Category: Tips and Tricks

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Branding and Advertising Tips and Tricks

6 reasons why Test Cricket & Branding are similar!

6 reasons why Test Cricket & Branding are similar!

The recently concluded Border-Gavaskar Trophy was a dream come true kind of series for many cricket fans. The iconic test series had more ups and downs in 33 days than your average soap opera would have in years.

 

While the first test didn’t go well for us, the comeback from there was commendable. From a humiliating batting performance in the second innings of the first test at Adelaide Oval to fighting back and winning the series 2-1, this series has the perfect script for a blockbuster movie.

 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

 

The 4-match test series saw many records being broken and while many more were created. The most notable of which were these two-

 

  1. Australia’s fortress in test cricket was finally breached after 32 years, a feat that India achieved with its B team and an inexperienced bowling line-up.
  2. India won back-to-back series for the first time in Australia.

 

While I can go on and on and on about this series and why it is so special, I have something more important that I would like to share with you guys. While watching the series, especially the 3rd & the 4th test, I realised something. After years of being in the branding field and fanatically following cricket for longer than that, I realised the process of branding is very similar to a test match.

 

This may sound a little wired & absurd at first but bear with me. Upon close inspection and two sleepless nights, both of which came a night before the final day of the 3rd & the 4th test, I was finally able to put my feelings into words and pen them down to explain it to you in a better way.

 

So, before waste any more sessions, let us look at how the process of branding and the longest format of the game are similar to each other.

 

  • Game of patience

 

Image by jplenio from Pixabay

 

Similar to how a Test Match cannot be won in a day, the process of building a successful brand cannot be completed in a short amount of time. Building a successful and powerful brand takes time and requires a lot of patience.

 

Something that people who follow test cricket would know about.

 

  • A test of character

 

Image by slightly_different from Pixabay

 

Just like a Test Match, Branding also brings out the true character of any Brand. The longer process brings out brand’s grit, attitude, and level of preparedness to compete at the highest level for a long, loooonnnnggg time.

 

  • A game of sessions

 

Image by Clker-Free-Vector-Images from Pixabay

 

It is said that test matches are won in sessions and the same is true for Branding as well. The smaller efforts, from creating a consistent colour palette to designing interactive customer touch-points, contributes a lot towards building a successful, global brand and winning people’s hearts.

 

  • A truly unique sport

 

Image by Anja🤗#helpinghands #solidarity#stays healthy🙏 from Pixabay

 

Branding is truly a unique sport and there is nothing that can compare to it. While Advertising and Marketing are great, they do not have the sophistication or even the feel of royalty that branding has.

 

Branding, on the other hand, is a continuous and on-going process that has the ability to make people fall in love with your brand and get them hooked to your brand’s offerings and keep them craving for more.

 

  • Delivers in the long run

 

Image by ijmaki from Pixabay

 

Branding is like a Test Match, it will not provide you with immediate results. But once you start playing the game, you’ll realise how much your brand is benefitting from it, in the longer run.

 

Playing the long game means you develop a consistent marketing plan, provide your audience with a similar, consistent experience across different periods.

 

  • Provides a personality

 

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay

 

Despite the existence of One Day and T20 matches, Test matches are the true face of Cricket. And just like that, your branding effort is the face of your business.

 

Your customers won’t recognise you because of your ads or social media game but because of your flawless, fluent and on-point branding game that gets reflected in your every advertising and communication efforts. Branding has the power to make your audience recognise your business and its offerings even from the smallest hints like a colour palette or the tune to your advertising jingle.

 

If you are a business owner who is as fanatic about cricket as me and are looking for someone to carry out your business’s brand building, reach out to me. We can discuss how I can help to grow your brand and make it as epic as the last test of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2020-21while also discussing our favourite cricketing moments and dream teams across all formats.

MAN-AND-MAscot
Branding and Advertising Tips and Tricks

Brand Mascots

Brand Mascots – When man became the mascot to personify a brand.

A mascot is a symbolic character that gives personality and face to any brand. Often inspired by a mix of humans and animals figures as well as inanimate objects which have human-like features, they represent the true value of your brand. Mascots play a crucial role in communicating and influencing customers.

 

Their primary role is to sway people’s opinion in favour of the brand and build a strong and positive brand identity. Mascots can also help your brand to be on the top of your customer’s mind, thanks to their unique and entertaining features. The right brand mascot can help to spread the right word about your business. However, even the smallest of errors in selecting the mascot can confuse your customers or can even hamper your brand.

 

We, humans, are hard-wired to search for a human side in everything, even in inanimate objects like brands. We like to assign human characteristics to animals and objects as it helps us establish an emotional connection with them. Humans understand and trust things and people with whom they share some kind of similarities. This is why having a brand mascot that looks like a human is essential for every brand.

 

When it comes to having a brand mascot with human traits, most brands go for an imaginative cartoon character. Having a cartoonish character as the mascot for the brand has brought success for many brands. But, some brands have dared to ditch the conventional norms and instead of having an animated imaginative mascot, opted for real humans.

 

While there is nothing wrong with going with an animated mascot, having a real mascot helps your brand to stand apart in a vast sea of quirky mascots.

 

Here is a collection of 5 iconic brands that chose real humans over their animated counterparts as their mascots-

 

#1 MDH wale Chacha- MDH

 

Pic Credit: India Today

This one is a no brainer. The iconic brand and its iconic mascot have a special place in the hearts of each and every Indian. Mahashay Dharampal Gulati became the face of the brand and took MDH to unimaginable heights of success.

 

With his big smile and an even bigger heart, he proved that you do not need a celebrity or a cricketer to promote your products. From the ads to packaging, every MDH product features his evergreen face, making him the most recognised brand mascot and ambassador in the country. Gulati’s face is not just famous in India but he is an international brand mascot as well!

 

#2 Sir Richard Branson- Virgin Group

 

Pic Credit: CNBC

With more than 400 companies under his leadership, Sir Branson founded the Virgin Group. Using his charm and charisma, Sir Branson became the face of the brand. The sliver goateed and grinning British brand mascot has influenced a wide audience base across America and Europe.

 

Through his showmanship, Sir Branson gained the public trust and influenced them to buy his offerings. This allowed Virgin Group to grow and expand their business across 400 different fields in 30 different countries.

 

#3 Colonel Sanders- KFC

 

Pic Credit: History

Who does not recognise this man?

 

The man whose smile is immortalized on the pack of our favourite chicken wings- Colonel Sanders is the face of KFC. Who would have imagined that a human face can make such an iconic mascot?

 

The mascot is so loved and so famous that KFC even incorporated it in their logo. Created years after the death of its founder, this friendly smiling face with glasses has turned out to be a successful choice of an ideal brand mascot conveying professionalism and vast chef experience. Today, no one can imagine enjoying a chicken burger without the round glasses and white GOATee on the pack.

 

#4 Dave & Wendy Thomas- Wendy’s

 

Pic Credit: Business Insider

 

America’s favourite fast-food brand, Wendy’s is more famous for its shenanigans on Twitter than for its chicken sandwich and wings. Wendy’s is another fast-food chain that made its founder the mascot for their brand.

 

In fact, over the years of its business, the fast-food chain has had 2 different brand mascots and both of them were real humans. The first mascot- Dave Thomas became the face of the brand during the initial days and gained public confidence. He later passed on the role of mascot to his daughter, Wendy after whom the famous chain is named.

 

Many people think it was Dave Thomas’s marketing geniuses that made Wendy’s grew. But the truth is- it was his face on every pack that made people fall in love with America’s wittiest and most loved fast-food brand. After Wendy herself became the mascot of the brand, people could associate with their marketing campaigns more easily. This allowed the brand to have a more personal connection with their customers.

 

#5 Lee Lacocca- Chrysler

 

Pic Credit: Business Insider

Lee Lacocca is a big name in the automobile industry and even a bigger name for Chrysler.

 

Lacocca saved Chrysler from bankruptcy by not only coming up new car models to sell but also by becoming the face of the brand in Europe and America. His face won the trust of people across two continents, helping Chrysler to bounce back and come out with some iconic models.

 

A mascot will make your brand more engaging and eye-catching. However, an actual person as a brand mascot will give your brand an edge over your competitors. Having an actual person assume the role of mascot gives a personal touch to your brand which other, unanimated mascots fail to provide.

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Branding and Advertising Digital Marketing Tips and Tricks

Why Real Estate firms need to go Digital

Why Real Estate firms need to go Digital:

Going digital, especially digital marketing has been all the rage for the past few years now. But in 2020, when the entire world is experiencing a roller coaster of emotions and uncertainty, it has become the priority for every business. Irrespective of what your business is or on what scale you operate, going digital is an essential upgrade for your business.

 

Going digital and relying on the power of the internet to grow your business is something that every business is doing today. But, the internet serves each business field differently. Despite the basic premise staying the same, the actual workings might differ from business to business. The strategies that work for one particular business might not work for another business.

 

And while many businesses are busy trying to grab on to a piece of success cake that is digital marketing, there is one particular industry has still not taken the full advantage of digital marketing to grow their business. It is the real estate industry.

 

While many real estate players are trying out their hands in the world of Email and WhatsApp marketing, most of them aren’t seeing the bigger picture. They are just scratching the surface and are yet to take a deeper dive.

 

Digital marketing can help real estate firms in a way that they haven’t seen or experienced before. Going digital can open up a host of different possibilities and business opportunities for them.

 

Let’s look at how digital marketing services can help the real estate industry:

 

1. More exposure & reach

 

Image by lemondedis2 from Pixabay

 

When you go digital and list your on-going & upcoming projects on Google and other search engines, you open yourself to a wider customer base. Search engine listings and social media posts can help you to reach a newer & wider audience. Sometimes, even from different cities or countries as well!

 

Apart from search engines listings and social media campaigns, listing your project details on sites like Magicbricks, Housing.com, and even Olx is must. Listing your projects across different platforms of the internet opens up the marketing and targeting world for you.

 

For example, let us consider a person who currently is residing in New Delhi and is planning to move to Mumbai. The very first step he will be taking is- searching on the internet for “upcoming properties in Mumbai.” This is where your listings will come in and help to reach people from different cities and even different countries. And this is how you can reach wider audience through minimum efforts.

 

2. More marketing at the same cost

 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

 

The greatest and the biggest advantage of digital marketing is its cost effective nature. When you opt for digital marketing over traditional marketing, you can reach more people at the same cost that you would have paid to traditional, offline marketing.

 

Another advantage that digital has over traditional, offline form of marketing is the sheer number of options it presents to you. You can always opt for different strategies to market your projects and switch from one mode to another with ease if your goals aren’t met!

 

From organic digital marketing to paid ad campaigns, there is always something for everyone in the world of digital marketing.

 

3. More enquiries and potential leads

 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

 

As stated earlier, digital marketing allows you to reach a wider and more global audience for your projects. And when you do so, you can always direct them to your website and landing pages where they can learn more about the project.

 

It is here on this landing page that you can collect vital contact information about them and use it to contact them for your current and upcoming projects.

 

4. Effective and pin-point customer targeting

 

Image by Alexandra_Koch from Pixabay

 

Going digital also means you can target relevant audience through different ads. Even if someone hasn’t been to your website or the landing page, they can get to know about the project through target ads.

 

Digital ads also provide you with more control over who can see your ads and within how much radius can it be seen. Display ads and video ads on YouTube and other platforms that support it are the best way to spread word about your projects.

 

Another advantage of targeted ads is that it can create a sense of mystery and hype around your project. You can start with small teasers that showcase the amenities that you’ll be providing and build up the hype until your launch day.

 

5. Creates goodwill

 

Image by JL G from Pixabay

 

Social media marketing is a great tool to build the reputation of your brand. Through effective social media marketing strategies, you can not only create hype for your upcoming project but also position yourself as an expert of the field.

 

This positioning will go a long way and help to increase the brand value of your brand. When you position yourself as an expert, you gain the trust of your audience, helping your brand’s image and impacting your goodwill in a positive manner.

 

Digital marketing services are related to one another. They depend on each other to make sure your campaign is a hit. Digital marketing services perform in chain and in order to make sure these chains are properly connected to each other, you need an expert who can help you to run your campaigns seamlessly.

 

So, if you are a builder or even a real estate agent who deals with all kinds of properties, from commercial to private housing, going digital is a no-brainer. Contact me today and learn how digital marketing can help you to grow your business at a faster pace.

The-importance-of-branding-1024x576
Branding and Advertising Tips and Tricks

The importance of branding

What is Branding?

 

Branding [branding] noun

 

The promotion of a particular product or a company by the means of advertising and distinctive design.

 

By the textbook definition and in its simplest form, branding is the art of promoting and marketing a company and its line of products and services through the process of creating a name, symbol (logo), and other design elements that can be easily recognized by the audience and end consumers. Branding helps people to identify your products and services and distinguish them from others.

 

Image by Peggy und Marco Lachmann-Anke from Pixabay

 

Branding is an important process for any company as it not only helps them to leave an impression on the minds of the end consumers but also helps in creating a level of expectation. It is because of the process of branding that your customers know what to expect from your brand. Branding helps your business to break through the millions of offerings out there and make yourself stand apart while grabbing your customer’s attention.

 

How to build a brand?

 

The word branding comes from the ancient Norse word, ‘Brandr’ which meant ‘to burn’ but in the modern world, branding means something else. Today, branding means the process you undertake to grow your company and create a long-lasting impression in front of your audience.

 

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

 

However, there is more to this process than what its textbook definition implies. Branding is much more than designing a logo and tagline for the sake of designing it. Branding is the process that helps you, as a business to establish a meaningful and emotional relationship with your customers.

 

There are many ways in which a company can go around and build their brand but the process starts with having logo that people can recognise easily, from anywhere and at any time. Other ways to grow and build your brand include your advertising and communication materials, merchandising, promotional partnerships and more.

 

Why is Branding important?

 

Branding is important because it portrays who you are as a business, what do you stand for and how do you wish to be perceived by your customers. Branding is important as it defines who your audience sees you as a brand. It is the most important process that will determine the success of your business.

 

Helps you stand out

 

Although the overall process of branding is similar for every business, how you, as a business approach it helps you to set yourself apart from your competition. The philosophy of branding is different for every business, everyone has their own unique approach to this process.

 

Your approach, as a business towards branding will determine your impact and image in the minds of your audience. Branding can and will change how your audience sees you as a business. And that is how branding helps you stand out and breakthrough in the vast sea of competition.

 

Become recognizable

 

The branding process is all about creating a name for your business in the minds of your customers. This is branding is an important process as it helps you to project your business in the minds of your audience.

 

A highly successful brand is an easily recognisable one. All your branding elements, right from your logo to website help you to create a distinct image about your business that people can relate to and recognise easily. Because of this recognition and familiarity, people know what to expect when they see product and services from your business.

 

Turns your audience into loyal customers and fans

 

Do you know what is one thing that is common across all the big brands of the world?

 

They have a loyal fan following and a loyal customer base.

 

Image by Karolina Grabowska from Pixabay

 

Branding helps you achieve this loyalty. Your branding process helps you to create an emotional connection with your audience that goes a long way in establishing the feeling of mutual trust. This mutual trust then helps you to turn your audience into your fans and ultimately, loyal customers.

 

Create a consistent Brand Experience

 

Your fans turn into loyal customers when you provide them with a consistent experience every time when they interact with your offerings. A consistent brand experience is what paves the way for a successful brand. To provide an uniform and consistent brand experience to your customers, you as a brand, need to make sure that your audience and customers have a similar experience across all brand touch points- be it websites, walk-in stores or even on social media.

 

Creates a trusting environment

 

When you carry on with your branding activities, you create an environment of trust within your audience. Your branding activities help your brand to position itself as an industry expert. And generally, people like to buy products from businesses that portray themselves as professionals and experts. Branding helps you to achieve all this and create a feeling of trust amongst your audience.

 

Branding also goes a long way in dictating your advertising and marketing strategies. Advertising and marketing– both are components of branding and they both help your business to achieve your desired brand portrayal.

 

Branding is a very big and continuous process that requires constant care and attention. If you ever feel lost or overwhelmed during the process, get in touch with a branding expert who can help you grow your business into a recognizable brand.

Personal-branding
Branding and Advertising Tips and Tricks

A beginner’s guide to Personal Branding .

Whether you like it or not – You are a brand. Now, if you are a brand you need to have a plan too.

 

You are a brand – you may not realize this but you are! And you need to have a plan on how to project it but you just realized a few lines back that you were one,  that is why I am here to help you.

 

Failing to plan is planning to fail

 

 

Your personal brand is something which will grow over time but for that to happen you need to start. The journey of a thousand miles always begins with one step.

 

Laying the foundation of your personal brand is your first step towards building a brand and this is not difficult. Your brand is an extension of you – your values which are already within you.

 

Start from the inside out when planning to build your personal brand.

 

Be Genuine

 

 

Let me tell you a story about a soap that is probably at your home too – Dove.

 

When Dove began its Campaign for Real Beauty (now the Dove Self Esteem project) in 2004, it transformed itself from merely a soap company to a company with a vision. Their new mission statement was that “beauty should be a source of confidence and not anxiety.”

 

By consistently aligning its marketing efforts with its mission statement, Dove has been able to change its public perception to a brand that authentically champions women’s empowerment and wants to change the conversation around beauty. The longevity and resources Dove has put into changing the advertising industry’s narrow view of beauty have also made Dove appear more credible with its marketing messages.

 

If Dove can do it, you can do it too.  Be Genuine, Be Yourself.

 

When you are genuine with your work, it reflects in your work, product and the your BRAND as well.

 

Communicate your motives, make your mission clear, place your brand in such a way that it reflect your mission and purpose. Being genuine and true in your branding efforts goes a long way in creating a trust amongst your audience.

 

Promote your brand on social media

 

 

Promote your brand on social media, but beware with great reach comes greater responsibilities.

 

Social media has changed the nature of having a personal brand. The good side is the sheer volume of people you are able to reach. However, a certain level of caution must be exercised.

 

It’s important to know how to use social media properly to talk about your personal brand. Remember the first point we made was your brand is an extension of your values, so if you taint your name on social media, it will come back to bite your brand.

 

Tell an interesting story

 

 

If your personal brand isn’t telling a story, you’ve already lost half of your potential audience. Allen Garnett, Chief Strategy Officer at Skyword and author of The Creative Curve explains it best, “The most effective personal branding strategy these days is to build a true narrative – single character monologues are boring in Tinsel town, and even more boring for your personal brand.”

 

No one wants to hear you shout about your brand into the social media void, so create a story around your brand that your audience can engage with.

 

One of the best ways to tell that story is through written content or video. YouTube sees some of the highest levels of audience engagement across all the platform followed closely by Twitter.

 

The most personal way to communicate online now is with video. If you don’t have a budget for the professional cameras it’s alright simply use your phone to create a video message for your audience. Make a personal connection with prospective clients and connect with your audience.

 

Remember the little things

 

 

It is important to remember the small things you can do to improve your personal brand.

 

A simple act of following up immediately after meeting someone is important and keeps your personal brand a connected to your clients.

 

Little things go a long way. Rome was not built in a day and your brand won’t be either. But once Rome was built, it was the envy of the entire world and your brand can be the same.

 

Change is the name of the game

 

 

Your Personal Brand should see the same kind of progression your career has. Your first year of business will not the same as your tenth, this should reflect in your brand ideology too.

 

Business growth should go hand in hand with the ideologies of your brand. If your brand has been Philanthropist right from the start, that should not change just because you had a slow quarter or a year.

 

Find victory in your failures

 

 

Failure is tough, and all of us generally want to avoid it – that’s human nature. However, to have a personal brand that rises above the rest, you need to have failure.

 

Failure is not just any stepping stone to success it is the VERY FIRST one.

 

Walt Disney reminisced about his failed first attempts at creating an animation brand. “I think it’s important to have a good hard failure when you’re young. I learned a lot out of that. Because it makes you kind of aware of what can happen to you.” And what can happen is never as frightening as not trying at all.

 

If Walt hadn’t failed with his animation brand we would not have had all those fairy tale stories that we so fondly grew up with and cherished.

 

Play the positive game

 

 

After you’ve developed your personal brand over a period of time, there are generally two ways to continue to build your brand – Hop over others and burn bridges or Steadily grow a community around your brand.

 

The first option though easy, is also a sure way of destroying your brand while the second option is difficult, it is a promising way to grow your brand.

 

Identify the right platform

 

 

A sure sign of a strong brand is its ability to shine on any medium- Display, Print, Audio, and Video.

 

A solid brand should adapt to its new environment while still maintaining the core look, tone and personality that it has spent a lot time to build.

 

While, radio and television ads were the darlings of the previous generation, we have social media which promises to give you the same reach and at a lower cost.

 

These are just a few answers to important questions you should know before advertising, if you want to know more connect with me on Instagram to learn more about Personal Branding.

 

Your Brand is YOUR Legacy

 

 

Once you’ve built your personal brand with a reputation and community behind it, the next step is to think about the legacy that you’ll leave behind. What are the keywords and actions that you want to be known for? 

 

Blake Jamieson, artist at Blake Jamieson LLC, who paints pop art portraits of famous tech and sports heroes reminds us that: “Building a personal brand is much bigger than building a business. The only exit strategy is legacy.”

 

A personal brand is a lifelong project that constantly evolves and changes. Even the experts who build or enhance the biggest brands in the business know that there are no hard-set rules for creating a personal brand. But these general guidelines help provide first steps, especially if you’re starting a new brand or rebranding.

 

Apart from following the guidelines, asking experts to mentor you on how to create a powerful personal brand from an expert always helps.