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Apr 9, 2019

In this episode, Karen and Cadie talk with energetic web developer and marketing guru Michelle Crowe of e-worc about the professional in and outs of the branding, marketing and advertising of your company or small business. Michelle stresses the importance of starting out on the right foot, knowing your product, knowing your audience and how to find them. Plus, Michelle will share the best thing you can do to immediately improve your traditional and digital communication, the power of passion, and why you need to become a valuable resource to your audience and not just a good marketer. Lastly, Michelle shares how to get the most out of your marketing budget and professional agency.

 

Big Questions:

1. What is the difference between branding, advertising, and marketing?
2. What are the things that small businesses can do to improve their marketing?
3. What are the biggest mistakes small businesses do with their marketing?
4. When should a new brand consult with a marketing or branding specialist?
5. When should an established brand consult with a marketing and branding specialist?
6. How would a company determine it's best digital platforms and marketing channels?
7. Do I still need a business card?

 

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Quotables and Tweetables

Marketing is your message. Branding is your message and your identity and culture. Advertising is your paid delivery of that message. - Michelle Crowe

The most important thing that you can do as a small business to market your company is first to do a good job. Before you start rebranding or making a logo, first teach your people how to answer the phone. - Michelle Crowe

First, clean your house. Get everything working the way it's supposed to be working. Then, go start trying to generate business. Once you find those people that you really like working with, they will bring more just like them. - Michelle Crowe

You can scream from Facebook all you want to, but there is a good chance you're not marketing your company. For example, if you are marketing to males over 50, they're not on Facebook. - Michelle Crowe

LinkedIn is social media for grown-ups with jobs. - Michelle Crowe

You need to go where your consumer is. It's not a blanket marketing plan. It's what are you selling, who are you selling it to, and where are they? And, to me, that's marketing. - Michelle Crowe

I can't be more passionate about your business than you are. If you're not passionate enough to let me help you do this, then I cannot help you. - Michelle Crowe

I don't think that there's a too small or too large business for marketing. It's more about what state of mind are you in. It's not even a financial commitment as much as it is the passion that it takes to build a business. - Michelle Crowe

It's so important to make sure that you set it all up right from the beginning, and talk to the people in the circles that know. - Karen Simmons

You need to get some graphic design and branding advice early. Whether that is a professional agency or a design student that's looking for a real project. - Michelle Crowe

There's so much more that goes into a logo than, "I like green." - Michelle Crowe

Business cards are important, too. That's a part of marketing! - Cadie Gaut

You don't have to spend your entire budget building a logo. But, what you don't want to do is go order a logo, get a sign, wrap your car, and then a year later say, "Okay, it's time to rebrand!" - Michelle Crowe

Find your people and when you do, don't start selling yourself when you walk in the door. Become a resource that people want to buy things from. - Michelle Crowe

You don't sell accounting. You don't sell tax returns. Nobody wants them. You don't sell payroll. It's about relationships. - Karen Simmons

Be a valuable part of the conversation instead of just trying to sell something all the time. - Michelle Crowe

You have to build relationships, but you have to be a valuable part of the relationship. One-sided relationships generally take therapy to get out of. - Michelle Crowe

 

Learn more about Karen Simmons & Cadie Gaut

Karen C. Simmons, P.C.

Payroll Vault - Mobile & Baldwin Counties