Welcome to our branding and marketing blog
This is the best place to learn how we think as creative and strategic communicators. You’ll find various observations and best practices about branding, design, client relations, and communications, in general. We try to keep things instructive and advisory. However, we can’t guarantee that there won’t be a rant or rave once in a while. So, please cut us some slack.
FEATURED BLOG POST
15 marketing reality checks (Don’t let #9 hurt your feelings.)
by Step2 Branding & Design
Over the years, we’ve been offering helpful tips and best practices advice through our branding blog. Here, we’ve collected a number of the more salient points and are presenting them as a marketing reality check. A good number of these apply to new or small businesses. But you’ll also find that some of the largest corporations in the world take many of the same missteps.
Branding and marketing blog posts
An act of aggression can be a good thing.
Emulating your competition projects a sense that you belong. But, ultimately, your offering will only succeed if you can effectively distinguish it from the other guys. And keep doing so.
The last thing they need to hear Is all about you.
Sure, “all about you” is important. And you may be the one of best there is. But, when you promote your business, you’ll be better served if you save the best (you) for last.
Why we take Super Bowl ads with a grain of salt
Yes, watching the ads is great fun. Especially to us in the biz. And some of them do set new creative trends. But, what’s the real purpose? Is it to outdo the others? To get the industry awards? The most post-game buzz?
“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.”
Francis Bacon once wrote, “A Prudent Question is One-half of Wisdom.” Knowledge comes from inquisitiveness and the willingness to accept your own lack of it. We don’t pretend to know everything. So, excuse us while we throw a few inquiries your way.
Keep your sales team plugged-in, and they’ll reciprocate.
While it’s important that you not let your sales team dictate your promotional strategy, their influence cannot be underestimated. After all, they’re the ones out in the trenches day after day with their collective fingers on the market pulse more than anyone within the confines of the home office.
If I’ve told you once…
Consistency, frequency and, of course, clarity are each critical to having your value statement penetrate the marketplace and gain traction. And, without traction, you cannot build momentum.