brand Archives - Authentic Brand

Hiring an effective marketing leader: Why a two-pronged approach makes all the difference

My job allows me the unique opportunity to speak with five to ten small business leaders per week. When you get the chance to connect with this many leaders you start to gain valuable insight into what concerns are top of mind for folks who are running successful businesses. As I ask questions about their business, we always get to the topic of marketing (probably because that’s what I’m there to discuss). Most of the time, the conversation about marketing goes something like this: “We don’t currently have anyone leading marketing. In the past we’ve tried some things, but I’ve…

Building a Financially Resilient Business

Building a successful business that weathers the ups-and-downs of economic cycles takes tremendous resilience. Leveraging boom times to prepare for leaner times is critical. Knowing when to save, and when to invest, can be the difference between success and failure. (more…)

Make a “NOT-TO-DO” List for Marketing in the New Year

Isn’t the New Year great? It’s time to bust out those resolutions and ring in the start of a new calendar by making a change that brings something positive to your life. Many of us will sit down and write out a list of “To-Do’s for the New Year.” (more…)

Brand Messaging Moments: The Right Story for Investors, Stakeholders, and Acquirers. Part 3.

How will major growth affect your brand messaging? When you started your journey, messaging was simple and solution-focused. But, when investors, stakeholders, and acquirers get thrown into the mix, it adds a whole new layer of complexity to your brand narrative. (more…)

Brand Messaging Moments: Staying True to Your Roots Through Next-Level Growth. Part 2.

In our last post, I covered how your brand message or brand narrative will change during the start-up phases of your growth. These are the moments that will make or break a company’s future. So, when major growth is on the table, you have to make sure your brand narrative is up to the challenge. (more…)

Brand Messaging Moments: How Your Brand Narrative Evolves as You Grow. Part 1.

If you didn’t catch my last post, then please take a second and at least skim it. In it, I share what a brand narrative is, how to create one, and the potential ROI for your brand. That said, creating your brand narrative is never one and done. As your company grows, your brand narrative has to evolve. This allows you to keep up with new internal and external challenges that every growing brand faces. What milestones in your growth will affect your brand narrative? (more…)

TCSW18: The Lifecycle of a Brand Panel

We kicked off Twin Cities Startup Week (#TCSW18), early this Monday morning with a room full of entrepreneurs, marketers and four brilliant panelists. Our very own Jennifer Zick moderated the conversation and helped weave together the experiences these veteran business leaders have in building businesses and building brands. (more…)

Why Create a Narrative for Your Brand?

In 1962, the car rental company Avis was losing $3.2 million per year, and consistently losing to their main competitor Hertz. Then Avis changed their brand narrative and started embracing their position as number two in the market. Instead of trying to position themselves as better in the minds of prospects, they admitted they were number two and that it made them work harder. This convinced customers that they were going to get better service by choosing Avis. (more…)

Lifecycle of a Brand: Building Stories that Start, Scale, Sustain, and Sell Businesses

These Minnesota business owners have years of experience building businesses and building brands. They have perspectives from the "been there done that" side and the "still there, doing that" side. Learn how these entrepreneurs have shaped and reshaped their go-to-market strategies and stories through stages of growth and evolution. Get a founder’s perspective on marketing, brand, and maintaining focus and alignment through change. Gain real-world insights that will help you activate for today and plan for tomorrow. (more…)

Messaging Matters: Meet the leaders who are revitalizing their brands through buyer-centric messaging

There are any number of reasons that a company may revisit its brand and messaging approach, including: Changes to the business strategy, market focus, product or services mix, buyer demographics, leadership, and merger / acquisition activity. Whatever the motivation, the process of reshaping the brand narrative and supporting messaging can be a hefty undertaking. (more…)

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