IT'S ALL ABOUT
THE FEELS
It’s not always easy to tell your story, but it has to be done. Consumers respond to brands that express who they are, why they do what they do, and what’s in it for them. According to the Harvard Business Review, 64% of consumers cite shared values as the primary reason they have a relationship with a brand, and research by Marketing Week indicate brands fare better with customers when they use emotive rather than rational messages.
To break it down: Business is a relationship. Telling stories builds emotional relationships. Emotion drives consumer buying decisions.
But once you know you need a story, what's next? It takes the perfect duo of expert creativity and communication [aka Branding] + skillful planning and delivery [aka Strategy] to know how to tell it, why to tell it that way, who to tell it to, where to tell it, and at what volume customers will pay attention and still feel good about it. Nobody likes a low talker or a loudmouth.
Why Us
+ A Fractional CMO and CBO with full-service strategy and branding.
+ A hands-on, roll-up-our-sleeves-and-get-dirty marketing partner at a fraction of the standard cost .
+ Continual testing, analyzing, and refinement of your campaigns.
+ Experience across all industries and marketing channels.
+ A full range of creative and marketing services.
+ Data-driven service tailored to your budget and rate of growth desired.
+ A collaboration schedule that works best for your desired level of management.
+ Direction for your internal and outsourced teams.
+ NO contracts.
What We Do
BRANDING
Only about half of all businesses will survive their first five years, according to the U.S. Small Business Administration. According to Forbes, the top three reasons for failure are the lack of deep dialogue with customers, absence of differentiation, and the inability to communicate value. Branding takes care of ALL THREE and sets an entrepreneur up for success.
Branding is the promise of a distinct, memorable experience, and only a SOLID brand foundation can properly support and sustain your other business efforts. Business Coach Jason Aten believes this: instead of capturing customers’ attention, brands should be pursuing their affection. The goal should be “building an authentic relationship that results in genuine affection between you and your clients,” says Aten.
We agree. Building credibility and connection comes before awareness. Establish that deep meaningful relationship, and you hold the golden ticket to your brand’s growth and long-term success. Research reveals that the consumer's emotional response to an ad has a far greater influence on their reported intent to buy a product than the ad’s content. It’s why they shop at store A versus store B, even if the prices are not much different or even less at store B.
If your brand communications (verbal and non-verbal) are not cohesively presented, you may be missing an opportunity to stand out, win over a consumer, or worse — your ideal customer may join the 65 percent of consumers that are frustrated when presented with inconsistent brand experiences (McKinsey & Company).
And remember this: A consumer's perception of a product or service is reality whether you believe it to be correct or not. It’s what fuels their decision to engage with your brand or not. Which means it is vital for a brand to understand what consumers think of them and are saying about them to others. Especially since an ODM Group study found that 74% of consumers rely on peers within social networks to help with their purchasing decisions, and customer testimonials are 89% effective.
Just a few deliverables from your Fractional CBO (Chief Brand Officer) from DUO:
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Market and Competitive Analysis Reports
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Story/USP Development
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Mission/Purpose Development
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Brand Identities and Voice
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Value Propositions and Call to Action Designations
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Brand Guidelines and Playbooks
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Brand Advocacy Initiatives
STRATEGY
Business is a relationship.
Marketing is the two way communication within the relationship, and a good plan makes it a value laden exchange relationship.
Are your customers responding to what you have to say? Do you know what your customers think and feel? Are you even listening? Is a lack of communication jeopardizing the relationship?
Businesses that adopt strong omni-channel strategies achieve 91% greater year-over-year customer retention rates, as compared to 33% for business that don’t according to a survey conducted by Aspect Software. But with 19 unique marketing channels, how do you know which are your bullseye paths to creating an effective and seamless omni-channel experience for your target consumers?
Every brand is unique. The right assessment will determine the most effective channel mix in which to launch your business, but marketing strategy is not about a set of static rules. In The Art of War, the fifty-century-BC treatise on military strategy, the author explains strategy is not about a set of rules, but adaptability. Likewise, marketing strategy is not about a set of topics and rules to follow in a conversation with your customers. It’s about consistently responding to market environment and trends, along with customer preferences and behaviors.
And remember this: All omni-channel experiences will use multiple channels, but not all multi-channel experiences are omni-channel. You can have amazing media, engaging campaigns, and a well-designed website. But if they don't work together, it's not omni-channel. Another reason why the solid foundation of branding is needed to support your marketing efforts.
We develop your market discipline and competitive strategies to ensure that actions are aligned with objectives throughout all channels and with a variety of controls. All of this is backed up by competitive and market research, analytics, modeling, and key performance indicators to measure results.
Just a few deliverables from your Fractional CMO (Chief Marketing Officer) from DUO:
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Bullseye Channel Playbook
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Omni-Channel Marketing Strategies and Annual Plans
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Strategic Campaigns and Channel Deployment
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Product Innovation and Go-To-Market Strategies
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Budget, Revenue, and Goals Tracking Reports
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Customer Retention Initiatives
CREATIVE & CONTENT
Attract new consumers and better engage with existing customers with a distinct identity and relevant content. Effective, innovative campaigns with the right design and message help you stand out from the crowd and acquire a larger market share. Plus, compelling creative and content ensures that existing customers recognize you effortlessly and associate positive, valuable experiences with your company — which leads to more engagement.
ENGAGE MORE, RETAIN MORE. According to Gallup, fully engaged restaurant customers within the casual dining sector make 56% more visits per month than actively disengaged customers do; within the banking industry, customers who are fully engaged bring 37% more annual revenue to their primary bank than do customers who are actively disengaged; and engaged shoppers in the electronics industry visit their preferred retailer’s website 44% more than actively disengaged shoppers.
The key to driving customer loyalty and repeat purchase revenue is a robust customer engagement strategy that (a) provides value, (b) is segmented for better personalization, (c) includes multiple messaging channels, and (d) is optimized consistently for relevance.
Just a few components we provide creative or content for:
Sales Materials and Direct Mail
Websites and Blogs
Trade Show Booths
Print and Digital Ads or Video
Packaging Design
Communication Packages
Capabilities Presentations
ADVERTISING
According to ATC, 78% of shoppers use multiple channels to make a purchase. B2B consumers use six different channels on average for prospecting, reports McKinsey & Co. You’ll need to “touch" a prospect upwards of 15 times before they will recognize and engage with your brand, and 98% of Americans switch between devices in the same day, according to Google Research.
Fortunately, you can connect with your target consumer profiles across the world in a matter of seconds and engage with a customer multiple times a day. A strong online and mobile presence allows you to compete with larger companies, amplify your brand awareness, and generate leads.
Access to measurable results gives you the knowledge and flexibility to adapt to client behavior and attain additional revenue. Whether digital, social, or traditional channels (like Out-Of-Home, TV/Radio, and direct mail ), advertising engages consumers in a unique way. Even consumers who may not be actively looking for your services can take away a lasting impression.
The marketing channels we support:
Content Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
Organic Social
Email Marketing
Engineering as Marketing:
(tools and resources)
Offline Ads:
(TV/radio, magazines, billboards, etc.)
Online Ads:
(SEM, paid social and in-publication digital)
Events/Shows (Design only)
Direct Sales (Consultation only)
Direct Mail
Unconventional PR
MARKETING OPERATIONS
Deliver on your promises — on time and on budget. Marketing Operations consists of many processes and tasks that help plan for resources and execute your value proposition to your customers.
Protocols, Customer Relations Management, and Project Management tools utilized to their potential are worth the investment, providing immediate access to information and increasing efficiency, awareness, customer services, and strategic planning.
Effective processes, innovative products, and a strong brand is nothing without a dedicated and inspired team. According to a Hay Group study, companies with engaged employees earn 2.5X more revenue vs competitors with low employee-engagement levels.
Your business’ overall growth will be driven by cultivating a marketing culture that offers an innovative environment and career advancement opportunities.
Just a few of the aspects we consult on or develop:
Project Workflow Processes
Standardized Communications
Post Partem Analytic Templates
Project Management
Workstation and Studio Layout
Clearly Defined Roles
Role Responsibilities
Departmental Goals
Feedback Loop
Departmental Recruiting Standards
Employee Morale
Employee Development
Employee Growth Incentives
Sourcing for Marketing Roles