5 Key Differences Between Branding and Marketing

With so much recent buzz about branding and marketing, it is important to know the differences between the two. While there is some crossover between the areas, they each have distinct approaches and purposes. A healthy marketing plan gives consideration to the proper development of both.

1. Buyers vs. Customers

Marketing efforts are typically about bringing any and all buyers. While any kind of sale is welcome to a company, branding efforts take into account the company's best attributes and strengths in order to attract and bond with loyal, repeat customers.

2. Tactics vs. Strategy

Branding and marketing each need an overall plan, but marketing is essentially about the day-to-day tactics that make sales and increase business. Branding is related to marketing, but it is a broader view than any individual marketing effort. The idea is to create an overall feeling or quality that all marketing efforts can be tailored to reflect.

3. Cost Center vs. Income Generator

Marketing is a cost center. While modern analytics make it possible to create a smart plan that isn't wasteful and helps increase business, there will always remain a certain amount of publicity that must be paid for with little to no direct returns. While it might be said this is true for both branding and marketing, if the branding plan is solid and done well, the return in investment is customer loyalty, tracked through repeat, increased, and referred business, which can be estimated and calculated.

4. Sales vs. Image

Branding and marketing are different, but work together to promote each other. Marketing reinforces the brand image in the ads that are created to drive sales. Branding strengthens the effectiveness and focus of marketing, helping attract the right people through a strong image that stands on its own.

5. Push vs. Pull

Marketing is about pushing products or services out the door. The market research, advertisements, and sales team are all working together to get products moving out to customers. Branding is about attracting people. Carefully crafted branding images pull the company's ideal customer to the store to do business.

If you would like to learn more about branding and marketing in Dallas, visit Creative Options.

How to Hire a Web Development Company

You may know you need a web development company to outsource work on your website, but don't know how to go about finding one. Website projects can be involved and take time, so it is worth the time to research in order to find a good fit. If the right agency is selected, it could make all the difference in the ease and success of your new site launch.

Find someone that understands you

The right web development company will understand your market share, customers, and industry. Look at their client list and ask how much experience they have in your industry. In order to create the best website for you, they need to have knowledge of your business challenges and what your customers need. Experience also brings knowledge about current trends that could be used to leverage your brand on your site.

Good design is the key

While much of web design is highly technical, there are also artistic and strategic sides to the craft. Many people can get a degree to learn how to make a website. It takes a special combination of talents and people to create a great website. The latest trends in marketing should be utilized. For instance, content should be easily viewed and used on mobile devices and the site should be optimized for search engines. Good design is also about aesthetics. The content should be easy to read. The design should be attractive and reflect the values of the company and brand.

Communication is the basis of any relationship

No relationship can exist without communication. Initial visits with the web development company will give you an idea of how well they will interact later. If they are energetic and responsive, then things are on the right track. It is also imperative to be a good client and help them fully understand what you expect. Outline the current problems that you have, how you would like them to be fixed, and the time frame you need it done. Then be open to their professional opinion. With the right team, your site can be up and making a positive impact in your company's bottom line.

If you would like to learn more about a web development company in the Dallas area, click here.

How to Conduct a Brand Audit

Corporate branding is used by businesses to form an image for their customers. Creating a brand is part art and part science. A good brand evokes an emotional response that entices a connection and forms a memory. Periodically, companies perform a brand audit in order to see where their brand stands in the marketplace. It can be performed at any time, but is particularly helpful when a company is considering a new service line, brand adjustment or marketing plan. While it is possible for a company to do an audit in-house, sometimes a professional and objective eye is a better choice. 

 

Since a brand is how an entire company is portrayed, it affects both internal and external image. The process starts with scrutinizing that image. The brand values, culture, positioning, brand promises, essence, and voice are researched and analyzed. The results provide a picture of the brand as it is perceived by the general public, leads, and current customers. If a company knows they are starting an overhaul of their corporate branding, it is helpful to do an audit both before and after the launch, to see the difference the rebrand has made.

During the audit, every marketing channel is reviewed to see how effectively the brand is being promoted externally. Consistency is key on the website, social media accounts, community sponsorships, marketing collateral, public relations, events and trade shows, and any other methods used. All external promotions of the brand should be cohesive and play their individual part to promote the corporate branding as a whole.

The internal systems are also important to examine, in order to identify how the brand image is integrated into the working culture. The brand values should be in line with the company values. HR policies, customer service, and the sales process are areas in which the brand standards can be applied. Corporate branding is more than just outward appearance. The most effective companies apply that identity internally.

After a thorough and objective survey of the brand, the information is compiled into a report. It outlines areas of potential, areas of success, and how to best move forward. Before making major decisions to a company brand, it is important to know how effective the current brand is. Some brands have enduring strength and don't need help. Other times, they need to be adjusted to realign with the changing world, or business focus.

If you would like to learn more about corporate branding in the Dallas area, visit Creative Options.

5 Steps to eCommerce Website Greatness

If your business is ready to build an ecommerce website, then there are a few steps to take in order to achieve greatness. 

 

1. Have a plan to drive traffic

Just because you build it doesn't mean they will come. When you build an ecommerce website, you need a clear and strategic plan to drive traffic to it. This also means you will need a part of your budget dedicated to marketing. Whether you outsource or do your marketing internally, you need to have a cohesive plan to promote the site and business.

2. Listen to feedback

Listening to your customers is important. In order to drive heavy business to your website, you need to be sensitive and open to the thoughts and ideas of those that shop there. If they find something difficult, cumbersome, or excellent, learn from those comments and make changes accordingly when you build an ecommerce website.

3. Stay focused

If your site tries to do too much, then it looses the attention of customers. Stay focused on your original products or services. Don't try to be all things to your customer. There is always time to develop and grow your company in new areas, but when launching a website, stay true to your roots and promote what you are already good at doing.

4.Be customer-centric

Remember your audience when you build an ecommerce website. The point is to provide your target market with a tool that unites them with your products and services. If the site isn't created with them in mind, you will lose customers to those companies that are customer-centric. Be sure your site is clear, professional, easy to use, and can be viewed on various devices.

5. Run periodic audits

There is no way to know how you are doing, unless you build metrics into your system in order to measure success. Know what areas get clicks, how long viewers stayed there, what channels encouraged sharing of your site, and how much business is increasing through your website. By running periodic audits, you will know what works and what doesn't, so you don't waste your time and money on areas of poor performance.

If you would like to learn more about how to build an ecommerce website in the Dallas, Texas, area, click here!

5 Signs Your Website Isn't Working

A web development company can help if you've recently done an audit of your marketing department and realized that your website hasn't been getting you new business lately. It is time to take a look at what is causing the problem. Websites are necessary tools for any business today. They are the first place customers want to go to learn about you and your services or products. With a quick look into what you have and don't have, you can get your site back up and running, working hard for you.

1. There is not enough traffic

One of the first ways you know your website is failing you is if you see there is no traffic going to it. There could be a number of reasons, but a web development company can help you gain traffic, through inbound links, social media, content strategies, or other means. If your site isn't getting traffic, it isn't doing it's job.

2. The viewers don't purchase

If your site has traffic, but no one makes a purchase, there could be a problem with who you are attracting to your site. The content on your site should be geared towards those that are in your target market and ready to purchase. Otherwise, your efforts are wasted. There should also be a clear call to action to let those that are ready know exactly what to do for the next step.

3. There is too much content

Today's customer doesn't want their time wasted. They don't want to sift through sensational fluff or to have to drill down five clicks to find what they need. Your content should be clear, easy to read, and be focused on the customer. There should also be good-quality graphics, but not so many that they are distracting.

4. It's on the sixth page of a search

One of the most obvious ways to know that your website is not providing a return on your investment is if you do a search and your site is not listed on the first page of results. A web development company can work with you to optimize your site, so you have premium placement. Customers don't want to dig to find you. Help them by working on your SEO and improving your search result listing.

5. It can't be viewed on a mobile device

These days, many people look for a business or product while on their phone or tablet. If you your website isn't easily viewed on a device, then customers will become frustrated and simply go elsewhere for their needs. A web development company has experience creating a website design that can be viewed and used in any environment.

If you would like to learn more about a web development company in the Dallas, Texas, area, visit Creative Options.

5 Signs It's Time for A New Branding and Marketing Strategy

If you are considering creating a new branding and marketing strategy for your company, but aren't sure if it is necessary to spend time and money on such a venture, explore these five signs. Your current marketing plan just might be in need of a make over.

1. Your plan lacks integration

A well designed plan should be integrated in every aspect of your business. If your logo, colors, and tagline all change depending on the platform they are in, there needs to be a change to your plan. The brand should be clearly and consistently placed across all platforms. That is the key to growing your bottom line with branding and marketing.

2. Visitors and sales are lagging

If your image has grown dusty, or doesn't come to your customer's mind, then visitors to your storefronts and websites could be lagging. You have lost touch with your target audience. That affects sales. Reinvigorate your brand with a redesign and wow customers into coming back for services and products and remind them why they love to do business with you.

3. Your plan has been in place for over a decade

While many tried and true branding and marketing methods are still good ways to promote business, there are too many new options that are being missed if your plan hasn't been updated in a few years. Customers now shop from mobile devices and the social networks are always changing. Your website and plan should be updated to reflect these changes.

4. Website and collateral is overly promotional

The previous attempt to get the attention of shoppers by plastering ads, websites, and marketing collateral with neon-colored callout boxes featuring a number of sales items and closeouts is a thing of the past. Know what your customer wants, but simply make the site easy for them to find it. Try not to shove it in their face.

5. You plan to grow

If you plan to introduce a new product or service line, or open in new markets, then it is a great time to update your branding and marketing strategy. The right brand redesign can inform customers of the changes to look for and prove that you are ready for the increased business.

If you would like to learn more about branding and marketing in the Dallas, Texas, area, click here!

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Building an E-Commerce Site

There are many pitfalls to look out for when you build an e-commerce website. A site is a tool to make your goods known to customers and to encourage sales. If the site is poorly designed, doesn't work well, or hard to use, customers will go elsewhere with their business, even if you have better service, products, and prices. By avoiding a few mistakes in the design phase, you can be on your way to a harder working, and more profitable, site.

1. Awkward domain name

Some company names convert easily to a domain name. For those that don't, there are options. If your company is named Kalamazoo Outboard Motors, pass on the awkward www.kalamazoooutboardmotors.com option. Try a descriptive word about what business is performed there (www.motors.com) or use an acronym (www.kom.com).

2. Unprofessional appearance

For a company with a focus on Internet sales, the website is not the place to skimp on the budget. Do the research to find a good-fit agency to build an e-commerce website that is professional, attractive, and easy to use. The revenue received when the site is running will prove the worth of the expense.

3. Loading time that drags

For shoppers, Internet use is about ease. The site might be a work of art with rich graphics and video content, but if it takes too long to load, then it is no longer considered easy, and shoppers will go elsewhere. Remember that a growing number of shoppers search online from mobile devices, and your site should open and operate equally well for those formats.

4. Poor promotion

It may be true for baseball fields, but when you build an e-commerce website, just because you build it, doesn't mean they will come. Find where your customers go and create ads to draw them to your site, or better yet, utilize the help of a professional marketing agency that can help you create a solid marketing plan for your site.

5. No focus

Internet shoppers don't want to be bothered to sort through promotional pop-ups, myriads of drop-down lists, and general disorganization. Your site needs to be focused and user-friendly. With a clear plan of what you promote and where, your site can be a go-to tool for shoppers to find what they need.

If you would like to learn more about how to build an e-commerce website in the Dallas, Texas, area, click here!