#Brand
These Aussie brands are the GOATs of customer experience in 2024
Forget the cost-of-living crunch—Australians are still willing to splurge for a top-tier customer experience.
Let’s talk: Defining your company values
Company values help employer and employee alike to achieve their business goals through inclusion, alignment and solidarity. They are the foundation of the company, in that they mould the overall identity and purpose of the brand. They also guide the operations of a business, and provide clear directions for decision-making. For example, if a company […]
Why is your personal brand so important in business?
Every business owner should be building their own personal brand in addition to their business – because customers and clients connect with people, not products and services. Social media and branding expert Carissa Hill said a personal brand was important for business owners because increasingly customers want to know the people behind the company. “People […]
Why trademarks matter to start-ups, and the secrets to getting them right
Trademarks do more than identify your brand, they provide several business and legal benefits at relatively low cost. Yet many start-ups make elementary mistakes, such as leaving trademark registration too late, which can haunt for years to come. A recent David and Goliath case highlights why trademarks matter. Stylkea, a niche small business providing stick […]
Entrepreneur profile: Selling 3 thriving franchises to create own brand
Ben is the owner and co- founder of Flow Athletic, an incredibly successful yoga and fitness studio based in Paddington. In 2015 Flow Athletic won the Telstra Small Business of the Year Award. After playing rugby professionally for Cronulla Sharks, Ben went on to own three very successful personal training studios. This earned him a healthy profit of $10K a week, but he […]
How to get a brand 10 times your size to join forces with you
If you’re itching to get on board with a much bigger brand, and feel that the timing is right, you need to go about it the correct way. Importantly, working together has to be a win-win for both parties. These are some of the strategies I’ve used to get much larger brands to hop on board. […]
Start-ups: your branding and website are so important!
Byline: AJ Hightower When starting your own business, you need to get your name out there to create awareness and establish an individual brand identity that reflects your entire personality. The first thing your customers will see is your brand name. How you have chosen to illustrate this reinforces what sets you apart from the […]
The big misconception about PR
I’ve held lots of workshops and masterclasses with Australian start-ups and small business owners and I always start by saying “PR is not just a buzz word.” PR is not just a trending word or a hot topic. It can be a powerful medium for small business owners and start-ups to communicate effectively with their […]
How three small Victoria brands grew from social media
More and more small businesses are growing their brands using online platforms and building presence, following and revenue. The power of social media was something not missed by these three small businesses in Victoria, who have been capitalising on the commercial opportunities that Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social media platforms provide. Bendigo Brittle, Peggy […]
Struggling to attract good employees?
Your employer brand is your reputation as an employer.
4 ways brand marketers can inject expertise into their social content
Social content can make or break a brand’s marketing strategy.
Can you stay true to your brand while growing your culture?
3 ways business leaders can preserve organisational culture
Five Branding Mistakes to Avoid
Most people don’t really understand branding. They think that they know what it is; they know that it can help a business, yet they are unsure of exactly what to do and how to do it. People underestimate the power of branding, however if I ask you for the first brands that pop into mind […]
How to compete with the big guys when attracting talent to your small business
Attracting the right talent to your small business can be an uphill battle and as challenging to a business owner as any other macro force. Not only are you competing with players in your own sector, you’ve also got the big guys to contend with. You know the ones, big staffing budget, big, shiny training […]
How to build your business by being authentic
A friend of mine once confessed: “I’d like to run my own business, but I don’t like lying to people.” It’s a telling indictment on the state of free enterprise in the 21st century. Everyone seems to have an experience of being let down by the system. Whether it’s believing an ad only to find […]
It’s time… to hand over the leadership reins
Some years ago, I was advising two of the most impressive entrepreneurs in the country. They had built an amazing national brand and were going from strength to strength in terms of geographic coverage, revenue and customer numbers. But, they were having challenges managing the business now that it was so large. They explained: “We’re […]
Why being respected in business is much more profitable than desperately trying to be liked
Here are the ten brands with the most loyal customers in 2017. A list compiled by US consultancy Brand Keys from 740 brands across 83 industries. Can you spot the attribute that’s common to each? Amazon (retail) Google Apple (tablets) Netflix Apple (smartphones) Amazon (video streaming) Samsung Facebook Amazon (tablets) YouTube Yes, they are all […]
Don’t blame it on Facebook: The reasons why you will lose social media followers in 2018
Facebook’s recent changes aren’t the only hit brands will take this year. Changes in socials and customer behaviour means brand pages will begin to hemorrhage audience members if they don’t start to adapt. The first quarter opens the floodgates for new gym memberships, refreshed wardrobes and of course, the mass clean outs of social media […]
Lessons to takeaway from H&M’s PR disaster
Business moves fast these days. But if business is quick, social media is Usain Bolt. One little post spirals out of control and within a few hours, you have a full-on brand crisis. Don’t believe me? Just ask H&M. The fashion retailer recently found itself under fire for an ad that featured a black child […]
“Get your hustle on”: Finder’s CEO shares four networking tips for businesses going global
Once you’ve established your business, it can be easy to get used to the routine that works. This is particularly the case when it comes to networking. Fast forward to taking your business global and entering a foreign market. You’ll likely find that your comfortable routine changes. In fact, it might not be working at […]
CX marks the spot: Lessons for restoring trust with customers after a company data breach
Consumers have become increasingly comfortable with providing personal data to brands in order to receive a personalised experience and seamless customer journey. However, recent news that Uber concealed a data breach affecting 57 million users and drivers for a year, demonstrates the rapid mistrust a brand can generate when it doesn’t adequately protect this data, […]
Here’s to 2018: the year of trust in business
In 2017, we’ve witnessed numerous Customer Experience (CX) failures that have damaged the reputations of some of the largest companies in the world. From long call waiting times after a number of severe outages, to poor customer service ratings, and other critical service failures, there are a number of lessons to be learned if brands […]
What fear-mongering politicians like Donald Trump can learn from a brand like Coca-Cola
When looking at the most enduring businesses of the last century, a consistent theme emerges: the power of the positive. While all brands need to pivot their message from time to time to keep the pace in an ever-changing market, it’s hard to think of a company that has stayed at the top of its […]
Why your SME doesn’t need The Kardashians to kickstart its influencer marketing campaign
Tried and tested, influencer marketing is a solid growth-enabler for small businesses that doesn’t have to cost the earth or require endorsement from mainline celebrities. The strategy is to partner with individuals whose networks boast the type of people you want to target and who can influence them – for instance, sway them to buy or […]