you must author something, says Leland. Leland suggests writing at least one long-form (600-1000 words) social media or blog post a month is the minimum you should go for. In addition, measuring social media solely through the lens of “engagement” is a mistake. Part of the purpose of today’s social media posting is to make yourself discoverable to Google and to teach it who you are and what you stand for.

The bottom line is, ignoring the trend of AI and chatbots in business and personal branding is a significant mistake, Leland warns. Even if you are not preparing your personal and business brands for AI, your competitors are.

Karen Tiber Leland is the author of “The Brand Mapping Strategy: Design, Build and Accelerate Your Brand.”

Feature Image Credit: Sanket Mishra

Sourced from The Network Journal

By Collette Eccleston

Rational thinking might be overrated – especially during a recession, argues Collette Eccleston, senior vice-president of Material.

For many businesses, it can be difficult to resist that gut instinct to “batten down the hatches” at the first sign of trouble. But playing it safe isn’t what makes a brand recession-proof. The truth is that times of uncertainty can offer one of the best opportunities for your brand to make new connections with customers – that is, if you’re willing to think outside of the box.

If you’re a car rental company in bankruptcy, would buying 100,000 Teslas make any sense? Anyone would find it to be completely irrational and totally reckless. Yet Hertz made this decision as part of its bigger vision, which in turn led to a remarkable turnaround for the company in just over a year.

Like something straight out of a science fiction movie, Hertz now owns the largest fleet of autonomous vehicles. Thanks to a $4.2bn investment, Hertz has managed to propel itself ahead of the pack in a race to transform the car rental industry.

Hertz’s recent move shows that decisions that may seem irrational on the surface can often pay off. So, why do the rest of us judge irrationality as a flaw in human behavior? Irrationality in our professional lives is often exactly what’s needed to unlock the next million-dollar idea.

To be irrational is to be human

Running your business on rationality alone assumes that the people you serve are also rational. Humans make tens of thousands of decisions each day – most of which are not driven by logic at all. It’s our gut instinct that gives us the ability to quickly assess how we feel about the many choices that cross our paths.

That’s not to say rational considerations such as affordability don’t matter. For example, if someone needs a pair of shoes, they might select the $24.99 pair over the $25.99 one. It’s only a dollar less, but they could rationalize cost savings as the motivator. What about choosing a pair of shoes priced at $100 more? Emotion becomes the motivating factor in making that purchase. This is where behavioral science and psychology shed some light.

The four fundamental human needs – belonging, appeal, security and exploration – are a helpful lens for interpreting the motivation behind certain behaviors. When seen through this perspective, splurging $100+ on a pair of shoes starts to make sense; it just follows a different set of motivations. For example, this pair of shoes might unlock a consumer’s need to be a part of a community (belonging) or improve their confidence (appeal). Perhaps they find security in paying a little more for a brand they trust (security). Maybe they’re drawn to an innovative design that promises to boost performance (exploration). This is where an otherwise thrifty customer might be tempted to replace a functional need with a pair of high-end kicks.

Humans simply are not rational beings, so it makes little sense to appeal to consumers through rational means alone. It takes tapping into unconscious and emotional needs – irrational needs – to change behavior and benefit brands. By embracing irrational thinking, we expand what is possible in the process of designing products, services and experiences for our customers and employees.

Irrationality belongs in business – especially during a recession

Some of today’s most successful brands were built on once irrational concepts. And in fact, we’ve seen how times of uncertainty can provide the best opportunity to take that calculated leap. Airbnb is one such success story.

During the Great Recession of 2008, the brand got its start by tactically driving consumers to do something we’ve all grown up being told not to – enter a stranger’s home. Since then, Airbnb has not only been successful in effectively changing the industry and our cities, but also consumer minds and habits.

Behavioral science and psychology help brands, such as Airbnb and Hertz, decode ‘irrational’ consumer behaviors and provide context for the human experience: why we say one thing and do another is irrational, but when applied to business, it expands innovative thinking.

Here’s a formula for escaping this rut and bringing structure to the process:

  • See the world devoid of constants. Get into the required headspace for irrational thinking. Set aside all assumptions about ‘absolute truths’ and give yourself room to play in a world without limits
  • Create an irrational vision statement. Create a vision to be your North Star. Identify your role and purpose and what you want to achieve in this ideal and limitless world. If a decision doesn’t move you in the desired direction, then don’t do it
  • Stay the course with one-degree decisions. This is how you complete the equation, taking the small steps that will get you closer to making your irrational vision a reality

Returning to the example of Airbnb, we could imagine a world where it’s possible for people to truly feel at home everywhere. Through this perspective, we can see how Airbnb’s vision of belonging was born. It’s simple, compelling and deliciously irrational (you can’t really belong everywhere, can you?). But it comes to life through a series of one-degree decisions: services and features executed through design and technology that deliver on one of the most fundamental of human needs – community.

Reaping the benefits of irrationality will require more than an exercise in creative thinking. Brands need to commit to embracing irrationality before they have proof of what can be achieved. When brands move past the status quo and champion deep human understanding, they’ll find themselves among the most influential companies of tomorrow.

By Collette Eccleston

Collette Eccleston, senior vice-president, behavioural science, and Ben Gaddis, executive vice-president, digital products and experience at Material.

Sourced from The Drum

By Taruka Srivastava 

Pinterest’s latest campaign is urging people to believe in themselves by advising them to ‘Don’t Don’t Yourself’

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The campaign aims to highlight how people can be their own worst enemies, as we have the power to silence negative feelings of fear and self-censorship.

Five spots – ‘Fear of Failure,’ ‘Judgment,’ ‘Doomscrolling,’ ‘Procrastination’ and ‘Inner Critic’ – have been launched. Every spot features protagonists alongside their negative twin, who is always criticizing, being negative and condescending – but the ads show how Pinterest helps all protagonists to overcome those fears by just doing things and believing in themselves. The single-take cinematic films are shot by acclaimed director Kim Gehrig.

In the ‘Inner Critic’ spot, the negative twin of the protagonist is trying to demotivate the protagonist by telling her how her art during childhood wasn’t up to the mark and her junior ballet performance wasn’t “on point,” and then mocks her personal style. The protagonist, however, shuts the twin back in the cupboard and confidently says she can pull off what she is wearing.

The campaign will run in the US, UK and Germany across TV, cinema, video on demand (VOD), out-of-home (OOH), digital out-of-home (DOOH), social and media partnerships. Developed in partnership with award-winning UK creative studio Uncommon, the campaign introduces Pinterest as the inspiring ‘anti-don’t.’ The complementary media strategy was developed in partnership with global media agency Mediahub.

Andréa Mallard, Pinterest chief marketing officer, said: “Our latest campaign highlights how Pinterest is a different side of the internet, where you can focus more on doing and less on viewing, where you can find what you love and forget about likes and where you can plan your life and try something new, free of judgment.”

Credits

Project Name: Don’t Don’t Yourself

Creative Studio: Uncommon

Client: Pinterest

Production company: Somesuch

Director: Kim Gehrig

Producer: Lucy Gossage

Executive producer: Chris Watling

DOP: Kasper Tuxen

Production designer: KK Barrett

Costume designer: April Napier

Casting: Jody Sonnenberg

Service company: The Lift

Editor: Fouad Gaber @ Trim

Post production: Time Based Arts

Colorist: Simone Grattarola

VFX: Stephen Grasso

Post producer: Sian Jenkins

Soundtrack composer: Soundtree Music

Composer: Benjamin Jones

Audio post-production: Soundtree Music

Media agency: MediaHub

By Taruka Srivastava |

Sourced from The Drum

As the media landscape evolves, so do our preferences for communication. Rose Skews at Favoured delves into the changing world of online comms, audience segmentation and what it takes to engage the younger generation.

With the rise of short-form video content on platforms including TikTok and Instagram, three-minute videos are affecting our attention span. As online communications move toward Facebook Messenger, WhatsApp and social media direct messaging, the phasing out of email as a communication platform begs the question: are consumers still engaging with email marketing?

The short answer is yes. The long answer? Also yes, so long as you’re doing it well and know who you’re doing it for. More than half of generation Z and over a third of millennials still enjoy getting brand emails. With that in mind, let’s look at how you can create engaging emails that even gen Z will want to read.

Don’t be boring

Dull, plain text emails that waffle on won’t engage your impatient audience. So, what can you do?

  • Use short emails: try testing short-form emails. Get to the point of your email quickly and efficiently
  • Hook them in: create hooks for your subject lines and the headers that highlight the crux of the email. This will help with your open and click-through rate
  • Get personal: adding in a recipient’s name can be a little technical at first but it’s totally worth it. If you’re able to personalize things such as names, this makes your emails more trustworthy and engaging
  • Include a strong call to action (CTA): ‘Read more’ and ‘Discover now’ just won’t cut it. Add a little spice to CTAs, like ‘You won’t want to miss this’

Your copy and message need to be clear, concise and interesting. Try bringing your tone to a more personable level to better engage with your audience.

Flows and broadcasts

Email marketing can be a great tool if you can plan and set it up well. At Favoured, we typically split email marketing into two: flows and broadcasts.

Flows are automations where you can segment your audience, create cohorts and triggers, and (after an initial set-up) run them continuously. Broadcasts are monthly newsletters that give you an opportunity to update your audience on anything new.

You can create manual, ad hoc campaigns for an extra burst of comms (around a sale, for instance).

Flows

With email marketing and segmentation, you can capture audiences’ personas. Your main cohorts will be active users, inactive users and new users. Email flows for active users might be:

  • Repeat purchase: thank the customer for their continued support. This flow normally has a refer-a-friend scheme in later emails
  • ‘Superusers’: especially for app companies – when a customer has triggered an event within the app a certain number of times and you want to maintain their engagement

Inactive users will have email flows such as:

  • Abandoned cart: with an average conversion rate of 80%, this is one of the most important flows you can set up
  • Re-engage: this flow should focus on offering small discounts as a temptation to get customers back on track. If you have an app, try explaining a new feature as an incentive to click

New users will have email flows such as:

  • Onboarding: this is your opportunity to show the customer who you are and what you can offer them
  • ‘Web catch all’: if anyone submits a form on your website you can catch them here – a great place to convert them to onboard and/or purchase

Now that we have the flows sorted, let’s look at how you can bring engagement with monthly newsletters.

Broadcasts

The trick is to break your newsletter into sizeable chunks. Try highlights, news and testimonials. You could even connect with national marketing days to make sure you’re hitting key dates relevant to your brand.

News and updates sections give you the opportunity to chat with customers about what you’ve been up to. Adding a testimonial or two brings credibility to your brand and/or product, while adding an extra level of desire.

Who’s doing it well?

Some companies have been smashing email marketing. One is Estrid. It had a hard task ahead of it as its main target audience is gen Z and millennials – the prime suspects for a lack of attention span. It has smashed it: its emails are engaging; it has bought movement into its design with the use of gifs; and its tone is personable and fun.

Maybe you were on the fence about email marketing. We’re hoping that now you see the value it could add to your marketing strategy. Email marketing can capture and engage your audience in a different way than social media. If you ever need any advice, the expert team at Favoured is always available to help.

Feature Image Credit: Volodymyr Hryshchenko via Unsplash

By Rose Skews

Sourced from The Drum