I’ve been reading some great books on entrepreneurship, business consulting, and the new rules of PR, marketing and social media in this incredibly connected world we’re in. Business is different. The climate has shifted. One really can start a business on a shoe string, or invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to help it grow. Both are viable. Some of the smaller companies are even doing it better than their larger, more established counterparts within the same space.
For some it may be luck, but for some of the others, they have fully embraced this new way of doing business. Its focus is on sharing information rather than selling. . . on authenticity rather than spin. . . . on engagement rather than interruption. It’s about exposing a little part of themselves — like talking about why they do what they do and why it matters — to make it matter to someone else. While it’s still about profit, it’s also about values. Some businesses are having a hard time adjusting.
I love it. But of course, this is what we do. You see, our story has always been about connecting people to their vision, and helping to bring that vision to life through branding and design. There is nothing more satisfying than presenting the perfect logo or website or brand messaging to a client after working through the brand process with them. That’s our “why.”
The new marketing really is about telling your story well, visually and with words. The one thing that hasn’t changed in the branding world over the years is that human beings still want to connect emotionally on some level. Instead of talking at your potential prospects, you engage with them. Hopefully your brand platform has kept up and you are using all channels consistently — LinkedIn, Facebook, blogs with comments all contribute to this kind of engagement. Sharing content that encourages a reaction — whether it be through your website, videos, social media or emails — is where engagement is happening.
Business as usual is shifting. Have you made the shift?
— Wendy Baird, principal and president
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