Inbound Marketing Blog

When you hear the word "branding," you might picture a designer hunched over a computer, obsessing over font sizes and color codes. But the truth is, branding is about so much more than just aesthetics. It's the way your business communicates its values and mission to the world. Your brand is the sum of every interaction a person has with your business, from the first time they hear your name to the moment they make a purchase. It's what sets you apart from the competition and makes your business truly unique.

I recently had the privilege of attending the Digital Summit, an annual conference (this year it was entirely online) that provides inspiration, learning, and networking opportunities for Digital Marketers like myself. It was incredibly insightful and I highly recommend it to all Digital Marketers going forward.

When I look at the successes and failures in business, I think I have found consistency between them.

The successful businesses remember their primary objective and the businesses that fail have forgotten what they are working for. Their efforts are misplaced because they forgot the reasoning and goals behind their efforts.

Let's put a practical example with this concept.

The public relations business is always changing and evolving.

Not that long ago, experienced PR firms focused their efforts on television and print media. Using websites to reach a broader audience was barely a thought when the Internet was in its infancy.

Things have changed dramatically. Print media is on a downward trend – although it’s still a valuable PR tool – and reaching a wider audience through social and digital media has taken off like a rocket.

Unfortunately, just having a website to promote your brand isn’t going to be enough. Across the world, there are millions of companies vying to gain online attention, and possibly thousands of companies directly competing against you in your industry or an adjacent one.

How do you turn your website into an effective PR tool?

In 1911, newspaper publisher William Randolph Hurst made an offer of $50,000 to the first person who could fly a plane from New York to LA in under 30 consecutive days. Calbraith "Cal" Perry Rogers took up the challenge.

Of course, Cal didn't have any money. He had the plane, but in the "good ole days" an airplane required a very large support crew. So, he started talking to businesses about possible sponsorship and was able to secure a sponsorship from Amour and Company for the 1911 Wright Flyer. The company had created a new grape soft drink and wanted to get the word out.

The Vin Fiz Flyer was born. Emblazoned with the logo for Vin Fiz and messages of "Drink Vin Fiz" and "Ideal Grape Drink," Cal began his journey across North America from Sheepshead Bay, New York on September 17, 1911. Not to be outdone, all of the support train cars, paid for by Armour and Company, also sported messages of "Drink Vin Fiz."

Of course, none of this changed the fact that the grape soda advertised as the "Sparkling Grape Drink" did not even come close to living up to its purported luster.

You've finally done it; you finally have all the matching electronics from your beloved tech company. You've imagined this perfect world where your phone shares well with your tablet, laptop, and desktop. You think of the beautiful symmetry involved in seamlessly taking a document from your desktop to your phone while you are on the go and then dream of yourself laughing and smiling because nothing ever goes wrong with your technology.

Many companies think humor is unprofessional and shouldn't be used in the workplace or when dealing with customers. Clearly, we disagree. If you have ever been in a strategy meeting with the Tribute Media staff, you likely had some good laughs. But when is humor too much, and how should you use it?