344 – A Powerful Lesson We Can Take from Big Brand Strategies Maureen Mwangi of Startward Consulting

Today we’re discussing emotional branding for small business. In the past, we’ve talked a lot about the visual aspect of your brand. The colors, your logo, signage - even your business name. Now, we’re approaching branding from a different angle. I’m sure you’ve heard Maya Angelou's quote about it not being what you say or what you do but how you make someone feel. "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~ Maya Angelou This softer branding characteristic is missed by many and can be the most powerful thing to get right to attract and retain - not just customers, but raving supportive fans. Maureen grew up in Kenya where entrepreneurship was not the norm. In fact, her mom and dad were the only entrepreneurs she knew. As a little girl, Maureen listened with fascination as they discussed their product strategies around the dinner table almost every night. As she got older, she became acutely aware of the financial freedom business ownership afforded her family, along with access to more opportunities. Maureen quickly learned that the secret to her parents’ business success was the reputable, trustworthy product-based brand they created. Armed with her Master’s Degree in Marketing, she quickly ascended to leadership and began to build some of America’s most beloved brands such as Lays, Chobani, and L’Oreal. Today, Maureen is the creator of Big Brand Academy, The Product Profit Lab, and Startward Consulting. She’s one of the most sought-after brand growth experts because of her unique track record for launching and scaling recognizable brands. BUSINESS BUILDING INSIGHTS Focus on the why behind the reason somebody is having your product. The best marketing strategy for any product-based business is word-of-mouth and referrals. Your business should provide the solution for your customers’ problems. Think bigger and have a vision of where your business should be in the next years. <-- Tune in for the full conversation on this! Photography is really important in the e-commerce space. That could be the actual product shot, the actual product shot, or ways how to use the product. Pick one social media platform and be an expert in that platform. Maximize the sales of that channel. Go where your target audience is. Emotional Branding For Small Business What is a brand: the emotional resonance your product and business provides to your customer. Be the voice of your customer. Create a brand that is centered around your target audience. Shift from a product mindset to a brand mindset. When you're building your business, build the brand first because branding is why people buy from you. Marketing is how people find you. Personalize your brand. Provide good customer service and respond to people on time to let people know you're present. Think about your customer.  Who do you want to truly serve? How are you solving the problem they currently have? Create messaging that people can connect with. That messaging of emotional connection is what will lead them to buy. Create a community that is magnetized by your messaging. List three adjectives