Ask the Expert: Creative Pinnacle Chamber News July 3, 2018 Building A Brand Is Like Building A House Christine Larsen Brown Creative Pinnacle creativepinnacle.com In many ways, marketing is like building a house – it goes beyond a logo and a website. You need a plan that includes short and long-term goals, and strategies that will attract new customers as well as encourage loyalty, reviews and long-term relationships from your current customer base. In this month’s “Ask the Expert,” Christine Larsen Brown of Creative Pinnacle shares tips and tricks on how your business can build its marketing house. Build Your Brand Today, having a business without a website is like having a store in the middle of a city with no sign on the door. If you don’t have a website, or if your website can’t be found, your business just won’t exist or be found by a vast number of potential customers. Even when referred, most new contacts will still check a company’s website before they ever walk in the door or make an appointment. Don’t forget, if your website is not mobile-friendly, your company may not even appear in mobile search results. Make Your Plan, Work Your Plan Without a building plan, a house would come crumbling down, and your marketing strategy willas well. Ask yourself: Which social or media platforms do we want to beactive on? What kind of content can we provide? Create a plan, brainstorm ideas—just don’t goin blindly. Just as the budget for a home dictates what materials you can use, your marketing budget is the same. Be honest with yourself and ask, “Can I achieve my plan with the time, people and money I have?” If you find that your strategy is not working to achieve the goals you have set, look at what your marketing data is telling you and decide what needs to change. Stay the Course Once you start executing your strategy, make sure the content you share, and the marketing activities you participate in reflect the goals and ideas of your brand. At its core, marketing is a plan—a strategic plan. All good things take time. Once you start marketing your business, prepare to stay the course, set attainable goals at a realistic budget, and keep a dynamic, but consistent, presence.
