Tag: Digital Marketing

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Business Marketing

Secrets to Successful Rebranding

Secrets to Successful Rebranding

Rebranding is an opportunity to revitalize a business, inspire consumers, and stimulate company growth. While many may think of a rebrand as simply updating a logo or picking new colors, it is so much more than that. The true power of rebranding is fueled by a carefully planned brand strategy. Keep reading for our secrets to successful rebranding.

A rebrand can be the best thing to ever happen to a business…or it can be the worst. The key is to be true to your company’s identity and make it about better serving and reaching your customers. A successful rebrand needs to tell a story of who you are and who you have become as a company.

Behind the Rebrand

After a year of working with our client, The Furniture Shoppe and The Patio Shop, our team at Spectruss encountered multiple challenges in operating a single store with two names. We wanted to consolidate and strengthen the brand as one to eliminate confusion from a consumer’s point of view.

We began working on a strategy to rebrand the company back to its original roots as one store, Fowler Brothers Company. Our team dove deep into the company’s rich history of 135 years to form a precise brand strategy from start to finish including a new logo, website redesign, and storefront remodel.

Logo Redesign

We wanted to create a fresh, modernized look while also using elements of the original company logo (top right picture).

Paying respect to the history of the family-owned business, we designed a new logo that reflects the vision of the founders that long-time patrons would also recognize.

Storefront Remodel

One of the challenges that Fowler Brothers faced was the physical store’s lack of presence at its own campus. Our goal was to unify the store as one showroom for both home furnishings and patio furniture. We began reimagining the exterior design of the campus to create an eye-catching storefront that passersby wouldn’t miss.

We worked very closely with the president and owner of Fowler Brothers Company, Carter Fowler, with choosing every detail for the remodeling project from interior finishes to price tag designs, and everything their name would be on. 

Before:

After:

 

New Digital Presence

Launching a seamless rebrand across all channels was crucial to the success of the new Fowler Brothers Co. Home and Patio brand.

Our team gave Fowler Brothers Co. a new digital experience by developing a new website, an e-commerce store, and a unified social media account. This resulted in one simple way of identifying the brand through all online platforms.

The new website also features an interactive style questionnaire which allows customers to select their ideal style choices and rooms they wish to furnish for a customized interior design recommendation. This was a great way to highlight the store’s interior design services as well as give a personalized feel for website visitors.

Rebrand Success

Our goal of giving Fowler Brothers Co. Home and Patio “One name, One store, One company”, has been a total success and one of the most exciting projects we’ve been a part of. Our team at Spectruss was proud to receive a Silver ADDY from the 2021 American Advertising Awards for our work on the rebranding project.

Check out Fowler Brothers Co. website here.

Need help rebranding your company? Contact us here.

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Business Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing Trends in 2021

Digital Marketing Trends in 2021

The tumultuous year of 2020 caused a major shift in consumer behavior, buying tendencies, and online interactions. Businesses were forced to quickly pivot in their marketing strategies in order to stay relevant and continue to serve consumers. Keep reading more more tips on digital marketing trends in 2021.

As we move into a more hopeful 2021, businesses must consider what was learned last year and form new strategies based on current digital trends. Read below to learn some of the top digital marketing trends that will lead in 2021.

Short-Form Videos

Staying at home and increased levels of boredom has led to many people turning to short-form videos for entertainment. TikTok soared to the forefront in 2020 and is now the top preferred platform for Gen Z. This soon led to Facebook launching the new Instagram Reels to give consumers what they want.

With the increase of social media use of all ages, businesses have began to increase marketing budgets to these channels. In Q2 of 2020, social media accounted for nearly 25% of total marketing budgets, an increase of 13% in 2019.

Quick, catchy videos are taking over social media and are here to stay. This year, brands need to meet consumers where they are. If your business isn’t already investing in a creative video strategy, it’s time to get started!

Social Media Shopping

In 2021, social media is set to become a top channel for purchase, rather than just discovery. In recent years, Instagram has become increasingly used for shopping. And early last year, Instagram made a big switch to make social shopping even easier. The platform replaced the activity tab with a shopping tab, making Instagram shopping a simple click away.

A recent study found that 30% of consumers would shop directly through social media platforms. This year in 2021, it is crucial for businesses to use social media shopping as part of their e-commerce marketing strategy.

Virtual Events

While virtual events began out of necessity during the pandemic, they have proved to offer substantial ROI and increased accessibility. Companies discovered that going virtual allowed their event to reach a whole new audience. By eliminating the extra expenses and travel costs of an in-person event, many businesses experienced higher attendance and participation with online events.

The key to a successful virtual event is excellent content, great speakers and having fun in order to keep online viewers engaged. In 2021, virtual events will continue to be a top marketing trend for businesses to reach a large number of consumers where they are.

Contact us today to learn more. 

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Business Marketing

Brand-Driven Storytelling

Brand-Driven Storytelling

Brand-driven storytelling is the art of using a cohesive narrative to connect your brand with customers. The key to successful brand storytelling is to clearly communicate your brands’ core values in a way that resonates with consumers.

A recent study found that 55% of people consider buying a brand if they love their brand story. Of those people, 44% will share that story with others, and 15% will immediately purchase the product.

It appeals to consumer’s emotions

It is scientifically proven that human emotions are impacted by stories. Our emotions play a significant role in our daily lives, which also affects our buying decisions. When your brand tells a great story, you are speaking to the underlying reasons why a consumer might buy your product or service. A successful brand story goes well beyond just talking about the product, it’s about making a connection with your audience.

It humanizes your brand

In a heavily digital world, the human element can sometimes get lost behind a brand. Think about the emotions, values, and ideas your company offers to consumers and incorporate those elements into your brand story. A great brand story is always authentic and knows how to relate to consumers on a personal level. When consumers see that your company is made up of real people, it helps to build trust and customer loyalty.

It makes your brand unforgettable

Your brand story can give your company a unique edge and stand out in the crowded marketplace. With so much competition in the digital space, it can be very difficult for brands to stand out. It’s not enough to have a good product or service, you need to have a story that sets your brand above the rest.

Studies have found that storytelling will not only increase your brand favorability to your audience, it can also be up to 22x more memorable than facts. So rather than just sharing facts about your product, tell a story that clearly communicates your company values.

Using storytelling to get to $1 billion

The Dollar Shave Club exploded into the retail market with the launch of a hilarious video that creatively told their brand story with a direct aim at one of the biggest razor blade providers in the world- Gillette. This startup company tapped into a 30 billion dollar industry with Gillette owning about 70% of it. In March 2012, this video was released and went instantly viral – getting more than 12,000 orders in the first 48 hours. Just five years later in 2016, the Dollar Shave Club was purchased for $1 billion.

The Dollar Shave Club brand story was ingenious because it not only built a brand that inspired customer loyalty but it also simultaneously disrupted the brand story of a massive company. The Dollar Shave Club proved that brand storytelling  isn’t about the massive budget, it’s about the strategic brand narrative – one that communicates a meaningful message that immediately resonates with consumers.

 

 

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Business Marketing

Building a Strong Cohesive Brand

Building a Strong Cohesive Brand

Every business has its own unique mission, brand voice, and goals. Knowing how your business differentiates from competitors is an important step, but knowing how to clearly communicate that to your consumers is what really sets your business apart. Successful businesses must not only build a strong brand, but they must also take a cohesive approach to their branding. 

What is cohesive branding?

Cohesive branding is showing consistency in your brand across all platforms to ensure that your business is immediately recognizable to consumers. Your audience may encounter your brand in various places such as your website, social media channels, landing page, digital ads, commercials, brochures, etc. To resonate with consumers, a strong brand must keep the same tone of voice, colors, graphics, and fonts consistent across all marketing platforms and materials.

Why a cohesive brand strategy matters

  1. Makes a positive first impression
  1. Creates a memorable brand
  1. Increases trust in your brand
  1. Builds brand recognition
  1. Increases conversions and sales

 

Building a cohesive brand marketing strategy is crucial in a competitive marketplace. If a business fails to communicate consistent branding to its audience, you could leave prospects feeling confused with who you are and what you do. Strong, consistent branding builds recognition, trust, and credibility for your business.

Everything you need under one roof

 

If you are looking to build and strengthen your brand the right way, partnering with Spectruss could be exactly what your business needs!

Spectruss is a full-service, all in-house marketing agency with over 10 years of experience working with numerous brands and businesses in various industries. We are a team of specialized individuals whose mission is to create stronger, more cohesive brands for businesses.

As a full-service, all in-house agency, we offer everything your business needs for branding, marketing, promotions, and advertising under one umbrella. This not only keeps your brand consistent, but it also saves your business both time and money.

Capabilities:

We tailor our services and packages specifically for each business based on their unique needs and goals!

 

Strengthening your brand during COVID-19

 

Creating a cohesive brand that consumers trust is crucial to the success of a business, especially during uncertain times. Through strategic brand marketing strategies, we helped our client, RefinedLooks, continue to grow during the global pandemic. In four months during COVID-19, we increased the number of consultations and booked appointments by 90.2%!

 

 

If you’d like to learn more about how Spectruss can help strengthen your brand, give us shout! We’d love to talk with you.

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Business Digital Marketing

How To Spend on Advertising?

How To Spend on Advertising

Great advertising and marketing are crucial to the success of a business. In recent years, digital advertising has seen significant growth, making it more important than ever for companies to have a strong online strategy in place. So how much should your company spend on advertising and where should that money be invested?

What should be your budget?

The average marketing and advertising budget for a business is 10% of its gross revenue. However, advertising spend isn’t a one-size-fits-all equation. Determining the best advertising budget for your business depends on your industry, company size, company history, existing digital presence, and goals.

1. New Businesses

For first-year businesses, it takes more marketing capital to get off the ground. New businesses need to invest heavily in brand awareness to gain customer trust and a market voice. 

Percentage: 12-20%

Variables: Some industries are more competitive than others. It is crucial to conduct in-depth market research to understand your audience and competition. The level of competition will help you determine how much to spend in ad dollars.

2. Established Businesses

Percentage: 6-12%

Variables: Competition and profit margin are two important factors for determining your advertising budget. The higher your profit margin, the more you can afford to spend on marketing and advertising. 

If you are a smaller company doing less than $5 million in sales, the U.S. Small Business Administration recommends spending around 7-8% of your gross revenue on marketing. 

 

Where should you invest your ad dollars?

To properly allocate your ad dollars and maximize your ROI, businesses must pay close attention to industry trends, competitors, and consumer behavior.

In 2019, over $100 billion was spent on search marketing, display advertising, social media, and email marketing. For the first time ever, digital marketing spend surpassed traditional advertising spend (TV, print, radio, etc.). While traditional advertising is still a relevant means of marketing, digital advertising is projected to continue to dominate in the coming years.

How should you spend in a recession?

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to cause economic uncertainty in the United States, businesses need to remain calm and reframe from slashing their advertising budget.

During a recession, there is less competition and noise. While other businesses are quiet, your customers are more likely to hear your brand voice above the rest. In addition to this, less competition means cheaper ad costs. When the economy improves, your business can emerge as a market leader having acquired a substantial customer base at a lower cost.

“A man who stops advertising to save money is like a man who stops a clock to save time” -Henry Ford

Reach out to us today!

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Business eCommerce Marketing

Marketing in the Covid-19 Age

To say that 2020 is a unique time for businesses around the world is an understatement. There is no playbook for a health crisis such as COVID-19. This global pandemic has significantly altered consumer behavior and attitudes, ultimately changing the way people interact with your brand, find your site, and access your products. The ever-changing cultural window of COVID-19 is requiring brands to create at significant speeds just to keep their content relevant to the consumer.

Challenging times like these require marketers to be extremely nimble and develop an actionable plan to optimize business performance. This is where smaller, more agile agencies such as Spectruss have the upper hand. At Spectruss, we have the ability to quickly pivot in our marketing strategies to help businesses adapt in changing circumstances. By closely monitoring data, our team can test, learn, and adjust in real time to ensure your brand messaging remains relevant and your advertising efforts are correctly allocated.

As a marketing agency who has worked closely with brands during this time, we have found that businesses who quickly adapt their messaging, digital, and e-commerce strategies set themselves up for success. During this time of social distancing, our team implemented new digital solutions for our clients, allowing them to continue to serve their targeted audience in a unique way.

Social Media Campaigns

With the stay at home order sweeping the nation, cosmetic surgeons and medical spas were drastically affected, as they rely on face-to-face consultations with patients. For one of our clients, Refine Aesthetic Studio, we launched a social media campaign that offered virtual consultations for their clients. Utilizing digital technology gave the studio the ability to continue to help their patients, even with their office doors temporarily closed.

E-commerce

As consumers stay home and shift their shopping habits towards online, it was imperative to quickly provide an e-commerce solution for our client, The Furniture Shoppe, a high-end furniture store in the Chattanooga area. Our team took immediate action towards building a beautiful, functional e-commerce website which significantly increased the store’s online presence. This not only gave our client a solution to continue sales during the lockdown, but also created a platform that would maximize their revenue intake for years to come.

During this constantly evolving time of consumer behavior, it is imperative for businesses to quickly adapt. While we all hope that things go back to “normal” soon, companies must be prepared for the lasting impact on the consumer landscape. Brand messaging, digital, and product strategy may need to significantly evolve in the post-COVID-19 age.

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Digital Marketing eCommerce

The Key to Building a Profitable Ecommerce Website

The future of e-commerce is booming. In fact, e-commerce sales are forecasted to increase from 15% in 2020 to 25% in 2025. If you’ve been considering starting an e-commerce business, now is the time!

When it comes to building an online store, there are many important factors you must consider to ensure you are creating the best performing e-commerce website for your business.

In the video below, Spectruss showcases the key elements necessary for an outstanding, profitable e-commerce website.

Excited to start your e-commerce business yet?? We sure are. Read below to learn more about how you can make sure your e-commerce website is a success!

Platforms

The platform your ecommerce store is built on serves as the foundation for your business. In order to maximize your online success, it is crucial to choose a platform that best represents your overall business goals. We highly recommend building your e-commerce store with either Woo-Commerce or Shopify, depending on your unique business needs.

WooCommerce uniquely offers the capability to build on top of WordPress – which accounts for 60% of all content management systems. It also offers complete website control, source code ownership, and customization options that other platforms simply do not have. With over 3.8 million companies using the WooCommerce platform, it’s clear that this is the preferred choice.

For companies looking for a more affordable option, Shopify is the recommended platform. Businesses using Shopify are limited to the platform’s themes, plugins, credit card processing system, and hosting fees. Despite the limitations, this platform remains a good option for budget-friendly businesses looking to launch a store quickly.

Fully Responsive

Fully responsive means your site works seamlessly across all screen sizes, such as mobile, tablet and desktop. With over 50% of online transactions taking place on mobile devices, it’s crucial that your e-commerce store is optimized for mobile! Utilizing responsive design ensures that your customers will have a smooth user experience from start to finish, no matter which device they are shopping on.

Product Photography

Eye-catching, beautiful product photography is crucial for showcasing your merchandise online and grabbing the attention of your potential customers. The right lighting, positioning, and brand language makes all the difference!

PCI Compliance

Implementing PCI compliance on your ecommerce site ensures that all credit card transactions are secure. This alleviates you of any potential liability and builds trustworthiness with your potential customers.

Analytics

Gathering data from your website is extremely useful for increasing your online sales. As you begin driving traffic to your new site, it’s critical that you have proper analytics set up to help you understand your customers’ behavior. Measuring this data will help adjust the way you advertise, maximizing your your user traffic and online sales. If you don’t have tracking tools properly set up, you could miss out on huge business growth opportunity.

Ready to get started with an AWESOME e-commerce website? Our team at Spectruss would love to help!

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Business Digital Marketing

Showcase Your Business Online

Yes, we are open and we are here for your business during this difficult and uncertain time. Our heart goes out to all of the doctors and nurses working tirelessly to fight this virus, the grocery store clerks and truck drivers working overtime to keep our shelves stocked, and the many businesses who have closed their doors in an effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

We believe your company can continue to prosper and your mission advance amidst this virus pandemic. During this time of social distancing, it is imperative that businesses adapt to serving their valued customers with digital options.

Now is the time to showcase your business online.

And we are here to help you do it.

If you don’t currently sell online, it’s time to start now. We can promote your products online with our flexible e-commerce platforms, giving you the ability to sell 24/7. Whether your business would benefit from platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce, or Facebook Marketplace, our experienced team can provide you with online selling options that will continue sales and serve your valued customers from the comfort of their home.

During this current situation, we have seen a significant rise in digital advertising to drive sales online. If your business already sells online, it is more important than ever to implement advertising strategies that will increase your online visibility and drive traffic to your e-commerce website.

Whether your business needs an e-commerce website, digital advertising management, or council on next steps to take, our dedicated team of experts is here for you. Schedule a free consultation with us today!

Click HERE to get started!

Categories
Design eCommerce Marketing

Spectruss Builds Custom Platform for New Medical Spa, Refine Aesthetic Studio

The Client

Refine Aesthetic Studio, an affiliate of Plastic Surgery Group, is a new premier medical spa located in downtown Chattanooga, TN. Our team at Spectruss used creative design and e-commerce web development to build a custom website for Refine Aesthetic Studio.

We also manage their digital marketing, advertising and social media platforms to help build brand awareness and increase online visibility. Other creative work includes event planning, PR, promotion and creative packaging.

Check out our work in the video below!

Web Design

Our creative team was eager to design a beautiful platform for Refine Aesthetic Studio that would readily attract clients. We thoughtfully chose color schemes, images, and layouts that would provide a visually appealing online experience and successfully portray the company’s overall brand image.

Ecommerce

We built a custom website with ecommerce capability to offer online ordering for Refine Aesthetic Studio’s skincare lines. Our goal was to create a convenient online shopping experience for clients to easily purchase their favorite skincare products. Designed to be responsive on all platforms, customers can use any device to shop on Refine Aesthetic Studio’s site.

Social Media

Social media is an effective platform for your business to gain exposure and build customer relationships. Our team managed Facebook and Instagram platforms for Refine Aesthetic Studio to build brand awareness through engaging content that showcased their services, products, and upcoming events. In just one month, Refine Aesthetic Studio saw significant social media growth.

Print

Using print materials is a great way to present potential customers with valuable information about your business in a small, portable form. Our creative team designed visually engaging literature to help build a recognizable brand and promote the offered services for Refine Aesthetic studio.

Photo + Video

From headshots to Instagram stories, we captured quality content to utilize on Refine Aesthetic Studio’s website and social media accounts. Our team will come to your business to create engaging videos and take beautiful pictures that will showcase your company brand.

Paid Advertising

Paid advertising is an excellent way to increase business growth by driving traffic towards multiple online platforms. Our team created and implemented advertising strategies to reach a specific target market and grow brand awareness for Refine Aesthetic Studio.

Event Planning

Our creative team organized events for Refine Aesthetic Studio from start to finish. We designed promotional materials, creative packaging and sent out a press release to local news outlets to help drive foot traffic to the new medical spa.

Interested to see what Spectruss can do for your business? We’d love to chat! Give us a call at 423.800.8633 or email us at info@spectruss.com.

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Events Marketing

Why Brands Should Embrace Experiential Marketing

In today’s world, it’s harder than ever to get the attention of consumers. Brands are always looking for new ways to stand out against all the noise and truly engage their customers. An increasing amount of businesses are turning to experiential marketing, which offers immersive, memorable campaigns that help deliver a brand’s message without distractions.

So, What Exactly is Experiential Marketing?

Experiential marketing has been a buzzword over recent years and is gaining increasing momentum in the marketing world. This powerful campaign strategy brings a whole new light to the way consumers experience a brand.

Experiential marketing focuses on direct engagement with consumers by using creative interactions to leave a lasting impression. These experiences could include a live event or a pop-up installation. Its central focus is to provide consumers with a live, engaging experience.

Many brands have found huge success in experiential marketing. Check out some great examples of successful campaigns below.

JetBlue- The Icebreaker

Who doesn’t want to take a trip to the beach in the middle of freezing cold winter? JetBlue airlines used this opportunity to promote their new direct flights from New York to Palm Springs in a very clever way. They put various summer-themed prizes such as beach attire, golf clubs, and free tickets to Palm Springs inside a huge block of ice and told passing New Yorkers that anything was up for grabs.

A social media campaign was launched along with this unique experiential strategy, resulting in a huge success for JetBlue. Everyone loves free stuff, right? Giving away prizes in a unique, creative way gave consumers an engaging experience they wouldn’t forget.

Gatorade Combine

The Gatorade brand is widely known for its close association with professional sports. To create an engaging experience for consumers, Gatorade used experiential marketing strategies to test individual athletic abilities in the form of a combine. A combine is an examination of athletic skills that athletes must complete before going to the professional league. Gatorade worked with a number of companies such as Xbox, Kinect, and Sparta Science to create electronic stations that executed interactive combine tests for each participant.

The results for the Gatorade combine tests provided accurate information for consumers, giving them data and knowledge to apply to other areas of life whether it be workout routines or dieting. Experiential marketing proves extremely impactful to consumers when it not only offers entertainment but also valuable information.

Red Bull- Stratos

The whole world held its breath when Redbull performed a record-breaking, supersonic skydiving jump. Known for its bold actions and involvement in extreme sports, Redbull decided to take its marketing strategy to new heights – – 24 miles about the earth’s surface to be exact! Redbull developed an experiential marketing campaign known as “Stratos” and partnered with Felix Baumgartner, a skydiver from Austria, to accomplish this incredible stunt.

Redbull streamed this event on YouTube and received over 8 million views (the highest viewing traffic of any live stream broadcasted on Youtube!) Don’t be afraid to think big and push the limits with your marketing strategies. Leave a lasting impression on your consumers by using the power of suspense and giving your audience something new to experience.