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Brand Strategy Masterclass: From Logos to Loyalty
Episode 7 • 2nd October 2024 • Business Ignite Podcast • Business Ignite Podcast
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Mastering Branding: Insights and Strategies for Business Success

In this episode of the Business Ignite podcast, hosts Ethan Walker and Samantha Reed dive into the crucial aspects of branding, inspired by a comprehensive 95 visual article. They discuss the importance of knowing your audience, creating buyer personas, analyzing competitors, and maintaining a visionary mindset. The conversation covers essential visual elements like colors, logos, and fonts, and the significance of authenticity and online presence. Listeners will gain valuable insights on building a memorable and adaptable brand, ensuring long-term success in the ever-evolving market landscape.

00:00 Welcome to the Business Ignite Podcast

00:16 The Power of Branding: Apple and Nike

00:43 Deep Dive: Conceptualizing Your Company Brand

00:59 Knowing Your Audience: The Key to Effective Branding

01:50 Crafting Buyer Personas

02:27 Learning from Competitors

03:00 Thinking Big: Vision and Ambition

03:55 The Importance of a Memorable Brand Name

04:40 Visuals Matter: Colors, Fonts, and Design

06:23 Values in Action: Authentic Branding

07:37 Responsive Design: Adapting to a Mobile-First World

09:49 The Ongoing Journey of Branding

11:20 Conclusion: Take Your Brand to the Next Level

Resources:

  • Conceptualizing Your Company Brand - Conceptualizing your company brand involves defining its core values, mission, and visual identity to create a cohesive message that resonates with your target audience. This process includes developing a strong logo, color palette, and tone of voice that reflect your brand’s unique personality. A well-conceptualized brand helps establish credibility and fosters a deeper connection with customers. https://www.95visual.com/resources/articles/conceptualizing-your-company-brand

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Transcripts

Speaker:

Welcome back to the business ignite podcast, where we light the fire

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for business growth and marketing success.

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Your hosts, Ethan Walker, Samantha Reed,

bring you the latest trends, expert

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insights, and actionable strategies

to fuel your business journey.

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Let's ignite your potential.

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Samantha Reed: All right, so

you see that Apple logo, right,

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with the bite taken out of it.

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Or how about that Nike swoosh?

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Instantly, you know what it is, right?

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Apple, Nike, those guys,

they've got branding down pat.

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And guess what?

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You're about to get a crash course in

making your brand just as unforgettable.

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Ethan Walker: Because let's be honest.

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If you're ready to take your business

to that next level, you gotta have

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a brand that packs a punch, right?

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It's that feeling people get,

that instant, ha ha, I know them.

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And today we're diving deep

into this 95 visual article,

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Conceptualizing Your Company Brand.

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It's like the treasure map to

crafting a brand that truly clicks.

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Samantha Reed: And listen, this isn't

just about slapping a fancy logo on

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something and calling it a day, okay?

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This article, it goes deep.

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It's all about the strategy behind

a brand that lasts, you know,

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and one of the things that really

jumped out at me was the emphasis

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on really knowing your audience.

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Which, okay, on the surface,

sounds kind of obvious, right?

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Know your customer.

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Everyone says that.

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But they dig into the how to here, and

they offer some really practical advice.

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Ethan Walker: What I found interesting was

how the article points out how easy it is

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to get caught up in building a brand for

yourself, not your actual target audience.

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Yeah.

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They even talk about Running ads just to

see who's clicking on them, which kind

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of seems like doing things backward.

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You know what I

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Samantha Reed: mean?

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It totally does.

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It's like that time I tried to make my

dog like a super healthy salad, right?

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All these fancy veggies and stuff.

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He just wanted his regular old kibble.

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Right.

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I digress.

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Knowing your audience, it's crucial.

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But how do we actually

put that into practice?

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You know, the article, they

mentioned crafting these things.

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Uh, they call them buyer personas.

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And I got to say, it was a

bit of an aha moment for me.

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Ethan Walker: Buyer personas.

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They can be incredibly powerful

when you really dive into them.

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Just imagine you've got this super

detailed profile of your ideal

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customer right there in front of you.

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You know, their age, their

interests, what keeps them up at

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night, even what they dream about.

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This goes way beyond just.

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Okay,

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Samantha Reed: so I'm starting to see how

that kind of granular detail, how that

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could really change my entire approach to,

well, everything, marketing especially.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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And the article even takes it a

step further, suggesting we should

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be checking out our competitors,

seeing who they're attracting.

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Samantha Reed: So, like, if I notice my

biggest competitor's ad is doing really

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well with a certain age group, that's

a sign I should maybe be paying more

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attention to that demographic, too.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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You might discover a whole new

group of potential customers

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you hadn't even considered.

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It's about working smarter, right?

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Not harder.

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And why not learn from

what's already out there?

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Samantha Reed: This deep dive is already

pure gold, just for that takeaway.

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But hold on, folks, because

the article doesn't stop there.

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It also talks about the

importance of thinking big.

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Even if you're just starting out.

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It's like that whole dress for

the job you want, not the job you

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have thing, but for your brand.

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Ethan Walker: It's all about mindset.

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It's about vision.

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You know, even if you're just a

small local business right now, your

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branding, it can still reflect your

dreams, your big goals for the future.

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Samantha Reed: So instead of just,

you know, Creating some, I don't know,

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generic logo just to get things going.

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You could actually incorporate elements

that hint at your larger ambitions.

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Now you're talking.

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Like, let's say my dream is to build

a nationally recognized company.

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One day, right?

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Could I actually weave in elements,

visual cues, maybe, that subtly

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suggest that broader reach?

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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It's all about making smart

decisions today that won't

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hold you back in the future.

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Yeah.

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Your brand, it needs to

be able to grow with you.

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Samantha Reed: See, this is

why I love these deep dives.

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Always learning something new.

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Okay, but let's switch gears

for a second and talk about

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something a little more fun.

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Bland names.

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And the article doesn't hold

back here, even going so far

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as to call some names bland.

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awful.

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Ethan Walker: And rightfully so.

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The name of your brand,

that's your first impression.

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It's like a handshake.

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It's got to be memorable,

relevant to what you offer.

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And also, just like we were talking

about with your overall brand

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vision, it has to be adaptable.

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What if you expand, you know?

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Samantha Reed: So maybe avoid calling

your company Bob's Burgers if you've

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got plans for world domination, huh?

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Although I gotta admit, it

does have a certain ring to it.

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Ethan Walker: You're not wrong.

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A catchy name goes a long way.

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Yeah.

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But seriously, it's crucial to

really put some thought into this.

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What What message are you

sending with your name?

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Will it still resonate if you branch

out, offer new products, target a

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different audience down the road?

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Samantha Reed: It's that

long game again, right?

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Just like with your overall vision.

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Ethan Walker: Absolutely.

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Samantha Reed: Speaking of

vision, let's talk about visuals.

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This is where I always feel

a little out of my depth.

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Colors, fonts, design.

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It feels like everyone else is

speaking some secret language

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that I missed the memo on.

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Ethan Walker: I hear you.

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It can definitely feel overwhelming,

all the different elements.

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But honestly, just having even a basic

understanding of these visual cues can

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make you feel a lot more confident.

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The article does a great job of

breaking this down, especially

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when it talks about color.

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The psychology of color, you know?

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They use this example of sticking

to one main color consistently

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and how powerful that can be.

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Samantha Reed: It's true.

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Certain colors just make you

feel a certain way, right?

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Like, I wouldn't expect an energy

drink company to have a calming

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lavender as their main brand color.

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It'd be kind of weird, you know?

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Ethan Walker: As said, mixed signals.

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Exactly.

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And it's just one little example

when it comes to color psychology.

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For instance, greens, they're often

linked to tranquility, nature, right?

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Blues, they often signal

trust, dependability.

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Reds, they're bold, exciting colors.

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Passionate.

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Understanding those subtle cues, even just

a little bit, it can help you make much

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more informed choices, choices that really

align with your brand's personality.

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Samantha Reed: Makes total sense.

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I'm already sitting here thinking about

the colors I use and what message they

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might be sending, even unintentionally,

but it goes beyond just color, right?

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Ethan Walker: You got it.

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We're talking logos, fonts, even

the way your website is designed.

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Mm.

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Think about those big, iconic brands

we were talking about earlier.

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They've created this whole visual

world, and it's instantly recognizable.

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Samantha Reed: It's like they're

not even using words, you know?

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It's all visual, but you just get it.

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You know who they are, what they're about.

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It's pretty powerful stuff.

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And I'm realizing now, even if I don't

have, like, A design degree, just being

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aware of all this can help me make

way better choices for my own brand.

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Ethan Walker: 100%.

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And it actually brings us to a really

crucial point that this article drives

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home, and I love that they do this, your

brand, it's so much more than just a logo.

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It's about values.

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Values in action.

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Samantha Reed: Ooh.

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Okay.

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Now you've got my attention.

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Values in action.

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Tell me more.

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Ethan Walker: Okay.

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So picture this.

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You've got this company, right?

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And they're slapping

a heart on everything.

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Their packaging, their

website, everything.

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They're saying, we care.

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But then you look closer.

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And their actions.

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Totally different story.

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Maybe their customer service is just

the worst, or their supply chain.

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Shady, unethical practices.

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The article uses this

example of customer loyalty.

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It's not enough to just say, hey,

we value our loyal customers.

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You actually have to prove it, you know?

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Your policies, your customer

service, every single interaction.

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It's got to reflect that.

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Samantha Reed: It's

like that saying, right?

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Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk.

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People can spot a fake from a mile away.

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Especially these days.

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Ethan Walker: No kidding.

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Authenticity is huge EE.

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Customers can tell when you're

being real with them, when you're

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actually living your values.

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When your actions don't match

your words, you lose that trust.

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And honestly, it's worse

than having no values at all.

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Samantha Reed: Ouch, yeah.

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It's like that house built on sand.

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Right.

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One good storm and whoosh, it's gone.

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But speaking of foundations, this

article brings up another one,

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having a strong presence online.

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They even get into this thing called

responsive design, which, okay, I've

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definitely heard that term thrown

around, but I'll be honest, I'm a

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little fuzzy on what it actually means.

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Ethan Walker: Don't sweat it.

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You're definitely not the only one.

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It's one of those things.

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A lot of people hear it, but don't

really know what it means, but

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it's super important, especially

these days, you know, with everyone

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pretty much glued to their phones.

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It's like the article calls

it a mobile first world.

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And they're not wrong.

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Samantha Reed: Seriously, I think

I spend like 90 percent of my time

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online on my phone these days.

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Is that bad?

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Am I doing it wrong?

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Ethan Walker: Not at all.

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It's just the way things are now.

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And that's where

responsive design comes in.

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It's all about making sure your

website, it looks amazing no matter

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what you're looking at it on.

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Samantha Reed: Yeah.

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Ethan Walker: You know, phone,

tablet, laptop, whatever, consistent

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experience across the board.

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The article really stresses that.

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Samantha Reed: So, what you're saying

is, if my website looks totally awesome

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on my computer screen, but then I pull

it up on my phone and it's all wonky

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and out of whack, that's a problem.

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Ethan Walker: Ding, ding, ding.

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You got it.

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And it's way more than

just how it looks, too.

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It affects things like SEO,

you know, how easy it is for

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people to find your website.

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And it definitely impacts user experience,

like how long people stick around.

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And ultimately, it affects

how credible your brand seems.

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Website that's not responsive.

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It just screams, hey.

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I'm stuck in the past.

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Samantha Reed: That's not

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Ethan Walker: the

message you want to send.

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Samantha Reed: Okay.

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You've officially freaked me out.

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Adding review website responsiveness to

my to do list, like right after this.

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This is one of those things, right?

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It seems kind of minor, but it can have a

huge impact on how people see your brand.

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Ethan Walker: A hundred percent.

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Yeah.

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It's those little details, you

know, they all add up to this whole

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experience, this feeling people get

when they interact with your brand.

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And that takes effort,

especially in the online world.

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So first impressions, they happen

in like seconds, milliseconds even.

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Samantha Reed: You know, there's

that saying, uh, what is it?

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Something like, people

might forget what you said.

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They might forget what you

did, but they'll never forget

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how you make them feel.

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And that's what we're

talking about here, right?

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Creating a feeling and experience.

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It's bigger than just buying and selling.

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Ethan Walker: I love that.

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It's about making a real

connection, a human connection,

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Samantha Reed: right?

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Ethan Walker: That's what

makes a brand stick with you.

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But, and this is important, the article

does a great job of reminding us that

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this whole branding thing, it's not a

one time thing, you know, it's a process.

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It's ongoing.

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Samantha Reed: It's a

marathon, not a sprint, right?

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And any good marathon runner will

tell you it's all about pacing

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yourself, staying hydrated, making

sure you've got the right gear.

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Okay.

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Okay.

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Maybe I'm getting a little carried

away with the metaphor, but my

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point is, this is a journey.

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It's a long game.

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And I'm curious, what happens when

that journey, well, what happens

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when it takes unexpected turn?

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Like, what about when your brand

needs to, you know, evolve?

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Ethan Walker: Yeah.

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Ah, the million dollar

question right there.

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How do you stay true to who

you are at your core, but

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also keep up with the times?

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https: otter.

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ai

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But it starts with being curious, you

know, really listening to your audience,

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being open to trying new things.

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Samantha Reed: So it's like we were

talking about with websites, right?

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They got to be responsive these days to

fit all the different screens and stuff.

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Maybe our brands, they need to be

responsive too, in a way, adaptable,

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you know, changing with the times,

but without losing that core identity.

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Ethan Walker: Yeah, you're thinking.

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It's a balancing act, for sure.

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Finding that sweet spot between staying

true to yourself and also embracing new

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possibilities, new ways of doing things.

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It's a never ending evolution.

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Samantha Reed: Love that.

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Building a brand that's not just

recognizable, but adaptable.

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Built to last, you know?

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No pressure, right?

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Ethan Walker: Hey, no pressure at all.

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Just remember, it's a journey, and

like any good adventure, the best way

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to tackle it is one step at a time.

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Samantha Reed: So, to all our

listeners out there, I hope you're

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walking away from this deep dive

feeling as inspired as I am.

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We really dug into some fantastic insights

from that 95 visual article, and I hope

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you're feeling fired up and ready to

take your brand to a whole new level.

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And remember, Even small tweaks

can make a world of difference.

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So pick one thing, just one thing

you learned today and actually put it

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into practice, experiment, have some

fun with it and see what happens.

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We love hearing about your branding

wins and Hey, even the challenges.

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So don't be shy about sharing your

journey with us until next time.

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Happy branding, everyone.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for tuning

into the Business Ignite podcast,

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where we fuel your business

growth and marketing success.

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If you enjoyed today's episode,

be sure to rate and review us.

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It does help others find the show.

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Don't forget to follow us on social

media at Business Ignite podcast and

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share this episode with a friend.

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Keep the fire burning and remember,

your success is just one strategy away.

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Until next time, stay ignited.

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