How to increase the bottom line?

You know some of the obvious items that impact your bottom line, but what about the less obvious things that impact your bottom line…

Like brand identity.

A clear brand identity can be the difference between a business not reaching its full potential, and one that’s thriving. Understanding how to strategically operate a business that’s aligned to its brand identity will help increase the bottom line.

What is a brand anyway? And what impact does it have on a business? Is it even something we need to be spending time on and intentionally applying to our business?

What is a brand? And what it isn't.

A brand is so much more than logos, color palettes and fonts. 

Brand is how the company is perceived. Not just by customers, but also employees, partners, key stakeholders and competitors. 

So whilst your brand is not something physical. It is critical to your business and it...

The journey of leadership is often full of highs and lows that can feel a bit like whiplash.

It can feel a lot like barreling down a high-speed interstate with a broken steering wheel and everything you love and own in the seats beside you…Oh, and your brakes just went out…

As a leader, how do we keep going and stay in the game?

• It’s the other leaders beside us that will never forget the risk we took on them.
• It’s spouses that always step up to believe in us when we aren’t sure we believe.
• It’s the team member who stops to thank you for the opportunity and the time you invested into them.
• It’s the customers that reveal that your extra attention to ensuring their success really made them a hero to their customers - knowing they are now your biggest advocate.

I know I have been blessed with these stories. And I’m sure you have too. That’s why we keep stepping up and moving forward.

In the article,...

Do you always feel like there’s just ‘one thing’ you need before you can take that next big leap in business? 

Focusing on that ‘one thing’ can be dangerous. It usually doesn't make for a data-driven decision. And might not always focus on the weakest link in our business. 

It will likely result in lost time, lost money, frustration, and feeling overwhelmed. 

To really grow your business and increase profitability, you need to filter out all the possible issues. Then invest resources in the right vital need. 

Did you know that roughly two-thirds of companies go out of business in the first 5 years? So getting past that 5 year mark is a real achievement. It's also important to understand that businesses naturally plateau and languish in mediocrity. The concern comes when there’s no end in sight to a plateau. This is when you need to look for opportunities to jolt the business back to...

I always like to say the good intentions don't pay for roads.

You actually have to get your crew together, get the equipment, ready, put the project together and get out there and do the work actually produce the road.

And the same is true for our businesses.

The reason that my analogy of course is because I come from an asphalt construction family, multiple generations, but it's true in so many things. Our businesses are no different.

I realized my clients needed a litmus test to help them execute effectively. This is designed to not just design the execution plan but also make it as seamless and easy as possible. We execute on what we will actually do and stick to .

The litmus test helps us make sure that after we've identified the opportunity to grow their business and developed a strategy, the leverage that to the best potential.

How are we going to actually roll it out?

How are we going to implement it and execute it in our business?

Here we go:

1.  Is it...

TRANSCRIPT:

All right, let's talk brand strategy. So what is brand strategy?

Why does it matter in our businesses and why is it that the companies that are applying it and applying it effectively are getting incredible momentum and success from it, and really increasing profit and margin and sustainability in their businesses.

That's what we're going to dive into.

So applying brand strategy in your business gives you a few very specific things.

First off, it gives you clarity because a lot of the things that we really address with brand strategy and the models and the frameworks and the using this, give us clarity about the things in our business that traditionally can seem somewhat vague and intangible. And we actually give those quantifiable data and apply them to decision-making. So clarity is the first thing.

Cohesion is another thing that I think is worth noticing and talking about. When we talk about applying brand strategy effectively, and it's cohesion around the different...

What do you think of when you hear the word "brand?" For many people, it's a symbol, slogan, or some other type of graphic logo. But Brand is more about how our customers and prospects feel about our business, products, and services. This is why building our reputation is so important - because it impacts everything from sales volume to the ability to increase prices.

So what does this have to do with branding? Branding has everything to do with positioning ourselves in the marketplace as something that will generate customer satisfaction instead of frustration. That means developing an identity for your company that communicates both who you are and what you offer without having someone else tell them first!

A brand is a shortcut for decision-making. There are a few things we should put on the table and keep in mind as it relates to decision-making.

People make decisions: even if you are B2B..even if you do government low bid or contract work...at some point people still make...

Email lists have become an incredibly popular marketing tool. But many business owners aren’t sure exactly why they should build one.

Let’s be honest. Growing and managing an email list can seem daunting if you haven’t done it before.

 And as a business owner, you don’t have the time to learn something new unless you’re certain it will improve your bottom line!

Here’s the good news. Email marketing is one of the simplest and most affordable ways to grow and scale your business. And this is just as true for businesses that aren’t primarily online, too!

Are you ready to learn more? Let’s dive into the top four reasons why building an email list will transform your business.

1. Attract More Buyers

People who subscribe to your email list are genuinely interested in your product or service. 

The truth is, email is not dead! It is, in fact, still an essential part of most people’s day-to-day life. They use it to communicate...

What problem does your product solve?

Many business owners don’t have an answer to this question. And unfortunately, this is one of the reasons why failure rates are so high for new businesses.

Here’s why. 

The Problem and Solution

Buyers make purchase decisions based on their need to resolve specific problems. 

They scan the marketplace in search of businesses that offer clear solutions to help them overcome their obstacles - and achieve success. 

If your business wasn’t built with using this strategy, connecting with buyers and generating sales is nearly impossible.

But the good news is, even if you’re in the later stages of developing your business, you can still reposition your product or service to align with this approach.

Let’s take a closer look at how this works.

The “Hope” Approach

Too many business owners make the mistake of building their business from this standard approach.

I like to call it...

Why did some people say “yes!” to your offer, but others declined?

The truth is, it can be difficult to put ourselves in our customer’s shoes. 

But here’s the good news. There are a few steps you can take to understand your customer’s experience with your business better...and optimize your strategy to convert more prospects into raving fans.

Here’s how.

Step One: Create a Marketing Message

A clear marketing message lays the foundation for your business’s success.

In short, your marketing message is how your business “speaks” about itself to customers. 

It defines the products or services you offer and, at the same time, invites customers to connect with your brand at a deeper level.

However, many businesses struggle to create a clear marketing message. And not only does this result in lost sales, but it also diminishes the opportunity for lifelong customer relationships.

Here are 3 simple strategies to help you...