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Deborah Brody Marketing Communications

Percolating Creative Ideas


February 15, 2018

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Dear friends:

Happy belated Valentine’s Day! I hope your 2018 is off to a love -ly start. Happily, mine is going great so far.

I have two big announcements! First, I have just launched the Brand Identity Kit, a five-part marketing messaging package that will give businesses, start-ups, or nonprofits an effective way to communicate what they do. The kit includes a brand position statement, key messages, taglines, and organizational descriptions. You can find all the details, including cost, on my website.

My second announcement is that I have added an easy, online way to book free 15-minute consultations for people looking to discuss their projects or how we could work together. You can access the booking on my website or on the 10to8 website.

Today is forecast to be nearly 70 here in the Washington area. Just six weeks ago, a polar vortex made it brutally cold. All these swings coupled with a lack of snow and lots of rain make this seem more like spring than winter. Why do I bring this up? Because when something is all over the place, it doesn’t have a strong identity. Read more below.

Do you know someone who could benefit from creating stronger branding messages, or who wants refreshed or new marketing materials? Have him/her get in touch. Now’s a great time to get started!

Best regards,

Deborah

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What are you focused on?

By definition, focus refers to the paying of close attention to a single object or closely-related objects. Having a defined focus in photography yields sharp images. It’s the same with your organization, and with your organization’s brand. Your brand should make you stand out from the crowd. If you lack focus, you will also lack a strong, defined brand.

Take for example a work van I saw on the road recently. It was for a company called XYZ Chimney Sweeps. Their slogan was something like this:” if you’ve used XYZ, then your chimney is really clean. “ So far, so good. Then listed under their name were these services: brickwork, chimney repair and cleaning, air ducts. On another door of this work van, XYZ listed vent cleaning as another service. I visited their website, where I found out that they also do masonry repair, home improvement, and handyman services. I understand that XYZ wants to expand its customer base by offering many different types of services. And yes, some of these services are related. But others show a lack of focus. If your name says you are chimney sweep, then that is what people expect from you, and what you should deliver.

On my blog post When Your Customers Don't Know Who You Are, I discuss two businesses that are trying to appeal to too many different customers and in the process losing their edge. One is a pizza place that uses a burger image in its advertising!

Remember that the stronger your focus, the stronger your brand. And the inverse is also true: the less focused you are, the weaker your brand will be.

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Communications tip: Update your “about” page

When was the last time you took a look at your “about” page? If it’s been a while (as in more than a year), you should check it out to make sure it is still accurately tells your organization’s story. Perhaps you’ve moved, or increased revenue, or expanded/contracted your services. Your “about” page is invaluable to potential customers, and it should be as up to date and accurate as possible.

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Let's work together!

Deborah Brody Marketing Communications services:

▪ Writing and copy editing of marketing/communications materials
▪ Communications and social media consulting
▪ Brand and marketing messaging
▪ Customized blog/writing training and workshops
Writing and copy editing of marketing/communications materials
Communications and social media consulting
Brand and marketing messaging
Customized blog/writing training and workshops
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