– Creative Conversations –
This space is meant to serve as a place for me to share my thoughts on relevant industry happenings, best practices, interesting ideas, and concepts—as well as for discussing them. Please share comments on posts to keep the conversation going!
Instagram Stories: Strategy Deep Dive
We all know about them, and for the most part: now love Instagram stories. Believe it or not, they came out four years ago. And have since become a staple on the social network. They tend to function as a more casual platform than your main feed, and can even serve more impressions in their…
How to Encourage Social Sharing
Social media is an extremely effective tool for growing your brand. It is important to develop and maintain a consistent presence through your own accounts, but effective social media strategy doesn’t end there. In order to grow, you’ll need to reach new audiences. You can pay for social media advertising, or you could get your…
Avoiding the App Avalanche
While I’ve previously suggested the development of an app, we’re going to reiterate this suggestion with the additional clause of: only if it truly adds value. To your brand, to your products or services, and most importantly—to your consumer’s home screen. If you’re anything like me, you can be pretty picky about the apps you…
Remote Creativity: Can It Be Successful?
Technology has, does, and will continue to develop new opportunities and potential in all aspects of our lives. Personal and professional pursuits benefit from the continued conception and perfection of new tools and processes for getting things done. Recently, we’ve been forced to further embrace the technological landscape around us. Thankfully, as we’re all pretty…
Should Hiring Practices Be on Marketing’s Radar?
We’ve previously discussed the ways in which employee relations, at every level, should be an important part of any organization’s marketing mix. And so, it makes sense that a business’s hiring practices should be as well. You should think of potential employees, not only also as potential customers, but as well-networked individuals. Consider their ability…
Podcast Promotions, Considered
One thing the world will never have a shortage of? Podcasts. While not every one will necessarily be an effective advertising avenue for you, there’s got to be at least one worth considering. And, there are a variety of ways in which your brand could get involved with creators of such content. Unlike radio ads,…
5 Activities to Reignite Your Creativity
Sometimes, you just feel like you’re stuck in a rut. Like you’ve got no fresh ideas left, and can’t create something unique no matter how badly you want to. This doesn’t say anything about you as a creative. It happens to the best of us. What defines you as a creative professional, is how you…
Should My Brand Be on Every Platform?
Probably not. At least not right off the bat. There’s a convention that frequency is key, and while an important analytic: it isn’t everything. There’s a line that should be walked carefully. Quality over quantity. If your brand is capable of creating unique, consistent, quality content for each and every social media platform? Go for…
What Can You GIVE Your Audience?
One of the best ways to grab somebody’s attention, is to give them something. It can, but doesn’t have to be physical. There are even more skilled, higher-level ways of incorporating this concept into your strategy. Below, embrace the power of asking not what your consumer can do for you, but what you can do…
Creating Physical Experiences for Digital DTC Brands
If your brand exists almost exclusively online, there is value in spending time, effort, and money to develop ways for your consumer to have physical experiences with your brand. Besides simply a purchase. We’re talking about you, digital direct-to-consumer (DTC) brands. No matter the quality of your marketing, some people crave the ability to touch/feel/experience…
Should I Enforce a Uniform, or Dress Code?
It might not seem like a marketing problem, but we’ve previously discussed the ways in which your retail/customer facing staff can (and should) be considered marketing collateral. More than just that, but remember their power to influence customers—in real time. While not always a make or break, the ways in which your employees present themselves…
Directions for Direct Mail
Direct mail advertising efforts go way back. And, while perhaps a more vintage medium, your campaigns there do not need to feel that way. There are plenty of ways to breathe new life into direct mail efforts; and with all that is going on in the post office right now, it’s a great way to…
The Power of the Influencer
Everybody is an influencer these days. We all have our own networks, of ranging sizes, that may look to us for inspiration; recommendations; information; and/or entertainment. Brands have recognized the power of those with particularly large, niche followings. And, as they’ve capitalized there, have also found value in the “micro-influencer.” Below, we’ll discuss a range…
Leave an Imprint, with Print
Print advertising is a traditional medium that usually comes with a high price tag, and high risk. When implemented effectively, these efforts can be worth the investment. Below, explore some suggestions that can help optimize your efforts in print. Go Big, or Go Home If you’re spending the money on print advertising, don’t purchase the…
Expand-a-Brand
You’ve got a pretty well established brand. You have repeat customers, and they recommend your products or services. You’ve received some good reviews, have a website—maintain your social media. So, what’s next? Advertising, branding, communication, and marketing go deeper than your copy, logo, content, and budget. These business functions should inform all aspects of your…
Employing Efficient & Effective E-Mail Efforts
Marketing efforts via e-mail have a mixed reputation, mixed reviews, and mixed function. There are many different reasons why, and ways to deploy e-mail marketing efforts. You can use automated e-mails to seek reviews and feedback; create campaigns that promote an upcoming sale, exclusive offer; anything. No matter the goal you are trying to achieve,…
Your Consumers Are Talking. Are You Listening?
While a cornerstone of all well-executed promotional efforts: the deep understanding of, and ability to leverage your consumer insights, are extremely high level skill sets. There’s a real difference between knowing who your consumer is, and understanding how they operate; what they think, how they feel. Their desires and their motivations. Following, consider three ways…
Keep Your Marketing Efforts Local
Especially if you’re a smaller brand with one, or a couple, location(s) in one general area: you don’t want or need to waste money on national efforts. Unless you have, or are trying to build out an e-commerce aspect to your business. Recently, I was approached to purchase ad space in a national magazine—for a…
Brand Photography: to Capture or Collect?
One of the most important assets a marketing department has, is photography. A ton of it. Make the effort to acquire a range of diverse, high-quality images that capture your brand’s identity in various ways, to various levels. You want to ensure you have plenty of different content, to keep your feed entertaining and interesting—not…
Restaurant/Hospitality Industry Promotion
The hospitality industry is one of the largest, most global industries. In almost any corner of this Earth, you can find a place to stay, or eat—for the right price. Traditionally, the margins for this industry are horrendously low. This can make spending on advertising a particularly severe sting, especially for smaller brands and businesses.…
Here’s a 100% FREE Marketing Plan
Advertising can be one of the highest expenses a business has on its books. However large, a brand’s monetary investment in this area does not guarantee any kind of return. It can be an incredibly risky investment, which is why when made effectively: there is the potential for near infinite return. However, advertising and marketing…
Look at Your Social With Different Lenses
So, we all know by now that if you aren’t on social media—you’re missing out on massive audiences, free promotion, and immense brand building power. However, with everyone embracing this concept, it can be challenging to stand out. Consistent, well-curated social media accounts are important. But today, they’re the bare minimum. The potential here is…
My Opinion Isn’t Valued: What’s Next?
If this has never happened to you… you’re lying. Seriously. No matter how common of an occurrence it may or may not be for you, it can still be an incredibly frustrating challenge. I’m not being a total brat. Compromise does count; it is often even preferred. However, it takes effort from both sides. What…
Top Ten Tips (for Your Brand)
The importance you place on each aspect of the marketing mix depends on your brand, your consumer, and your environment. So does the extent of which these tips apply to you. Below, find the ten ideas I believe to be, generally, the most important for brands right now. In no particular order. 1. High Ratio…
Timing: Is It Everything?
One of the hottest topics in the industry, is timing. There are many aspects to which the concept can be applied, but for today’s conversation: we are discussing it in the sense of when to post, send, etc. Social Media There are a range of insights, available from a range of platforms, that allow you…
Finding Inspiration in the Day-to-Day
As a creative individual, I am thoroughly aware of the potential to lack inspiration. It can be really hard to avoid this kind of creative funk when you feel it coming on. No matter how aggravating it is once set in. Even in the most stimulating of positions, the presence and perception of monotony can…
Managing Expectations: Marketing Edition
Managing your expectations can be an important skill in any aspect of your personal, or professional life. It is important to set your sights high, but also to keep your expectations grounded in reality. The loftier the goal, the better. I maintain a few of these myself. However, you must be able to accept the…
How to Build the Ultimate Marketing Network
A solid, but diverse and ever-adapting network could be considered the most important tool hanging from any successful marketer’s belt. The best networks consist of individuals from a range of backgrounds. Surround yourself with those who think similarly to you, but also with an equal number of those who do not. Include even the ones…
Finding Your Brand’s Voice: Copywriting and Message Planning
Everybody has one. And every brand has one, too. While not necessary that it always be auditory, this voice may still be described as smoky and gravelly, or loud and proud. Even shrill (if that’s what you’re going for). Your brand’s voice should feel and sound natural. Never forced. The most important thing about a…
Brand Loyalty: Three Kinds Discussed
One of the loftiest goals someone in the ad space can have, is brand loyalty. It takes expert planning and exquisite execution to promote. You must constantly be working to understand your consumers; predicting and responding to their needs. There are all kinds of ways that brand loyalty comes to fruition. Following, find three of…
Whose Brand Is It Anyway?
Something that has been on my mind for a while now is this idea of leveled or tiered brands. And also, the ability to buy and sell brands. Of course, brands are ever-evolving. They’ll go through many changes over the course of their lifespans (if they are to be successful). Sometimes though, these changes are…
Following Some of Advertising’s Finer Lines
As discussed in this previously posted article, “there are careful lines that must be walked to maintain your brand’s integrity,” when planning and executing advertising efforts. Some are very bold, and easy to stay on the right side of (this is often what makes it so egregious when they’re crossed). Some are very fine, or…
Advertising, Branding, Communication: What’s the Difference?
There are a few intricate differences that, for some reason, drive industry professionals to break ours up into, well, more industries. However, outside of the community—we all usually end up being relegated to the marketing department. It’s okay. People who haven’t spent years diving deep into our world can’t be expected to fully understand. So,…
Subscribe?
Be one of the first to read my thoughts, opinions, tips, and tricks.
Ethan Olkovikas, Creative. 