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Scaling for Success: Navigating Growth Without Losing Your Business Identity

Posted on by avintivmstg

The thrill of exponential growth is a hallmark of entrepreneurial success. Customers flock to your product or service, and the future seems exciting.

However, this exciting phase presents a crucial question: how can you effectively scale your operations while preserving the core brand identity that initially resonated with your target audience?

In their pursuit of expansion, many companies inadvertently weaken their brand essence, sacrificing the unique qualities that resonate with their customers. The result is a diluted brand that struggles to maintain its competitive edge.

This guide will outline essential strategies to ensure your brand identity continues to shine brightly as your business expands. We will discuss prioritizing your core purpose, maintaining a customer-centric approach, and building a strong team culture that embodies your brand values. Following these strategies ensures your brand scales authentically, fostering customer trust and loyalty for years.

The Power of Your Business Identity

Your business identity is more than just a logo and a tagline; it’s the essence of who you are. It’s the foundation upon which a company builds trust and connection with its target audience. But what exactly makes up a brand identity? Here, we’ll delve into the three core elements that define your brand’s essence: mission, vision, and values.

Revisit and Reinforce Your Mission

As your business expands, revisiting and understanding your existing mission statement is crucial to ensure growth remains consistent with your core identity. Your mission statement is a concise and powerful declaration that goes beyond simply making money. It defines the problem you solve, the positive impact you strive to create, and the value proposition you offer.

Focus on the “Why.” What drives your passion? What problem are you dedicated to solving for your customers or the world? Don’t simply state what you do; delve deeper into the underlying motivation that sparked your company’s creation. 

Your mission statement should also highlight your impact. It’s more than just describing your products and services. It should explain the positive change you aim to create for your target audience. Articulating your desired impact showcases the value you bring, not just what you sell.

Vision: Charting Your Long-Term Course

Your vision statement is a guiding star, propelling your company’s long-term trajectory. It paints a compelling picture of your long-term aspirations. It’s not just about achieving specific goals or market dominance; it’s about the lasting impact you want to create and the legacy you want to leave behind.

A clear understanding of your vision statement keeps your long-term goals in focus. During business growth, it’s easy to become consumed by immediate challenges and potentially lose sight of the grand vision. Regularly revisiting your vision statement is a powerful reminder of your ultimate destination.

Upholding Your Core Values

Your company’s values are the fundamental principles that guide your everyday actions and decision-making. They define how you interact with your customers, employees, and the world. Strong values act as a moral compass, ensuring your choices align with your mission and vision.

Consistency is vital, as your values are a core part of your brand promise. As you expand your reach and offerings, revisiting and reinforcing your existing values ensures that all your strategies and actions align with the initial principles that resonate with your audience.

Understanding your values allows you to identify areas for adaptation, ensuring consistency with your core principles without compromising what makes your brand unique.

Why Business Identity Matters During Scaling

During rapid growth, a clearly defined brand identity becomes even more crucial. It ensures that every decision made aligns with the core values that initially resonated with customers and fosters three key areas: customer loyalty, employee engagement, and market differentiation.

Customer Loyalty

Customers are perceptive. They can sense when a company operates with a genuine purpose and embodies values they care about. A strong brand identity, built on a foundation of shared values with your target audience, fosters trust and connection beyond a simple transaction.

Customers who resonate with your brand’s mission and values become invested in its success. They see themselves as part of a larger story, not just another faceless consumer. This emotional connection translates into brand loyalty, driving repeat business and a willingness to recommend your products or services to others.

Employee Engagement

A strong brand identity isn’t just about attracting customers; it’s also about engaging your employees. Employees are the heart and soul of a company, and their level of engagement directly impacts the customer experience. 

Employees who understand the company’s mission, vision, and values feel connected to a larger purpose. They view their work as part of something bigger, are likely to experience increased motivation and productivity, and contribute to a more positive work environment. A clear brand identity provides employees with a framework for decision-making that aligns with the company’s core values. It leads to a more cohesive work environment and a stronger brand overall.

Market Differentiation

In today’s crowded marketplace, standing out from the competition is more important than ever. A strong brand identity helps you achieve this by clearly communicating your unique value proposition.

It goes beyond simply listing your products or services. It tells a story about who you are, what you stand for, and the impact you aim to create. A clear, consistent brand message resonates with target customers seeking what you offer, fostering loyalty and creating a competitive advantage through customer attraction and retention.

Scaling While Staying True to Your Brand

With a firm grasp of your business identity, it’s time to translate that understanding into a growth strategy. Every decision you make during expansion, from product development to marketing campaigns, should be evaluated through the lens of your core identity.

Prioritize the Right Growth

When considering market expansion or product development, critically assess how these initiatives align with your mission, vision, and values. Ensuring that each growth opportunity complements your core purpose and strategic goals is essential to maintaining your business identity. 

Here are the questions to guide your assessment:

  1. Does this opportunity directly address the problem we’re committed to solving? For example, if your mission is to promote financial literacy, launching a new luxury jewelry line might not be the best fit.
  2. Does it contribute to achieving our long-term vision? Ask yourself if this initiative is a strategic step towards your legacy. Will it help you build the impact you envision for your company?
  3. Will it allow us to uphold our values consistently throughout the growth process? Consider if you can maintain your commitment to transparency, quality, or ethical sourcing even as you scale.

Define Measurable Goals for Success

While traditional growth metrics like market share and revenue are essential, defining measurable goals that align with your core identity is crucial. These goals demonstrate the impact your brand is making.

Set goals that directly connect with your mission statement. For example, if your mission is to provide access to educational resources, a goal could be to increase the number of users on your e-learning platform by X% within a specific timeframe, focusing on underserved communities.

Develop goals that reflect your core values. If customer centricity is a core value, a goal could be to achieve a specific customer satisfaction score or implement a system for gathering and responding to customer feedback within a set timeframe.

Scaling with the Customer in Mind

As you scale your business, keeping the customer at the forefront of your strategy is paramount. Rapid growth can sometimes lead to a shift in focus, where the pursuit of expansion overshadows the commitment to customer satisfaction.

Personalization plays a crucial role in maintaining customer loyalty during growth periods. Leverage customer data to tailor your products, services, and communications to meet individual needs. This approach enhances the customer experience and reinforces customers’ personal connection with your brand. 

Transparency and trust are foundational to a customer-centric approach. Be honest about your growth plans and how they will impact your customers. Whether it’s changes in service delivery, product availability, or customer support, keeping your customers informed fosters trust and loyalty.

Building a Strong Team Culture

Your employees are the voice of your brand. To ensure they reflect your identity, prioritize hiring for culture fit. Hire individuals who share your passion for your mission, vision, and values. Their enthusiasm will translate into a more genuine brand experience for your customers.

During the hiring process, go beyond technical skills. Seek individuals who genuinely connect with your mission, vision, and values. Their passion and enthusiasm will resonate with your customers, creating a more authentic brand experience. Imagine a team that truly believes in your company’s impact — their conviction will shine through in every interaction.

Provide opportunities for your team to learn to embody your brand values in their interactions and decision-making. It could involve customer service workshops emphasizing empathy and transparency or leadership training promoting collaboration and open communication.

Maintaining Brand Consistency Across All Channels

As your brand expands, it becomes crucial to ensure a consistent voice and message across all communication channels. Maintaining consistency across interactions simplifies navigation for your audience, solidifying your brand image and fostering trust.

Imagine a customer encountering your brand on social media, visiting your website, and finally interacting with your customer service team. In each touchpoint, they should experience the same core brand essence – the same voice, tone, and values.

Consistency lies in a clear brand style guide, acting as a blueprint, outlining your brand voice, tone, visuals, and messaging. Craft compelling brand stories that showcase your values and mission in action. Address any inconsistencies and adapt your approach as needed. This proactive monitoring ensures your brand message remains clear and impactful across all touchpoints, solidifying your brand identity in the marketplace.

Ready to Scale for Success

Scaling a business isn’t just about chasing numbers. It’s about navigating growth while preserving your brand’s unique identity. A strong brand identity is your compass in the ever-evolving sea of business. It’s the anchor that keeps you grounded in your core values and the guiding star that illuminates the path to long-term success.

This identity, built on your mission, vision, and values, is the cornerstone of customer trust and loyalty. Neglect it during expansion, and you risk losing the foundation of your success. Here’s the good news: prioritizing your brand identity during growth unlocks many benefits. It becomes your guiding light, ensuring every decision aligns with your core values.

For over 12 years, AVINTIV has been a trusted partner for over 400 brands, helping them achieve remarkable growth while staying true to their unique identities. Our award-winning agency services encompass everything you need to scale for success.

Don’t sacrifice authenticity in the pursuit of growth. Ready to unlock your business’s full potential and scale for success? Contact AVINTIV today to turn your vision into a reality and build a thriving brand.

Building a Winning Sales and Marketing Strategy to Boost Business Growth

Posted on by avintivmstg

Imagine you’re at a bustling marketplace, overflowing with vendors all vying for customer attention. Your product or service is fantastic, but how do you get people to stop, engage, and ultimately choose you?

In today’s digital marketplace, the challenge feels just as accurate. Businesses are competing for eyeballs and clicks in a crowded online space. But unlike that bustling marketplace, you don’t have to rely on shouting or flashy signs to get noticed. A well-defined sales and marketing strategy is the key to thriving in this digital jungle.

Unlock the secrets in this comprehensive guide, which equips you with the essential steps to attract customers and nurture leads, propelling your business to sustainable growth.

Understanding Your Market

A deep understanding of your market is the foundation for successful sales and marketing strategies. It involves gathering and analyzing data to comprehensively understand your industry trends, target audience, and competitors.

Industry Trends

What are the current trends shaping your industry? Are there emerging technologies or market shifts on the horizon that you must be aware of? Understanding these trends ensures your strategies stay relevant and allow you to capitalize on new opportunities.

Primary research through surveys, focus groups, and interviews allows you to gather firsthand data from your target audience. These methods provide direct insights into customer needs and preferences, helping you to tailor your marketing strategies effectively.

Secondary research is equally important as it leverages existing data from industry reports, market analysis, and publications. Tools like Google Trends and SEMrush can provide valuable data on market dynamics, offering a broader perspective on your industry.

Competitor Analysis

Who are your main competitors in the digital marketplace? What are their strengths and weaknesses? How can you differentiate your brand and outperform them? 

Identify your direct and indirect competitors – those offering similar or alternative solutions to your target audience. Uncover your competitive edge by analyzing marketing tactics, product features, pricing strategies, and customer insights to identify strengths and weaknesses. Leverage a well-structured framework that evaluates your company’s strengths and weaknesses relative to your competitors while considering promising market opportunities and potential external threats.

Benchmark your performance against your competitors regarding market share, brand awareness, and customer satisfaction. Regularly monitor their activities to stay updated on their strategies and adjust your tactics accordingly.

Knowing Your Ideal Customer

Your target audience is more than numbers on a page. These are real people with hopes, dreams, and, most importantly, problems your product or service can solve. Knowing your target audience like the back of your hand is essential for crafting messaging and offerings that resonate deeply with them.

When developing your detailed buyer personas, consider the following: 

  • Demographics: Age, location, income, job title, and other relevant data can help you understand the basic profile of your ideal customer.
  • Behavior patterns: How do they research products? Where do they spend their time online? What kind of content do they consume? Understanding these behavioral patterns will help you reach them in the right places with the right message.
  • Pain points and challenges: What keeps your ideal customer up at night? What frustrations do they face? Identifying their specific pain points allows you to position your product or service as the solution they’ve been searching for.
  • Buying motivations: What triggers them to make a purchase? Are they driven by logic, emotion, or a combination of both? Understanding their buying motivations helps you create messaging that resonates and compels them to take action.

 

Defining Your Goals and Objectives

For a results-driven approach, set specific, quantifiable, achievable goals that support your overall strategy and have clear deadlines. It ensures you can measure progress and celebrate milestones. For example, a SMART goal could be to boost the conversion rate from website visitors to paying customers by 5% within the next six months.

  • To craft specific goals, clearly define your desired outcome. For example, a specific goal is increasing sales by 30% in the next quarter through targeted email marketing campaigns.
  • Track progress with measurable success metrics. These metrics, like the number of leads generated, conversion rates, and revenue growth, are benchmarks to gauge your movement toward achieving your goals.
  • Achievable goals are realistic and attainable objectives based on your resources and market conditions, ensuring they are challenging yet possible to achieve.
  • Relevant goals are directly connected to your overall strategy and contribute to your long-term objectives. They ensure your efforts are focused on achieving the most impactful outcomes that align with your broader vision.
  • Time-bound goals include setting a clear deadline for achieving your objectives, defining short-term and long-term milestones to track progress, and making necessary adjustments.

Building Your Winning Offer

With your goals and target audience in mind, it’s time to craft a winning offer. This offer could be a product, service, discount, or combination that addresses their pain points and delivers exceptional value.

Craft a compelling message highlighting what sets you apart and resonates with your ideal customer. Ask yourself, “What unique value do we offer that our competitors don’t?” Highlight unique features, superior customer service, or competitive pricing to make your offer more attractive. A compelling UVP sets your brand apart from the competition. By articulating your distinct value proposition, you make it easier for customers to recognize why your product or service is superior.

Craft clear, concise, and persuasive messaging that resonates with your target audience. Speak directly to your customer’s needs and desires, and use language that evokes emotion and compels action.

The Power of Marketing

Marketing acts as the bridge that connects you with your target audience. It’s not just about shouting your product or service from the rooftops; it’s about creating meaningful connections with your audience. Effective marketing strategies build brand awareness, foster trust, and drive customer engagement.

Content Marketing

Create valuable, informative content that educates, entertains, and inspires your target audience. It could include blog posts, eBooks, infographics, videos, webinars, and more. Content marketing positions you as a thought leader and your brand as a trusted resource.

Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) aids search engines in comprehending your website’s content, boosting the chances that users will find valuable information on your site. SEO involves ongoing optimization efforts, but it’s a powerful way to attract qualified leads actively searching for solutions like yours.

Social Media Marketing

Make the most of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and X/Twitter to engage with your ideal customers, share your content, and increase brand awareness. Social media is excellent for interacting with potential customers, highlighting your company culture, and building relationships.

Email Marketing

Email marketing remains a powerful strategy for converting leads and boosting sales. Create an email list of engaged subscribers and send targeted email campaigns that provide valuable content, promote special offers, and encourage them throughout the buyer’s journey. Always include a clear call to action (CTA) in your emails to guide your subscribers towards the desired action.

Marketing Automation

Use marketing automation tools to optimize your marketing efforts and personalize communication with leads and customers. Marketing automation enables you to automate routine tasks, send tailored email sequences, and monitor campaign performance more efficiently.

Pay-Per-Click (PPC) Advertising

PPC ads offer a method of displaying targeted advertisements on search engines, social media platforms, and other websites. You pay only when a user clicks on your ad, making it a cost-effective approach to reaching potential customers actively searching for solutions similar to yours. PPC campaigns can be precisely targeted based on demographics, interests, and online behavior, ensuring your message effectively reaches the right audience at the opportune moment.

Choosing the Right Marketing Channels

The key to successful marketing isn’t blasting your message everywhere; it’s strategically targeting the channels where your ideal customers spend their time. A multi-channel approach ensures you can reach your audience at different touchpoints and increase your chances of engagement.

Are you aiming for brand awareness or driving sales?  Content marketing and social media are brand-building powerhouses, while SEO attracts organic traffic and email marketing nurtures leads. Choose channels that align with your specific marketing goals.

The most vital marketing strategies leverage multiple channels working together. Promote your blog content on social media, nurture leads with targeted emails, and retarget website visitors with display ads. This comprehensive strategy maximizes the impact of your marketing efforts and creates a seamless journey for your target audience.

Continuous Improvement

The marketing landscape is a dynamic ecosystem, constantly evolving with new technologies, consumer behaviors, and competitor strategies. While a well-crafted initial strategy is crucial, long-term success hinges on a commitment to continuous improvement.

Embrace a data-driven approach to marketing optimization. Leverage website analytics, social media insights, and email marketing metrics to understand what content resonates with your audience and identify areas for improvement. Stay informed about emerging marketing trends, and be ready to adjust your strategy accordingly based on your findings.

Encourage a culture of experimentation and innovation within your team. Test new ideas, measure their impact, and learn from successes and failures. By continually refining your strategy, you can maintain a competitive edge and foster consistent business growth.

Position Your Business for Success

The digital marketplace is a dynamic battleground, overflowing with brands all vying for a piece of the consumer pie. Unlike a physical battlefield, however, success here doesn’t rely on brute force or overpowering your competition. 

It’s a war of strategy, where the victor is the one who can anticipate customer needs, craft compelling messaging, and leverage the proper channels to engage their target audience at the perfect moment.

Navigating this complex landscape requires a strategic approach and a well-defined plan that considers your target audience, industry trends, and competitor strategies. 

At AVINTIV, every brand has the potential to be a champion in the digital arena. For over 12 years, we’ve partnered with over 400 businesses to develop winning strategies that attract clients, foster brand loyalty, and drive long-term success.

Are you ready to unlock your business potential and achieve explosive growth? Contact AVINTIV today for a free consultation. Let’s discuss your unique goals and explore how we can help you craft a winning sales and marketing strategy that propels your brand to new heights.

Mastering Customer Retention: How to Turn Your Clients into Brand Advocates

Posted on by avintivmstg

Did you know acquiring new customers can cost five times more than retaining existing ones? That is a staggering 500% cost increase! In today’s fiercely competitive landscape, acquiring new customers isn’t enough. The key to sustainable growth is turning your clients into brand advocates.

These advocates aren’t just repeat buyers; they are your most valuable marketing asset. They organically attract new customers through positive word-of-mouth recommendations, a more trusted currency than traditional advertising.

So, how do you turn satisfied customers into brand advocates? This blog article will equip you with key strategies to master customer retention and unlock the true power of brand advocacy to propel your business toward long-term success.

Why Loyal Customers Are Your Most Valuable Asset

While attracting new customers is crucial for any business, the real key to sustainable growth lies in maximizing the value of your existing client base. Studies show that retaining existing customers is significantly more cost-effective, and industry data reveals a compelling truth: a mere 5% improvement in customer retention can unlock a profit increase of up to 95%.

Loyal customers are more than repeat buyers; they become invested partners. Through continued interactions, they deeply understand your offerings and value. They’re more likely to upgrade, require less nurturing, and become walking testaments to your brand’s trustworthiness.

But the benefits extend beyond financials. Imagine your most enthusiastic clients promoting your brand — that’s the organic reach and influence brand advocates offer. They become an army of loyal marketers, effortlessly attracting new customers.

By prioritizing customer retention, you cultivate a community of invested individuals who actively contribute to your success. These are not just loyal buyers; they’re brand champions who propel your growth through positive endorsements.

Turning Clients into Brand Advocates

Understand Your Clients

Building a solid foundation for customer retention and brand advocacy starts with a comprehensive understanding of your customers. It goes beyond demographics; it’s about getting inside their heads and understanding their challenges, desires, and decision-making processes.

Uncover Their Struggles

What keeps your ideal customers up at night? Are they grappling with inefficient processes, frustrating product limitations, or needing more support? By pinpointing their struggles, you can personalize your communication and services to provide a direct solution.

Dig Deeper into Needs

Understanding their challenges is just the first step. Do they yearn for increased efficiency, improved quality of life, or a sense of accomplishment? When you know these needs, you can position your product or service as the key that unlocks their desired outcomes.

Map Their Buying Journey

How do they research products? What information fuels their decisions? What potential objections might they raise? This information empowers you to craft targeted content addressing their buying stage concerns, offer clear product demonstrations, or proactively address common objections in your sales conversations.

Craft an Irresistible Offer

Understanding your customers is crucial, but crafting an irresistible offer is the key to unlocking brand advocacy. It’s the difference between a satisfied customer and a passionate champion for your brand. Here’s how to translate that knowledge into action:

Focus on Value, Not Features

Shift your focus from simply listing features to explaining how your product directly addresses their specific problems and improves their lives. Ditch technical jargon in favor of tangible value. For example, instead of promoting “advanced reporting tools,” highlight how these tools “unlock data-driven insights that streamline operations and boost efficiency by 20%.”

Speak Their Language

Craft messages that genuinely connect with your ideal customer. Speak their language and directly address their challenges and aspirations. Imagine a customer struggling with inefficient workflows. Your message could be: “Feeling overwhelmed by tedious tasks? Our software automates repetitive processes, freeing you to focus on strategic priorities.”

Treat Every Client Like Your Business Depends on Them

Imagine having only one client who held the key to your business’s future. Every interaction would be crucial, and every need would be prioritized. This, in essence, is the philosophy behind successful customer retention: treating every client like your most valuable asset because they truly are. Cultivating a “one-customer mindset” across your organization unlocks a powerful force — brand advocacy.

Forget “good enough” service and strive to exceed expectations at every touchpoint. Every interaction with your clients should make them feel valued and important. Move beyond reactive problem-solving. Proactive measures like personalized greetings and exceeding expectations demonstrate that their business is valued beyond a transaction. Customers feel genuinely cared for, fostering a more profound connection that translates into brand advocacy.

These advocates become your greatest asset, organically attracting new customers through their positive experiences and powerful recommendations. They become a testament to the exceptional experiences you deliver, propelling your business forward through the power of customer trust and loyalty.

Create Effective Reward Programs

Building a robust loyalty program is a crucial strategy for retaining customers. Beyond simply offering discounts, they can be strategically designed to incentivize repeat business, deepen customer connections, and turn satisfied clients into brand advocates.

Rewards Aligned With Needs

As mentioned earlier in the article, understanding your clients is vital. Once you know your clients’ motivations, tailor rewards to address their desires directly. For example, if you know your customers value convenience, consider offering reward points redeemable for express shipping or priority customer service access.

Move Beyond Points and Discounts

While discounts have their place, a truly effective program offers a variety of rewards that provide tangible value. Provide a variety of rewards to appeal to a wide range of preferences. Think exclusive product access for high-tier members, personalized expert consultations, or early sale event access.

Build Deeper Connections

Loyalty programs can be more than just a transactional system. Build deeper connections with your loyalty program by celebrating customer milestones with personalized greetings or rewards. Provide exclusive content, events, or early access for members, fostering a sense of community and transforming them from satisfied clients into true brand advocates.

Measuring Success in Customer Retention

Thriving businesses are built on a foundation of solid customer relationships. How do you know if your efforts to retain those valuable clients are paying off? Measuring your customer retention program’s effectiveness is important for optimizing strategies and maximizing its impact.

Why Measure Success?

Think of your retention program as an investment. Like any investment, you need to track its performance to ensure it delivers a return. By measuring your success, you can showcase the value you provide and pinpoint areas for improvement, ultimately leading to a more personalized and impactful customer experience.

Metrics That Matter

While various metrics can be tracked in customer retention, focusing on a few key ones provides a clear picture of your program’s health and impact. Here are the essentials:

Customer Retention Rate

This metric tracks the percentage of customers your business retains over a specific period. A consistently high rate signifies that your program effectively keeps customers engaged and prevents churn.

Customer Lifetime Value (CLTV)

Your CLTV estimates the total revenue a customer generates over their lifetime relationship with your brand. A well-designed program should increase CLTV, as loyal customers make repeat purchases and potentially spend more over time.

Engagement Rates

Engagement rates measure how actively customers participate in your program. Do they redeem rewards, attend events, or interact with your brand through the program features? Low engagement indicates a need to incentivize participation or revamp the program’s offerings.

Unlocking Your Loyal Army

Customer churn can be a silent growth killer in today’s dynamic market. Imagine a future where your most enthusiastic customers become your most powerful marketers.

Loyal brand advocates, fueled by exceptional experiences, organically attract new customers through trusted word-of-mouth. You can transform satisfied customers into brand champions by prioritizing a deep understanding of your clientele and exceeding expectations at every touchpoint. It isn’t just about loyalty; it’s about unlocking a loyal army that fuels organic growth and outshines even the most expensive advertising campaigns.

AVINTIV has spent over 12 years in the customer retention trenches, crafting award-winning strategies for over 400 brands. We understand the power of loyal customers and can help you cultivate a thriving community of brand advocates, propelling your business toward long-term success.

Don’t settle for stagnant growth. If you are ready to experience exponential growth, contact AVINTIV today for a free consultation and discover how we can turn your business’s customer base into a force multiplier.

Overcoming the Fear of Failure: How to Embrace Risks and Grow Your Business

Posted on by avintivmstg

Fear of failure can shadow even the most confident and ambitious minds in the exhilarating entrepreneurship journey. But in the realm of success, failure is not an end; it is a stepping stone to greatness. 

 

As a top digital marketing agency that has worked with hundreds of successful entrepreneurs, one thing is for sure: everyone has some form of fear. That is why we are thrilled to take you on this empowering exploration of how to embrace risks and turn setbacks into opportunities for your business and life to flourish.

Embrace the Mindset of a Fearless Trailblazer

To conquer the fear of failure, first, we must embrace the mindset of a fearless trailblazer. It’s time to rewrite the narrative that failure must be dreaded and avoided. Instead, view it as an essential part of the journey to success. 

 

From the boldest entrepreneurs to the most prominent industry leaders, they have all encountered hurdles and setbacks on their path to greatness. Embrace a mindset of resilience, where you approach challenges as learning experiences, extracting wisdom from every stumble and using it as fuel to propel you forward with unwavering determination.

Set Clear and Ambitious Goals

With your fearless mindset in place, it’s time to set clear and ambitious goals for your business. 

 

Aim high and envision the future you want to create. Ambitious goals ignite the spark of enthusiasm within you and your team, driving you to take calculated risks and embrace growth opportunities. 

 

Define measurable objectives that serve as milestones on your path to success. Divide them into smaller, achievable tasks to keep you focused and motivated throughout the journey ahead.

Leverage the Power of Data and Analysis

In the modern business landscape, data is king. Use the power of data and analysis to make informed decisions and minimize risks. 

 

Perform comprehensive market research to gain insights into your target audience, competitors, and industry trends. Analyze customer feedback and behavior to gain insights into their preferences and pain points. 

 

Armed with this invaluable information, you can make strategic choices that align with market demands and customer needs.

Embrace a Culture of Innovation

Innovation is the heartbeat of growth and progress. Cultivate an innovation environment within your organization where creativity and out-of-the-box thinking are celebrated. Inspire your team to explore new ideas, experiment with novel strategies, and take calculated risks. Create a culture where failure is not penalized but seen as an essential part of learning. 

 

Innovation empowers your business to stay ahead of the curve and seize opportunities competitors may overlook.

Take Calculated Risks

Embracing risks doesn’t mean being reckless; it means taking calculated risks. 

 

Before making decisions, analyze the potential rewards and drawbacks of every opportunity. Understand the level of risk your business can afford to take, and be prepared to pivot if a particular strategy doesn’t yield the expected results.

 

 Balance ambition with prudence and take steps to minimize potential downsides while maximizing the potential for growth and success.

Learn from Setbacks and Pivot

Failure is not an end but an opportunity to learn, pivot, and evolve. When setbacks occur, analyze the root causes and extract valuable lessons from the experience. 

 

Use this newly acquired knowledge to refine your strategies and improve your processes. Flexibility and adaptability are vital in the face of challenges. Embrace change, and be willing to pivot when necessary to stay aligned with your goals and seize new opportunities.

Surround Yourself with a Supportive Network

Building a supportive network is crucial in overcoming the fear of failure. Surround yourself with like-minded entrepreneurs, mentors, and peers who share your vision and are eager to support your growth. Lean on this network for advice, guidance, and encouragement during challenging times. 

 

The collective wisdom and positive energy from your support system will fuel your drive and strengthen your determination to overcome any obstacles that come your way.

Celebrate Every Success, Big or Small

Amidst pursuing ambitious goals, remember to celebrate every success, big or small. Acknowledge the progress you make and take pride in your achievements.

 

Celebrations remind you of your resilience and determination, instilling confidence and enthusiasm within you and your team to keep pushing forward.

Develop a Resilient Mindset

Resilience is the cornerstone of overcoming the fear of failure. Cultivate a resilient mindset that views challenges as opportunities for growth. Embrace change enthusiastically, knowing that every obstacle you conquer brings you closer to your aspirations. 

 

When faced with adversity, remind yourself of the progress you’ve made and the vision you’re striving to achieve.

Seek Professional Guidance

Finally, don’t hesitate to seek professional guidance from experts and consultants who can offer valuable insights and strategies. Collaborating with a confident, assertive, and enthusiastic marketing agency can provide fresh perspectives, refined marketing strategies, and expert guidance to help your business thrive.

 

In conclusion, overcoming the fear of failure is not an impossible feat. With a mindset of a fearless trailblazer, ambitious goals, data-driven decision-making, a culture of innovation, calculated risks, and a supportive network, you’ll be equipped to face challenges with confidence and resilience. 

 

Embrace setbacks as stepping stones to greatness, celebrate every achievement, and seek professional guidance when needed. Embrace the growth journey with enthusiasm and an unwavering belief in your vision. 

 

Remember, success is within reach for those willing to embrace risks and grow beyond their fears. So, let’s embrace this empowering journey together and watch your business soar to unprecedented heights!

How Our Cannabis Client Grew 2000% in One Year Through SEO & UI/UX

Posted on by avintivmstg

It’s no secret that the cannabis and CBD industry has been growing at light speed for the last couple of years. Both cannabis and CBD are mainstream where every day people are talking about the health benefits and are curious about learning more about them.

In fact, the cannabis industry is projected to hit $66.3 billion by 2025 and the CBD industry is growing to all new heights as well. The CBD industry is expected to reach $22 billion by 2022.

With those times of numbers with a big fat “B” behind them, you know there are a lot of people trying to rush into a goldmine and make a huge profit.

In this article, we’re going to talk about how our client, 3Win Corp, decided to skip the gold and sell shovels to all the gold miners like back in the 1800s during the gold rush.

Who is 3Win Corp?

3Win Corp is a wholesale CCELL® distributor, in 29 states in the US and 5 foreign countries. The company originated in 2015, growing from 6 employees to 38 employees within the last 12 months, with over 50 in 2019.

Their main clients are dispensaries, research labs, and extraction facilities. 3Win Corp is one of only four distributors worldwide that can sell and distribute CCELL® products, known for being the industry standard.

 

Selling Shovels in the Gold Cannabis Rush

Ever since the cannabis boom, everyone is trying to get in somehow. The majority of business owners and investors try to break into the industry by owning dispensaries, growing cannabis, or launching cannabis products.

Not 3Win Corp. They noticed a need in the market. Marijuana and CBD aren’t going anywhere and they knew that. Instead of offering the actual product itself, they offer the highest-quality accessories.

3Win Corp offers CCELL® products that are known for being the industry standard in vape technology. The vaping market is estimated to reach almost 55 million adults who vape by 2021. That’s a lot of people who need high-quality products to go with their marijuana and CBD products.

The Cannabis Market is Cut-throat Competitive

In 2018 alone, the cannabis industry had over $10 billion in investments that went towards marketing, advertising, and R&D. Some might think that the marijuana industry is a bunch of “hipsters” or people that just like to smoke pot. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Everyone is wanting a piece of this pie.

With that said, it has gotten more and more difficult to grow your cannabis brand over the years. Major investors and funding have got involved, which has made the playing field a bit unfair unless you have some massive firepower behind you.

This is one thing that 3Win Corp has ran into as the majority of its competitors are doing over $100 million per year in revenue and have major funding. They knew that they had to put forth more marketing firepower to saturate the market. They’ve since done just that but first, we’ll go into what they were dealing with.

Poor UI/UX/CX – Lack of Clarity and Consistency

3Win Corp was experiencing slower growth and loss of revenue. They had a website, but it wasn’t converting. Call-to-actions on the site were poorly displayed, and the customer experience was lacking – the site was not leading to an increase in sales. 

The site did not highlight 3Win Corp’s phenomenal product offerings and capabilities. This made it nearly impossible to close deals unless they were in person, resulting in high costs for travel and print collateral. The sales team was frustrated with the sales process, and customers were frustrated with the lack of clarity and accessibility of 3Win Corp’s product offering.

Poor Search Engine Visibility

3Win Corp had little no SEO work done prior to working with Avintiv Media. With how many laws and regulations hinder how the cannabis and CBD industries advertise their brand, SEO and content creation have become the most important tactic in growing these types of brands.

3Win Corp was resting close to the 26th page of Google for every keyword that they wanted to rank for, which put them very far behind their competition.

Extremely Slow Load Times

3Win Corp had a landing page with not much usability or functionality. The older website experienced extremely slow load times which made it harder to grow the business. Due to slow load times, visitors would leave before engaging with the site leading to little to no conversions. 

Slow load times were hurting 3Win’s Google rankings and increased bounce rates exponentially. Google now expects every website that wants to rank to have their website built properly with an amazing customer experience.

Over 47% of users expect a website page to load in two seconds or less. Even worse, over 40% of users won’t wait more than three seconds before leaving the site. Everything is customer-centric and to win in a competitive market, you must focus on the customer and not the competition.

The Solution – How 3Win Corp Grew 2000% in 2018

Custom UI/UX Design and Development

3Win Corp knew they needed a higher converting website and reached out to a couple of agencies, but the others didn’t play the part of what they were looking for. 3Win Corp stated, “When we reached out to Avintiv Media, we knew it was a no brainer with how professional you guys are and the experience you gave.”

3Win Corp, Web Design, Web Development, Award winning web developers, cannabis website, CBD website, Avintiv Media, UI/UX

What Avintiv Media Created:

  • Custom UI/UX Design & Development
  • Customer experience-centric UI/UX
  • Brand awareness and consistency built into the user interface and experience
  • Mobile-first and device responsive design
  • Conversion focused on engaging CTA’s built with clarity and consistency
  • Easy navigability, mobile-friendly and clean functionality
  • Built each page with on-page SEO enhancements
  • Website currently gets over a 92% rating with Google

“We get so many compliments on our website and brand, which gives more confidence to the employees and people that work with 3Win Corp.”

SEO Strategy and Implementation

We implemented SEO initiatives, strategies and campaigns focused on Google algorithms and visibility growth. 3Win Corp’s competition has invested heavily in SEO so there was a lot of catching up to do.

3Win Corp, SEO, on-page SEO, off-page SEO, Cannabis SEO, CBD SEO, marijuana SEO, digital marketing, Avintiv Media

What Avintiv Media created:

  • Competitive research & strategy
  • 12 month SEO campaign
  • Rebuilt Google Analytics with campaigns and goals
  • Completed National keyword research
  • Completed over 300 On-Page SEO enhancements
  • Completed over 200 Off-Page SEO enhancements
  • Had a campaign strategy of 50+ primary keywords
  • Had a campaign strategy of 30+ secondary keywords

What Were the Results?

3Win Corp now has a convertible website and ranks on page 1 of Google for many of their targeted keywords. 

3Win has experienced consistent growth and the ability to build out entirely new teams for customer service as a result of steady traffic flow and lead generation. 

3Win Corp has experienced 8x growth in hiring employees since our campaign launch. In 2018, they increased 35% in sales, getting 8+ new leads per day, and their website traffic has gone up 2,000%.

As you can see, 3Win Corp experienced crazy amounts of growth in 2018. We can’t wait to share what we’re up to for 2019-2020 as it’s MUCH BIGGER!

If you’d like to see how Avintiv Media can help your brand become an industry dominator, reach out to us.

How to Start and Market Your CBD Brand

Posted on by avintivmstg

With the boom of the cannabis industry over the last couple of years, it’s no surprise that an easier go-to-market solution has emerged and is BOOMING. Cannabidiol (CBD) is the new craze and everyone wants in. Even if you already own a CBD brand, keep reading to learn how to start and market your CBD brand correctly.

Starting and marketing your CBD brand is not as easy of a task as it was two to three years ago. The market is extremely saturated and there are some extremely big players in the game now with unlimited funding. CBD is officially mainstream in the entrepreneur and investor world, which makes everyone want to join the bandwagon.

We’ve been waiting for our 80yr old grandparents to give us a call saying how they are launching a CBD brand. All jokes aside, it seems like everyone is wanting a piece of the pie. How big is the CBD pie?

What is CBD?

Before we dive into how big the CBD market is, we want those of you that don’t know what CBD is. 

CBD is short for Cannabidiol. CBD is one of over 100 known compounds found in the cannabis Sativa plant. This compound is found in both THC-rich strains of marijuana and also hemp. These plants are both classified as cannabis but the difference is that hemp produces only small amounts of THC, which are less than 0.3%. The compound carries much higher amounts as CBD, which is non-psychoactive eliminating the “high” feeling that THC has.

How Big is the CBD Industry?

Before we dive into how to start and market your CBD brand, you need to know how big the industry as a whole is. 

Brightfield states that the market for hemp-derived CBD products was around $591 million for 2018, and speculated to grow to $22-23 billion by 2022. Yes, that is a B for billion!

Below is a chart of the industry’s growth and future sales forecasting.

• 2014 – $108 million industry

• 2017 – $190 million industry

• 2018 – $591 million industry

• 2022 – $22 billion industry

CBD, CBD Growth, CBD Market, CBD Industry, Grow CBD Brand

Is CBD Legal?

Everyone wants to know, “Is CBD legal?” If you’re growing industrial hemp with the sole purpose of extracting high-quality CBD, that sole purpose is currently backed by the federal government. In December 2018, the 2018 farm bill was enacted. Among many of its other provisions, it removed hemp (not cannabis) from the list of prohibited substances. Hemp is now a legal agricultural commodity, and so are the products made from it. 

Some individual states have taken a much different stance on this and have chosen to ban CBD products which is key for anyone who has an eCommerce CBD store. You can always see which states CBD is legal.

CBD is still available to purchase and consume across the majority of the United States and in most places products still appear to be available, although some cities have banned the sale of food containing CBD. “CBD cannot be lawfully added to food or be labeled a dietary supplement,” was stated by the FDA with their public hearing on May 31st, 2019.

How much THC can your CBD have to be Legal?

Hemp and certain forms of CBD are federally legal, but you need to understand what aspects to look for when purchasing a CBD product. Many CBD brands that start decide to work with white-label CBD manufacturers because they don’t have the necessary capital to go to some of the larger manufacturing companies. Do your homework before deciding to work with a white-label manufacturer.

For CBD to be considered legal, the industrial hemp must contain .03% or less of THC. Any more and the plant is classified as marijuana and has many different laws that will drastically affect you and your customers.

There is still much confusion between CBD vs THC, which leaves a lot of questions for the general public. Federal agencies have started enforcing 0.3% or less THC policy much harder, which will keep the public much more well informed and safe.

Start Your CBD Brand

After reading the above information, you now realize how much work you have in front of you. At Avintiv, we are very data and research-driven. Everything we’ve done with building and scaling over 200 successful brands, starts with research and strategy.

This information will help new start-up CBD brands and CBD brands that have hit a plateau. We highly recommend building a brief business plan or investor pitch deck that you can use as a roadmap towards success. 

 

CBD Business Plan

Writing a business plan is a good idea even if you never plan on getting a loan from a bank or bringing on investors. You are able to use this business plan as a road map and allows you to benchmark your progress to see how on or off track you are. We won’t go over all aspects of a business plan today. We will point out the key factors to focus on.

Market Analysis – The market analysis will give you a break down of the CBD market, what segments there are, and what type of consumers your company will be marketing to.

Competitive Analysis – You must research and present a clear comparison of your business to your direct and indirect competitors. You need to know your strengths and weaknesses between your business and the competition.

Products and Services – What type of CBD products will your brand carry? Are you launching CBD oil, edibles, topicals, cosmetics or vapes? What will differentiate you from the competition?

Marketing Plan – Your marketing budget must clearly explain how you’re going to reach your ideal customers to hit your sales forecasts. You must clearly define how it’s going to be done and what your marketing budget is.

Sales Strategy – This portion of your business plan explains how you’re going to be selling your CBD. Are you only selling on your eCommerce website or do you have national CBD wholesalers or retail accounts?

Funding – From personal experience, Avintiv Media is currently growing many CBD brands, and the average monthly marketing budget is $10,000 – $20,000. You need to list out how you are going to fund your CBD brand. Whether that’s personal cash infusion by the owner or going for funding.

Sales Forecasts – You must create a realistic sales benchmark of what your business can do in sales over the next 3-5 years. Break the first year down to monthly sales goals and then do years 2-5 by year. This will help you determine if you’re on or off track from your goals.

 

Grow and Market Your CBD Brand

Growing your CBD brand in 2019-2020 is going to be much harder than it was years ago. The market is flooded with new CBD brands every single day, so what is going to set you apart from the competition? We’re going to go over how we’ve been able to grow our CBD clients.

Branding for Your CBD Brand 

Branding is and will be one of the most important aspects of your CBD brand. This part is often overlooked as many business owners want to rush to market. They care more about Instagram, influencer marketing, and getting sales. Don’t fall victim to this or you won’t stand a chance with how competitive the CBD market is right now.

 

Company Naming

A lot of business owners pick a company name that they like for some reason and it never becomes a massive company because the owner was thinking about themselves versus the customer. When picking a company name, ask yourself these questions:

  1. Can I build a $100 million brand with this type of name?
  2. Will customers know exactly what we do when they hear the name?
  3. Does this name clash or interfere with any other CBD brand? (hire a lawyer for this)
  4. Is this a name that our company can build a community or tribe of customers around?

Logo and Brand Styleguide

Developing a logo and brand style guide is much more in-depth as this but for this article’s purposes, we are going to go in order with how our creative team decides on branding direction for our CBD clients.

  1. What is this brand’s ideal target market (customers)?
  2. What type of color scheme is this market used to?
  3. What are other major brands these customers buy from?
  4. What does our brand want to look like? Create a storyboard of brands, colors, and styles your company represents.
  5. What does our brand not want to look like? Create a storyboard of brands, colors, and styles that your company doesn’t want to represent.
  6. Hire an agency or freelancer to help begin the logo sketch phase
  7. Have them finalize 3 variations of logos to choose from (black and white – no color)
  8. Choose the top logo direction
  9. The agency or freelancer will then take your market research and decide on the 3 top color schemes to go with
  10. They will then present your main logo in 3 different color options to go with
  11. Once that is completed, the agency or freelancer should create your brand style guide so everything you do moving forward matches your branding 100%

You can even see how our creative team did a full rebranding for Avintiv Media and what went into the process.

CBD Product Design & Packaging

We won’t go into detail on how to develop your CBD product design or packaging as there are far too many steps to list in this article. Just know that this is by far one of the most important aspects of where your money should be going. If you want to win in the CBD game, it’s going to be the companies that products look better, feel better, and gives the customer a far greater experience.

Here are some examples of recent products we’ve designed in the CBD market.

CBD Branding, CBD Marketing, Goat Grass CBD, Product Design, Packaging, Branding, Avintiv Media

Marketing Your CBD Brand

SEO

Anyone who’s been in the Cannabis or CBD industry knows the trouble everyone has run into with properly being able to advertise or market their brand. Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is by far going to be one of the best investments you can make for your marketing plan.

You will want to have an agency that are experts at SEO as the CBD market is a completely different ball game when it comes to SEO versus many other industries.

Things you’ll want to add into your SEO campaign

Read more to find out How much should SEO cost?

Content

Just like SEO, content creation for the CBD industry is extremely important. For one, not everyone knows what CBD is just yet and people are wanting to learn more about CBD before investing in it.

Writing content around your ideal customers and your keywords that were chosen from your SEO strategy will help you choose what articles to write.

If you’re a CBD brand, you should be launching 2-4 blogs per week of at least 750 words. Below are things to make sure you do:

  1. Install Yoast SEO for WordPress
  2. Make sure your blog has an A+ readability score
  3. Add in your keywords throughout the blog
  4. Carefully choose what your Meta Title should be
  5. Carefully choose what your Meta Description should be
  6. Make sure your slug is done correctly 
  7. Make sure you internally link 2-4 times throughout your blog
  8. Make sure you link external sites 1-2 times throughout your blog

Social Media

Social media has been the craze over the last 5-10 years but it has gotten extremely pricey to play on the advertising end of social media. For today’s purposes, we’re going to focus on posting organically on Instagram with 0 paid ads.

Tips for social media content:

  1. Thinking of your ideal customers, decide on what types of pictures or posts they will want to see
  2. Think of the verbiage or messaging your ideal customers will want to see
  3. Create a grid mockup over posts that all flow well with each other from an aesthetic standpoint (See below)
  4. Use a social media scheduler like Hootsuite to preschedule all of your future posts
  5. Make sure to engage with everyone that DM’s you or comments on your posts

Example of Instagram Grid that we did for our client, Goat Grass CBD.

Goat Grass CBD, Instagram Marketing, CBD Marketing, Instagram Grid, Instagram CBD, Avintiv Media

Advertising

As Facebook and Google start to loosen up with CBD advertising, there are still other ways to advertise your CBD brand.

A number of our CBD clients hire Avintiv to run retargeting ads for their online CBD stores. Below is just one of the options that’s available to advertise for the CBD industry.

Avintiv has access to a private display network that uses artificial intelligence to

aggressively optimize for click-through rate and conversion using a number of different

data signals that generate excellent results. On average our CTRs range from 1-3%

and up to as high as 8% (No this is not a typo). We offer this in the form of standard

display advertising, site retargeting or a blend depending on how much traffic the site

has.

We can run as many creatives as you like and can track conversions from the campaign as well.

This is helpful for tracking ROI.

Below are some examples of display advertising creatives that we’ve created.

CBD Branding, CBD Marketing, Goat Grass CBD, Retargeting Ads, Branding, Advertising, CBD Avintiv Media

CBD Branding, CBD Marketing, Goat Grass CBD, Retargeting Ads, Branding, Advertising, CBD Avintiv Media

In Conclusion

As you’ve read through our article, we hope you’ve learned how to start and grow your CBD. As you can see, there is a lot of information that you need to know before launching and growing your CBD brand. The days of quickly getting to market and making a million dollars are long gone.

If you’re interested in seeing how Avintiv Media can assist you with growth, feel free to reach out to us on our contact page.