Tag: online branding

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Lucky Number 13: The Beginning of Spectruss

The Beginning of Spectruss - Episode 2 of the Spectruss Speakeasy podcast featuring a conversation about business, branding, and entrepreneurship
Episode 2 of Spectruss Speakeasy: The Beginning of Spectruss. A deep conversation about how Spectruss started, the challenges faced, and the lessons learned in building a creative agency

What does it take to build a business from scratch? Hard work, long nights, a little luck, and maybe even cutting down a few hundred trees (literally).

In this episode of Spectruss Speakeasy, Sam Silvey, founder of Spectruss, shares his experience from racing bicycles to launching a creative agency in Chattanooga, TN.

If you’re a small to mid-sized business owner or entrepreneur looking for insights on business, marketing, and creative problem-solving, this episode is for you.

From Racing Bikes to Building Brands

Sam’s story doesn’t start in an office, it starts on a bike.

Long before Spectruss, Sam was a competitive cyclist, pushing himself to the limit. But after dropping out of college to focus on racing, reality hit hard when he got his ass handed to him in his first pro race.

So, what do you do when your plan doesn’t work out? You adapt.

His background in computer science (the one subject in college he actually liked) led him to building websites for small businesses. His first gig? A local coffee shop website, paid partly in coffee and a few hundred bucks.

That’s when he realized businesses didn’t just need websites, they needed branding, marketing, and a plan to grow.

The Start of Spectruss

Before Spectruss, there was Silvey Development, a scrappy operation where Sam juggled coding, photography, and design to help businesses build their online presence.

But if you’ve ever started a business, you know money is tight in the early days. So, when an opportunity arose to clear a tornado-hit property (225 trees, to be exact), he took it.

With zero tree-cutting experience and a couple of chainsaws, he and his crew completed the job for $75,000, enough to fund Spectruss’ first office, new equipment, and a proper start.

From living in the back of his office on a futon to growing a creative agency, Sam built Spectruss with hard work, adaptability, and a vision to help businesses succeed.

Why Spectruss?

The name Spectruss is more than just a brand.

  • “Spectr-“ comes from spectrum, representing the wide range of creative and digital solutions they offer.
  • “-Truss” refers to a strong structural beam, symbolizing the solid foundation businesses need for growth.

At its core, Spectruss helps companies stand out through branding, marketing, and digital strategy.

Learn more about Spectruss here.

Lessons for Business Owners

Entrepreneurs, take notes. Here’s what Sam’s experience teaches about starting and growing a business:

Adaptability matters – Your first idea might not work, and that’s okay. Shift, learn, and find the right opportunity.
Success takes time – It took years of effort for Spectruss to become what it is today.
Solve real problems – Whether it’s a website, brand strategy, or marketing campaign, helping businesses grow is what makes the difference.
Work with the right people – Business is tough. Surround yourself with a team that shares your vision and values.

Where Spectruss is Today

From coffee shop websites to full-scale brand strategy, Spectruss has grown into a well-established digital marketing agency in Chattanooga.

They now help businesses with:

  • Brand Strategy & Creative Design
  • Website Development & SEO
  • Social Media & Digital Advertising
  • Marketing Campaigns & Business Growth Strategy

And they’re not slowing down. Spectruss continues to help brands grow and create real impact through digital marketing.

Listen to the Full Episode

If you’re an entrepreneur, business owner, or just love real stories about starting a business from the ground up, this episode is a must-listen.

🎧 Catch the full episode on:

Need a Marketing Partner? Let’s Talk.

If you’re a small business in Chattanooga or beyond looking for:
✅ Branding that makes an impact
✅ Websites that actually convert
✅ Digital marketing strategies that work

Spectruss can help. 

Get in touch with us today

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Spectruss Speakeasy: Why Racing Became Part of Our Marketing Strategy

Spectruss Speakeasy marketing podcast logo featuring bold typography and modern branding, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Spectruss Speakeasy marketing podcast logo featuring bold typography and modern branding, based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Well, here we are. The first episode of the Spectruss Speaeasy podcast is live.

I’ll be honest, I wasn’t sure how this would turn out. Talking about Spectruss Racing on a marketing podcast? A bit different. But that’s kind of the point.

Marketing agencies all sound the same. Everyone is talking about SEO strategies, paid ad hacks, and conversion rates (which, yes, matter), but it’s exhausting. Spectruss Racing started because I needed something outside of business to sink my teeth into, and now, it’s become a core part of what makes Spectruss different.

If you want to hear the full unfiltered conversation (including near-death filming experiences and questionable tax write-offs), go listen to the episode here.

But if you’re more of a reader, let’s break it down.

How I Ended Up Racing Dirt Bikes in My 30s

I didn’t grow up riding dirt bikes. I raced bicycles, first mountain biking, then road cycling, and eventually, at a professional level. The goal was to make a living from it, but between some brutal crashes and the 2008 market crash, that plan fell apart.

Fast forward to 2019, I was running Spectruss and needed something outside of work to obsess over. I bought my first dirt bike, entered a race, and that was it. Fifty-plus races later, I’m still here.

How Racing Became a Marketing Strategy

1. Branding That Gets Attention

If you’ve ever watched NASCAR, you’ve seen logos slapped on every car, driver suit, and helmet. That’s not an accident, it’s marketing. Branding is about being remembered.

And let’s be honest: marketing agencies are boring. Everyone posts the same “how to grow on social media” tips. Nobody cares.

Spectruss Racing is something different. When people see our brand on a dirt bike, a jersey, or a race video, it sticks. They associate Spectruss with something exciting, not just another agency talking about ad budgets.

Don’t believe me? Harvard Business Review backs this up. Brands that connect emotionally with people stand out. That’s exactly what we’re doing.

2. Racing Sets Us Apart from Every Other Agency

When I started Spectruss over a decade ago, there were only a few digital marketing agencies. Now, there’s one on every street corner, and a hundred more run out of basements.

So, we had two choices:
🔹 Compete by shouting louder than everyone else.
🔹 Do something so different that people remember us.

We went with option two.

Think about Red Bull, they aren’t just an energy drink company. They’ve built an empire around extreme sports, content, and culture. That’s the model we’re following. Marketing is storytelling, and Spectruss Racing is part of our story.

The Absolute Chaos of Filming Racing Content

I love racing. Zach Etengoff, our videographer, does too,except when I’m flying past him at 45 mph, 12 inches away from his head.

Filming extreme sports is brutal, and Zach will be the first to tell you:
🎥 Dirt bikes move FAST. Timing shots is a nightmare.
🎥 Everything looks flatter on camera. Hills that feel impossible in real life look tiny in footage.
🎥 You get one shot. Unlike filming in a studio, if we miss a moment, it’s gone.

Zach swears it’s worth it. I say he has trauma from almost dying on set. Either way, we’ve got some insane race footage coming soon.

What’s Next for Spectruss Speakeasy?

This podcast isn’t just about racing. We’re bringing on business owners, creators, and storytellers to talk about marketing, branding, and doing things differently.

If you run a business, create content, or just love crazy stories, this is for you.

🎧 Go listen to Episode 1.

If you want your marketing to actually stand out, let’s talk.

📩 Work with Spectruss.

Now, I’m off to crash a dirt bike. Catch you next episode. 

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Business Marketing

Rebrand Your Business

Rebrand Your Business

Is it Time to Rebrand Your Business?

When you think about your company brand, you really want to picture the entire customer experience. From your logo, website, social media, messaging, storefront, and everything in between…what does your brand look like to your customers? Is it consistent and easy to recognize? If not, it’s probably time to rebrand your business.

Your brand has the power to set your company apart from the competition, promote recognition, connect with customers, and create strong business value. However, if your brand isn’t consistent, it can provide a confusing message and ultimately cause your company to fall short of its full potential.

Here at Spectruss, building stronger brands is what we do best!

We worked with The Plastic Surgery Group to rebuild a stronger, more cohesive brand for their company. Through detailed strategic planning, we successfully helped rebrand the company as RefinedLooks Plastic Surgery and Spa. Check out some of our work below!

 

Behind the Brand

The Plastic Surgery Group, Chattanooga’s first and largest plastic surgery practice, has led the way in plastic, cosmetic, reconstructive, and noninvasive procedures for over 60 years. After a year of working with the Plastic Surgery Group’s new medspa, Refine Aesthetic Studio, our team at Spectruss encountered challenges with operating multiple practices with different names and proposed a strategy to restructure the entire practice.

Rebrand Strategy

Our team began working on a strategy to help rename the practice as one brand to strengthen their identity and better reach their current and future patients. The new brand name, RefinedLooks Plastic Surgery and Spa, was born. The practice’s hand reconstruction and therapy center, Hayes Hand Center, was kept separated from the new name to minimize confusion and preserve its integrity.

New Logos

We designed a brand new logo for RefinedLooks Plastic Surgery and a variation for the Spa using elements that were inspired by the aesthetics of their offices and reminiscent of their past identity. Our team also worked on establishing a more prominent presence at their location by adding new outdoor signage at the exterior skin of their building as well as in the interior.

Website Redesign

A brand new website consolidating the practice into one was also designed, re-imagined and built by our team. The new site highlights the practice’s doctors, team and features a newly organized structure of their procedures and new services that lacked prominence from their previous site.

E-Commerce Store Revamp

RefinedLooks previously had two separate websites with two different e-commerce stores offering the same products. This not only spread their marketing efforts thin but also created inconsistent branding and an inefficient business process for the practice. By eliminating one of the two e-commerce sites, our team helped funnel all marketing promotions into one site to better track, process customer orders, and improve overall efficiency.

Videography

Our team also extended our videography services to RefinedLooks to bring their practice to light for current and potential clients. This brought a better understanding of all the procedures and services that are being offered at the practice.

Consistent Branding

From a brand new identity to print and web materials, we ensured the new branding was prominent and consistent across all marketing materials. By rebranding the Plastic Surgery Group and Refine Aesthetic Studio to RefinedLooks Plastic Surgery and Spa, our team helped strengthen the practice’s aesthetic brand, improve marketing strategies, and set up the practice for exponential growth opportunities.

You can check out the new website at refinedlooks.com!

 

Let us help rebrand your business. Contact us today to get started.

Categories
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

The Van Halen Brand

The Van Halen Brand

Millions around the world are saddened by the recent passing of rock n roll legend, Eddie Van Halen. Over the years, the Van Halen band has achieved worldwide album sales of over $96 million with all but one of its albums hitting Number Six or better on the charts. Outstanding success by any means.

Van Halen was more than a band; it was a BRAND. One that offered constant quality, volume, excitement, and attitude. Eddie Van Halen showed us what it takes to build a lasting brand, and many businesses today can learn from his example.

Brand Consistency

To have consistent branding, a business must hold true to its core values, vision and principles. Branding that stays consistent even when a company undergoes change, shows consumers who you are and what you stand for. Consistency results in a brand that people will trust and loyally follow.

Even with three different lead singers, Van Halen created a distinctive sound and brand consistency over the years. With his dedicated leadership as CEO, Eddie Van Halen acted consistently on decisions and maintained control from behind the guitar. Eddie Van Halen grew his brand and fan base by showing consistency and staying true to the original vision of the Van Halen band. Van Halen was always about the music and never wavered from producing awesome rock n roll.

Brand Evolution

It is essential that your brand has the ability to evolve and take risks to stay relevant. Testing organizational limits is part of understanding your brand’s full potential. Van Halen had three different lead singers over the years which proved the band’s ability to evolve and continue to grow a loyal fan base. While replacing the iconic lead singer David Roth with Sammy Hagar was a risk for the band, Van Halen music continued to soar high on the US charts (all four of Van Hagar Albums hit #1).

In 2009, Van Halen was able to capture an entirely new audience with the release of Guitar Hero’s: Van Halen. Now that teenagers thought listening to Van Halen was cool, it opened a whole new landscape for the band. This new fan base purchased music, tickets, merchandise, and helped Van Halen reach a whole new generation of fans.

Brand Quality

 

Consumers expect the quality of a product to align consistently with your brand. Eddie Van Halen poured his life’s experience and expertise as a guitarist into designing a product that would line up with the quality of rock music that Van Halen was known for.

The Wolfgang guitar design and development process took over two years of trial and error research. This intense process included multiple prototypes that went through a full year of hardcore, in-concert testing by Eddie Van Halen during his 2007-2008 world tour. The final product of the Wolfgang guitar revealed a first-class instrument with outstanding durability and quality.

When asked about the Wolfgang guitar, Eddie Van Halen stated, “It’s not a fad, it’s 35-40 years of my knowledge of what makes a sweet, sexy, toning, quality, indestructible instrument.”

Eddie Van Halen will always be remembered as an amazing guitarist with a memorable brand.

Let’s Chat. 

Categories
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.

Categories
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!

Categories
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
Marketing

8 Tips for Better Business Branding Online

Check out some helpful tips for better business branding online. While some may seem more intuitive than others, remembering and refreshing on helpful tips could spark a new idea!

Create a Visual

People like to look at visuals over long bodies of text. Create visuals for your business to get people attention online with eye-catching colors, a logo, interesting photography, etc. When on social media platforms, pictures carry much farther than text and can get to a wider reach of people. Make sure to not only set up pictures for your business but to regularly update them with new visuals to keep people interested. As time goes on, people may get concerned if the visual content has not been updated over time and wonder if you’re still open.

Be on Social Media

Why for some people social media is second nature, for others it is not. If you haven’t joined a few social media channels for your business, consider starting that today! Social media is a great way to let people know about your business without even asking you any questions over the phone or stepping into your store/office. The top platforms to start on are Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Consistency

If you decided to start sending out weekly emails, monthly parties, daily blogs, etc., keep it consistent. Try your best to keep up a maintainable schedule of consistency in what you do. While this can be helpful for yourself, in that it keeps new content and events coming regularly, it can also keep others thinking about your business. If they come to expect to see new content from you every week, they are thinking about you every week.

Don’t Please Everyone

It can be extremely tough to please everyone online. Some people are unpleasable. This is something you must remember. With social media being a way that people can voice their opinion without showing their face, this has led some people to be completely unpleasable. Handel situations calmly if there is a problem. Remember the type of voice you want your company to have and use it. If a comment or rating is upsetting, see if there is a way to resolve it without changing a positive persona.

Reach out to your Community

Consider ways you can stand out in your community. Join in local events in your city or post regular helpful tips on the web, there are many ways to get involved. Look for ways for people to keep you in their thoughts. When you reach out to your community, your reach out to all their friends and family who could also be potential customers in the future.

Be Trendy

Consider if your company actions are too dated for the present face of your brand. Is it time to switch to email questions over phone calls? Could people get digital, paperless coupons over physical ones? While every company is different, it might be time to look at what the kids are doing these days and see if you can jump into some of the latest trends.

Know who your Selling To

If your customer base is mainly people in their 50’s and 60’s, you may not be needing to create content for teenagers and young adults. Find out who your target audience is and what their trends are. While teens might be more likely to get online at noon during school lunch, an adult may not be online to see your new content till 6:30 after a long work day.

Share Information and Knowledge

Keeping the business secret recipe can keep you above your competition, but that doesn’t mean you can’t help with some of the small things. Use your knowledge and share tips and advice among the community to show just how much you know and why people should be interested. This can help make you look more reputable and knowledgeable.

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200 W M.L.K. Blvd
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Chattanooga, TN 37402

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423.264.2404