Be in the Know
- Facebook Ads Manager is about to get an update. Features include simplified navigation, cleaner design, and a new campaign management experience. #Winning
- Watch out YouTube. ‘Jump Rope’ is coming for ya. This how-to video maker plans to make instructional videos a whole lot easier.
- Under 18 years old? Your ability to like photos on Instagram and Facebook might be coming to an end.
- Apple Pay and Uber Eats are sharing a bite in 20 new markets.
How to Become a More Authentic Brand
“Or you’ll sink like a stone…For the times they are a-changin.” – Bob Dylan
The times are certainly changing, especially for us marketers.
Brands are finally coming around to the reality that ‘authenticity’ must be at the forefront of their strategy. Today’s customer is way too savvy for anything less.
So, how do you rethink traditional marketing practices and build a more authentic brand?
1. Define Your Core Values: Some folks call it their ‘true north.’ Your core values are all about what you stand for. Don’t confuse these with your logo or how your website looks. These values will guide your brand purpose, personality, and proposition. Without defining them, you’ll flounder.
A brand that’s killing it in the authenticity game: Levi’s
“Levi’s recognizes that trend-following may be the simplest way to attract attention and raise short-term revenue, but following someone else’s lead usually causes a company to stray from its own brand identity,” says brand-building expert Denise Lee Yohn.
2. Engage With Your Customers: Customers want to feel good about buying from you. There has to be a connection. It all starts with understanding what they need and want on a deeper level. One way to do this is to take a high-level view of your current customer experience. Simple things like your response rate, your website, hours of availability, etc.
3. Be Real: We see you Jenny and Ja Rule. But seriously, if you wanna be authentic, you have to humanize your brand. We know this is easier said than done. For example; the marketing team at Red Bull versus your local bank. Who’s able to push the envelope more? Regardless of your industry, don’t let your communication style create a barrier with your customers. Avoid the contrived persona that many brands feel they need to squeeze into.
Let's push
the envelope.
Privacy Please
Today’s tool is a sweet little Chrome extension that’ll keep you feeling safe (on the interwebs).
Password Checkup helps you resecure accounts that were affected by data breaches.
Wherever you sign-in, if you enter a username and password that is no longer safe due to appearing in a data breach known to Google, you’ll receive an alert.
Keep your info safe folks. Give Password Checkup a try.
Watch
Folding Phones
We’re more of an Apple kind of office here at Carney, but we appreciate some fresh tech. Check out Casey Neistat’s review of the Galaxy Fold below.
