Wednesday, February 7, 2024

Change The Logo. Keep The Brand.

What does a constantly changing logo look like to consumers?

Consumer Shopping Behaviors Brand Desire Logo

Changing a company's logo can have positive and negative effects on consumers, depending on various factors. Here are some considerations:

Positive Aspects:

  • Fresh and Innovative Image:

    • Regular logo changes can convey a sense of innovation and adaptability. It shows that the company is dynamic and willing to evolve with the times.

  • Engagement and Excitement:

    • Frequent logo changes generate excitement among consumers, especially if the changes are well-executed and align with the company's brand identity.

  • Seasonal or Event-Specific Themes:

    • Temporary logo changes for special occasions, seasons, or events can create a sense of relevance and connection with current trends or festivities.

Negative Aspects:

  • Brand Confusion:

    • Too frequent logo changes may lead to brand confusion. Consumers might find it difficult to associate a consistent visual identity with the company, impacting brand recall.

  • Lack of Brand Recognition:

    • A constantly changing logo may hinder the establishment of a strong visual identity. Brand recognition is crucial, and more variation can be needed to dilute this recognition.

  • Perceived Instability:

    • Some consumers may interpret frequent logo changes as a sign of instability or lack of commitment to a consistent brand message, which could erode trust.

  • Cost and Resources:

    • Regularly redesigning and implementing new logos can be costly. It may be more efficient to invest resources in other aspects of branding and marketing.

Best Practices:

  • Consistency with Brand Values:

  • Balancing Change and Stability:

    • Striking a balance between refreshing the brand image and maintaining a stable core identity is crucial. Gradual, purposeful changes may be more effective than frequent drastic alterations.

  • Clear Communication:

    • Communicate the reasons behind logo changes to consumers. If there's a strategic purpose or a significant milestone, sharing this information can create understanding and acceptance.

  • Testing and Feedback:

    • Before implementing a new logo, gather feedback from a sample audience to gauge their reactions. This can help identify potential issues and refine the design.

In summary, while periodic logo updates can be beneficial, it's essential to carefully consider the frequency, reasons, and execution of these changes to ensure a positive impact on consumer perception and overall brand identity.

Let us help you navigate the opportunities available to you in the markets you face.  With over two decades of marketing experience under our wing, we can help your business soar in a jungle of small businesses just trying to make it happen.

“Sometimes, all you need is a little help.” – Gibrón Williams

Scan to access the Podcast. Blog. Newsletter. And more.

DOWNLOAD WHITEPAPER


Thursday, February 1, 2024

Modern Marketing Strategies for the Senior Entrepreneur

Modern Senior Entrepreneur at Small Business Strategy Meeting

From Vintage to Vogue: Modern Marketing Strategies for the Senior Entrepreneur

The digital age offers a vast array of tools and strategies, providing entrepreneurs across all age groups, notably seniors, opportunities to successfully market their ventures. The modern business landscape, teeming with potential, beckons senior entrepreneurs to adapt and thrive. This blog from Oevae Marketing Consultants presents a curated list of ten powerful strategies tailored to the needs of seasoned entrepreneurs. Read on as we navigate these game-changing tactics that are designed to foster success in today's dynamic market.

Your Target Market

Understanding who your ideal customer is is crucial. By defining your target market's preferences, characteristics, and pain points, you can tailor your marketing efforts to resonate with them. Market research, customer surveys, and data analysis can provide valuable insights into your target audience's behavior.

Website Design and the User Experience

In today's digital age, a well-designed website serves as a digital storefront and the nucleus of your online presence. A user-friendly, easy-to-navigate, and aesthetically pleasing website can attract and retain customers. Make sure your website clearly displays your business offerings, contact information, and brand story. Regularly updating your website with new and relevant content will keep it engaging and compelling for visitors.

SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps increase your website's visibility in organic search results, drawing more traffic to your online portal. By utilizing relevant keywords and meta tags and ensuring high-quality, engaging content, you can optimize your website for search engines like Google. For local businesses, make sure to optimize for local search results, making it easy for people in your area to find your business.

Free Products or Coupons

Customer acquisition can be challenging. Offering free samples or discount coupons can lure potential customers, allowing them to experience your product or service with minimal risk. This strategy encourages customers to try your offerings and potentially creates advocates who can spread the word about your business.

Referrals and Word-of-Mouth Marketing

One of the most effective forms of marketing is word-of-mouth referrals. Requesting satisfied customers to recommend your business to their friends and family can exponentially increase your reach. To encourage referrals, consider launching a referral program with incentives for both the referrer and the referred.

Network with Old Friends

Networking is a key component of effective marketing strategies. Reconnecting with old friends and acquaintances can open up new business opportunities and collaborations. If you've lost touch over the years, a simple and effective way to rekindle these connections is by using a search engine. 

For instance, if you're looking to connect with fellow high school graduates from Dallas and the surrounding area, just enter their name, graduation date, and school into the search engine. This approach can yield quick results, providing you with options to reach out and re-establish contact. Reconnecting with long-ago friends can not only enrich your personal life but also expand your professional network in ways that are both surprising and rewarding, potentially leading to new avenues for your business endeavors.

Online Advertising

Online advertising platforms such as Google Ads and social media ads can target specific audiences based on demographics, behaviors, and interests. These platforms provide detailed analytics to track your campaign performance and ROI. This form of advertising can significantly drive traffic to your website or physical store.

Enlist the Help of Experts

Senior entrepreneurs looking to enhance their marketing strategies can greatly benefit from the services offered by Oevae Marketing Consultants. Specializing in a range of areas, including social media marketing, exhibits, events, and email marketing, Oevae provides tailored solutions to meet the unique needs of mature business owners. 

Their expertise in social media marketing can help you effectively reach and engage with your target audience on various platforms, increasing brand awareness and customer interaction. For those looking to make an impact through physical presence, Oevae’s experience in organizing exhibits and events can create memorable experiences that resonate with your audience. Additionally, their email marketing strategies are designed to nurture and grow your customer base, ensuring regular engagement and long-term loyalty. Partnering with Oevae Marketing Consultants means leveraging their extensive knowledge and skills to drive your business’s success in a competitive market.

Content Marketing

Content marketing is king in an era where consumers value education over promotion. Regularly producing informative, engaging, and shareable content in the form of blogs, videos, or social media posts can build trust with your audience. Content that addresses the needs and interests of your target market can position your brand as a thought leader in your industry.

Building Trust and Credibility

Customer trust is a vital factor in purchasing decisions and can be significantly bolstered by presenting testimonials, reviews, and case studies that attest to your business's dependability. A visible demonstration of your business's track record can engender trust. Moreover, maintaining a high standard of customer service can further enhance your brand's credibility, reinforcing customer faith in your enterprise.

Successful marketing requires a multi-pronged approach regardless of age or business sector. For senior entrepreneurs, embracing these strategies can help reach a wider audience and foster lasting customer relationships, which is essential for business longevity. Regardless of the hurdles, remember that each step you take toward perfecting your marketing strategy is a step toward business success.

Make a brand difference.™

Wednesday, June 7, 2023

Small Business Help: Creative Branding with Creative Marketing

Carmine's Pizzeria Google Review Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza, fDallas, TX

Trying to craft marketing content that gets the attention of the people you want to be your customers can leave you scratching your head. You can seek advice from a friend in the marketing business or perhaps ask a close family member who knows someone who works in the marketing department of a Fortune 100 company who might give you some good suggestions. However, there's nothing like having the people on the front lines of marketing nearby to help with your business communications. Not doing so can lead to lost opportunities, miscommunications, and a really tough learning experience.


This post will help you with at least three things:

  • Identify missed opportunities to influence potential customers.
  • Find out what consumers are searching for Online
  • Leverage simple technologies that influence prospects


At Oevae, we solve the problems between "what you are thinking" about content marketing and "what it will take to make those thoughts a reality." Whether getting more customers, looking more like a real business, or simply changing your approach, we can help you find direction and solutions for growing your business by identifying gaps in your marketing, so you can squeeze more potential out of your brand.


Here are a few creative marketing ideas that might help your Brand become more attractive to the people you want to be your customers. You may have thought about it but don't have the tools or people around you to help you make it happen. Sometimes all you need is a little help.


1.  Identify missed opportunities to influence potential customers.


Email Signatures that include your logo help readers quickly differentiate your email from the previous email. Email Signatures give the recipient a lasting impression of whom they are doing business with, making your contact information easy to find whenever the email recipient wants to connect with you, and it serves as a nest for several ways to access information about your company, other than email.


81% of small businesses rely on email as their primary customer acquisition channel, and 80% for retention. 

 

– Oberlo (Shopify Inc. Multinational E-commerce Company}


Business Cards work harder for you than Near Field Communication (NFC), and here's why. Once you use NFC (holding your phone near the data source to share small payloads of data between, similar to contactless payments popularized by COVID-19) to add a new phone number to your smartphone contacts, it's quickly out-of-site and out-of-mind. Meanwhile, a business card is still working for you. The business card gives you another opportunity to reinforce your brand identity and adds to the number of impressions your logo hits the conscious mind of the recipient. The recipient of the business card must find a resting place, sometimes the trash, but sometimes they are stored in a stack on the desk, in a desk drawer, purse or backpack, or maybe in a wallet. 


The best part about using business cards is, every time a person with your business card looks at it, they will remember who or where they received it. The longer it takes someone with your business card to put it out of sight, the longer their exposure to your brand. A similar approach is used by Fortune 100 brands, placing their logo on togo cups and shopping bags because they know the life expectancy of that disposable item will soon resonate with your subconscious mind. For instance, some customers like round business cards because they can double as a beverage coaster.  We've designed other business cards with QR codes to direct prospects for customized experiences.


Google Reviews can dramatically increase the number of times prospects find your company online, especially those with photographs, because they are more personal and relatable, which helps the reader better visualize and understand a reviewer's experience, making it even more valuable and convincing than reviews without photographs. Remember this the next time you ask a customer for a Google Review. It gives potential shoppers a glimpse into the experience you provide. A study by Sterling Sky Inc found that having a photo had a massive impact on how long a review stayed at the top of the reviews list on Google.  In fact, the photograph Pepperoni and Sausage Pizza, from Carmine's Pizzeria in Dallas, TX used at the beginning of this blog post is from a Google Review published in May 2020 and currently has 42,565 views.  That's an average of over 1,100 non-paid views per month (1,182.3) benefiting Carmine's Pizzeria.



2. Find out what consumers are searching for Online

 

Google Trends is a very effective way to easily see what consumers are on the Internet searching for all around the world, right down to your state, city, demographic, and time of day.  Visualise, discover and compare trending topics and people's search behavior within Google Search, Google News, Google Images, Google Shopping, and YouTube. With this data, you can better craft your promotional headlines, website content and keywords, email marketing Subject lines, text messages, and even the hashtags used in social media posts. 


Google Analytics provides countless resources to understand user behavior on your website, where aggregating your most authentic content should be. Two of the most valuable aspects are your ability to improve search engine optimization, groom content, find your target audience, and reinforce positive beliefs about your brand. With a comprehensive understanding of how your people engage with your website in real-time and business, you can deliver better experiences that help you grow your customer base organically.


"Authenticity means being open to stories that normalize the experience customers have with a brand, which is sometimes critical. Create a personal connection and tailor the customer experience. Personalization can go a long way toward building trust." 


– Forbes Business Development Council



 3. Leverage simple technologies that influence prospects


URL shorteners with branding capabilities allow you to share branded links as part of automated workflows – with the name of your choosing, you can take total control of your content, and your audience will know they can trust recognizable links. "With trust comes action. Businesses that share custom links see a boost in click-throughs," says Bitly URL Shortener. Every click, tap, and a swipe of your shortened links arms you with the information you need to share more of the content your audience is most excited about – track engagement metrics on your links' organic shares.


Quick Respons codes (QR codes) have been used for over two decades. If you have not found a way to use them, your competitors probably will or have already done so. The QR code is a simple way to leverage technology that redirects prospects from the scan of their mobile device to specific content that continues the message driven by your marketing campaign with quick and convenient access. Consumers scan QR codes and use them as a shopping tool from their mobile phones to navigate product offers. 


A study found that the usefulness, feasibility, and acceptability of QR codes are stimuli, which will influence the perceived flow (considered as an organism) of customers positively and affect purchase intention and customer satisfaction in the online shopping context (response). A POS displays with a QR code can be an easy way to get customers to share their experience in a Google review.


Wallpapers (not your great-grandmother's wallpaper from the 1920s) are photographs or videos used as a desktop on your PC, tablet, smartphone, or Chrome browser. The average American spends 7 hours and 4 minutes looking at a screen each day and 2 hours in front of a PC. When a person has your wallpaper on their smartphone or office computer, chances are that your image will catch the eye of their friends and colleagues as well, increasing the coverage. 


Whichever wallpaper image you choose must reflect the mission, values, and brand goals. A beautiful image can boost your spirits and create positive associations with your brand. It’s a great way to cultivate a strong emotional bond with your audience.  


If all else fails, and you still need a little help, get Small Business Therapy – a short conversation can do wonders for improving perspectives and bringing clarity to the Internet/marketing terminology, and how to utilize the latest marketing technologies to grow your small business most efficiently. Small Business Therapy is billed at $0.99/per minute (price subject to change without notice) with no minimum. Get the marketing help you need in less time, and at a fraction of the cost. 


Make a brand difference.™