Welcome to ‘Big Branding for Little Businesses’
We are absolutely thrilled to present the very first edition of our new newsletter, bringing you all the things you love from our blog along with news from our studio and fun features with our clients.
With each issue, our goal is to provide useful advice, handy hints and inspiration that will enrich your mind and spark your creativity. If there is something you would like to see, reach out. We want to make this a worthy read and something you are excited to receive.
So thanks for joining us, we look forward to popping into your inbox once a month with plenty of creative ideas and interesting stories. So without further ado, let’s get started!
Warmly, Alysha
Owner, Wow Studios
EXCITING NEWS
We are so incredibly proud to announce we are now officially an award winning business, taking out the title of Most Outstanding Sole Operator 2023 at the Campbelltown Local Business Awards! And to add even more joy, we are also in the running for a second win at the upcoming BX Business Excellence Awards in October.
We are so thankful to our valued clients and our incredible support network of friends and family who have supported Alysha on this journey to build her dream business over the past couple of years. It has been an incredible adventure so far, and we are honoured to receive such amazing recognition from the business community. The support of our clients and their testimonials always warms our heart and provides the reason we love what we do.
LET’S TALK BRANDING
“Your brand is the single most important investment you can make in your business”.
Steve Forbes.
When we think of branding as small business owners, many of us often believe it’s a marketing strategy reserved just for the big boys, however, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Every business can benefit from establishing and using branding strategies. Having a strong brand increases the likelihood of the customer choosing your product or service over your competitors. It also helps to make getting new customers easier. When you have a great reputation, it speaks for you.
Not only does your brand foster loyalty, used correctly, branding will reduce your marketing costs and stop you relying on a low pricing strategy to get sales. Good branding builds recognition and helps customers to build an emotional connection with your business. When you are able to clearly articulate your company’s core values in all your communications, you give your customer the opportunity to see beyond your products and services and connect with you on a deeper level.
A well thought out brand is trustworthy and has credibility. 64% of customers who have shared values with a business will use that as a driving force behind their purchase (Salsify, 2022). This statistic shows that every single interaction you have with your customer matters. By developing a strong and consistent brand you’re setting yourself up for success. Building your brand and always keeping it front of mind in everything you do should always be your top priority. When your customers understand you and believe in what you stand for they will support you.
So what is Branding?
Whether you’re talking about your personal brand or your business, your brand is your reputation. It’s often unspoken and not something your consumers consciously decide on. It’s made up of your core values and your commitment to those values in all that you do. How you present yourself and your business, what you stand for and believe in and how you action those beliefs.
People buy from people and people decide where to buy from people too.
Think about it, whenever you need to make an expensive purchase or use a personal service such as a beautician, what is the first thing you do? You turn to your friends and family for recommendations. Who they recommend will be a business they value highly. It may be for their customer service excellence or the quality of the end result, or perhaps they just really enjoyed their interaction with you. Regardless of why they are making the recommendation, they are doing so because you left a great impression on them.
Everything you do and say to your customers reflects your brand. This includes what you write on your website and social media channels, how you respond to customer emails, what and how you speak to them in person and over the phone and even in how you market your business.
A great quote from Scott Orsh sums it up nicely. “A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is, it’s what the consumers tell each other”.
To do it well and gain the trust of your consumers, your business needs to be a genuine reflection of you and your core values and beliefs. Given that everything you do and say will be consciously and unconsciously processed by your consumers, if you’re trying to be something you’re not, you will likely trip up at some point. And of course, a negative reputation is always going to be much harder to overcome.
People buy from people and people decide where to buy from people too.
Think about it, whenever you need to make an expensive purchase or use a personal service such as a beautician, what is the first thing you do? You turn to your friends and family for recommendations. Who they recommend will be a business they value highly. It may be for their customer service excellence or the quality of the end result, or perhaps they just really enjoyed their interaction with you. Regardless of why they are making the recommendation, they are doing so because you left a great impression on them.
Everything you do and say to your customers reflects your brand. This includes what you write on your website and social media channels, how you respond to customer emails, what and how you speak to them in person and over the phone and even in how you market your business.
CLIENT SPOTLIGHT
This month for our first ever client spotlight, I have the pleasure of introducing my close friend and business mentor, Lauren from Leading Edge Global.
We recently caught up at the Steve McCurry Icons Exhibition in Sydney and I got the chance to ask about her inspirational business journey.
Tell us a little about your business?
Leading Edge Global helps transform growing companies into market leaders through our change management programs and professional development program. Most of our clients are large businesses that are looking to upgrade their core systems or change their operating model in order to grow, and we put engaging programs in place to support the teams who are impacted by those changes to ensure maximum adoption and minimal resistance. Basically, we make change fun.
Why did you set up your business?
I started my career as a software project manager and quickly worked out that people were much more interesting than technology so I transitioned into Change Management. I was a change consultant for a few years, working through small consulting companies, but soon realised that I was growing their businesses for no benefit, so I started my own business. I didn’t really put much thought into it but quickly grew and never looked back!
What makes your business different?
We are a boutique consulting firm, meaning we can provide specialty skills with higher levels of customer service to our clients. Our approach to change is also different – we specialise in ‘Leader-led change’, where we train and coach leaders to own the change and drive it through their team – this increases support of the project and their return on investment…. and as a bonus also saves them from hiring a huge change team who will leave after the project finishes.
What brought you to Wow?
I met Ally at an event and thought I’d try using her for a client who needed some design assistance. She delivered so quickly and with high quality that I kept using her for all of my clients as well as my own business.
What was the collaboration process like?
It’s so easy to work with Wow Studios. The briefing process is straightforward and she quickly understands exactly what you’re looking for. She’ll send ideas along the way to check that she’s on track so there’s no wasted time or effort. I also love that they can do any type of branding – I’ve sent across logos, flyers, pop-up banners, digital advertisements, full conference exhibition stands, magazines, and business cards. There is nothing they can’t deliver.
Any last words?
I highly recommend Wow Studios for any design needs. Working with a boutique business ensures you have quick delivery and high-quality outcomes. 10/10.
FEEL INSPIRED
Image courtesy of The Design Agency. 12 inspiring graphic design trends for 2023 – Design Agency
Beautiful, bright and bold gradients and diffused sweeps of colour are a hot trend for 2023 and we are loving it. They create a sense of movement and the feel of a warm embrace. These eye-catching colours are sure to bring your design centre stage! Want to give it a try but don’t know where to start, check out 16 Trendy Color Gradient Inspiration for Graphic Design – Zeka Design (zekagraphic.com). These guys have created some beautiful on trend colour palettes to get your creative juices flowing!
CREATE THE UNEXPECTED, DELIVER HAPPINESS!
WOW STUDIOS – WE BRING YOUR CREATIVE IDEAS TO LIFE
