Building Expert Brands
By Tony Gibbs
Building Expert BrandsNov 03, 2020
How To Humanise Your Brand With Tone Of Voice—Judith Rafferty
This time on BEB:
I'm joined by copywriter Judith Rafferty from Fruition Ventures. Judith has dropped by to help us shed some light on Tone Of Voice (ToV), so we’re better equipped to create great content. Here were my three favourite talking points:
- Should we emphasise our quirks? > (4:12)
- Is it tougher to get content ‘right’ nowadays? > (6:21)
- Figuring out your ToV—a starting point > (23:06)
Judith's background:
Judith Rafferty is a commercially astute Copywriter who produces value rich income generating copy that connects using words that woo. Her mission is to help save bogged down business owners from getting headaches over content creation when they should be shining their unique brilliance on the world.
Show notes:
N/A
Where to find Lincoln & Perrin:
The Fruition Ventures website
Judith on LinkedIn
Judith on Instagram
Where to find Tony:
Find your focus with Creative Business Coaching
Stand out with Branding
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Drop The Stock (Photos)—Lincoln Roth & Perrin Read
This week on BEB:
I'm joined by a couple of friendly faces from the local networking scene. Photographers Lincoln Roth and Perrin Read kindly took the time to tell us why we should opt for tailored photos over stock photography. Here were my three favourite talking points:
- Is it important to keep things simple? > (11:57)
- Is it ever ok to use stock photos? > (15:07)
- How dressing well helps us in business... > (34:19)
Lincoln & Perrin's background:
Lincoln and Perrin own Roth Read Photography. They are professional photographers who help business owners drop their stock photos, and replace them with creative, authentic, story telling branded images.
Show notes:
Insanely Simple by Ken Segall
The Jelly Effect by Andy Bounds
Chicken Soup For The Soul by Jack Canfield
Give and Take by Adam Grant
Where to find Lincoln & Perrin:
The Roth Read Photography website
Where to find Tony:
Find your focus with Creative Business Coaching
Stand out with Branding
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Brand Management—Aidan Campbell
This week on BEB:
I'm joined by familiar face and collaborative enthusiast Aidan Campbell—Brand and Marketing Consultant, Brand Manager, Specialist, and Strategist. Aidan decided to take a brief break from networking to tell us all about Brand Management. Here were my three favourite talking points:
- Is being cheap a good strategy? > (4:50)
- The illusion of free time > (12:53)
- Is networking a helpful way to build a brand? > (18:53)
Aidan's background:
Aidan comes from a sporting background where he helped local sports clubs improve the way their brand looks online. From there, he grew into working with businesses to help look after all their branding needs.
Show notes:
The Business Of Expertise by David C. Baker
Where to find Johnny:
Aidan’s website
Aidan on LinkedIn
Aidan on Instagram
Where to find Tony:
Find your focus with Creative Business Coaching
Stand out with Branding
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Communicating Well To Family Audiences—An Interview With Abigail & Chloe Baldwin
This week on BEB:
I'm joined by the very polite and friendly Abigail & Chloe Baldwin—founders of the creative studio Buttercrumble. Abigail and Chloe dropped by to tell us all about how we can Communicate Well To Family Audiences. Here were my three favourite talking points:
- Why Businesses exist... > (15:25)
- Company partnerships and shared vision. > (19:12)
- Advice for listeners—provide a great personal touch. > (25:20)
Abigail & Chloe’s background (In their own words):
We are Chloe and Abigail Baldwin, Yorkshire-born, twin sisters who founded the creative studio, Buttercrumble. We love to build creative brands for fun-finders, design enthusiasts and beauty-seekers, across the globe. We breathe life into organisations by embodying fun and we’ve had the pleasure of achieving this for brands such as John Lewis & Partners, Mamas & Papas and Chester Zoo.
Show notes:
Brand Thinking And Other Noble Pursuits By Debbie Millman
Where to find Abigail & Chloe:
The Buttercrumble website
Buttercrumble on Instagram
Buttercrumble on LinkedIn
Where to find Tony:
Find your focus with Creative Business Coaching
Stand out with Branding
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Bad Branding In New Markets—Johnny Pawlik
This week on BEB:
I'm joined by the very international and interesting Johnny Pawlik—branding, marketing and strategy expert. Johnny is kind enough to take time out of his busy schedule to tell us all about Bad Branding In New Markets. Here were my three favourite talking points:
- Bad Branding In New Markets. > (0:30)
- What should listeners do to avoid the bad branding trap? > (23:21)
- Johnny's advice for listeners wanting to get publicity. > (32:35)
Johnny's background:
Johnny Pawlik is the Founder and CEO of the international branding and marketing firm Mantra Media. With over 20 years of experience in branding, marketing, and strategy, Johnny has consulted with the European Parliament, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, British Members of Parliament, the NHS, the UKTI, and a plethora of others.
He has featured on Good Morning Britain, the BBC Political Debates, BBC Radio, Osaka Radio, Asahi Shimbun, and many others. Over the last 10 years, Johnny has had his strategies implemented by governmental, private, and charity sectors in North America, South Africa, Western Europe, Southeast Asia, and Australia.
Show notes:
Drive by Daniel H. Pink
Where to find Johnny:
The Mantra Media website
Johnny on LinkedIn
Johnny on Instagram
Mantra Media's monthly email list
Where to find Tony:
Find your focus with Creative Business Coaching
Stand out with Branding
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Approachable Authority—An Interview With Simon Glenn
This week on BEB:
Design professional and tech entrepreneur Simon Glenn joins me to tell us all about Approachable Authority. Here were my five favourite talking points:
- What is Approachable Authority? > (0:43)
- The design is not for you. > (8:07)
- Keep your message short, clear and concise. > (13:24)
- Meeow's origin story. > (30:23)
- What were your considerations while designing Meeow's brand? > (40:36)
Simon's topic breakdown:
Approachable Authority
In this modern, noisy online world, it's more important than ever to speak directly to your core market in a language they understand and which draws them towards you.
Regardless of any other messaging concerns within the brand identity design sphere, every brand needs to project 'approachable authority'. That essential combination of attraction and confidence building which will convince your potential client that you're the people to speak to.
Simon's background (in his own words):
Simon Glenn wears 2 hats these days.
As a brand identity design professional styles himself as the Brandboy, a one man crusade to bring serious design thinking, logic and creativity to the SME world.
As a tech entrepreneur, Simon styles himself as Meeowman, the co-founder of Meeow Online Networking. Meeow is the biggest thing to hit the business connections world since Linkedin.
Show notes:
Building A Storybrand by Donald Miller
Where to find Simon:
The Meeow website
The Brandboy website
Where to find Tony:
Find your focus with Creative Business Coaching
Stand out with Branding
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Why Branding Is Like An Iceberg—An Interview With Clare Froggatt
This week on BEB:
Branding expert Clare Froggatt joins me to explain why branding is like an iceberg. Here were my five favourite talking points:
- Why Branding is like an iceberg > (0:24)
- Content is king and consistency is queen. > (18:20)
- Why Lego? > (19:55)
- Some businesses don't need branding. > (23:28)
- Is success tied to self-development? > (27:49)
Clare's background (in her own words):
'I'm Clare a branding expert, I love everything about it from planning the strategy to creating the perfect identity! No meeting should start without a good brew, so that's why I named my business Make a brew :) When not building brands I'm out walking my 6 year old Springer Spaniel or mucking about with LEGO ( I use this in my work too).'
Show notes:
Start With Why by Simon Sinek
Scramble by Marty Neumeier
Building A StoryBrand by Donald Miller
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
The Seven Habits Of Highly Effective People by Stephen R. Covey
Where to find us:
Clare's Links
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Building Emotional Connections—A Chat With Christina Testana
This week on BEB:
Graphic Designer and illustrator Christina Testana joins me to talk about emotional connections. Here were my five favourite talking points:
- Branding is the recipe you need to make an emotional dish. > (2:59)
- Christina's biggest brand discovery this year. > (8:13)
- Why you want your audience to relate to you. > (15:19)
- Why you should try talking to your past self. > (17:29)
- Specialising is like fishing. > (23:35)
And everything else in-between!
Christina's Background:
'I'm Christina Testana—Graphic Designer and Illustrator from Ontario, Canada. I have been working in the design industry for eight years. I am now looking to advance my career by niching down and building my own business.
My wish is to help female mental health professionals create authentic brands to empower healing and positivity, so they can attract the right clients without negative stigma.'
Show notes:
N/A
Where to find us:
Christina on Instagram
Christina on YouTube
Christina on LinkedIn
Christina's website
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Standing Out With Storybranding—An Interview With Nick Raeburn
This week on BBB:
Brand video professional and proud videonerd Nick Raeburn joins me to talk about storybranding. We had a brilliant chat, and these were my favourite five talking points:
- Reasons to be like Marmite.
- Building relationships before selling.
- Is it ok to shout about what you do?
- The best way to find out what your audience wants.
- Social media is an instantaneous feedback loop.
And everything else in-between!
Nick's Background:
Videonerd, father, husband. Lover of all things retro!
Show notes:
Building A StoryBrand by Donald Miller
The Hero's Journey by Joseph Campbell
Where to find us:
Nick on LinkedIn
Nick's website
Tony on Twitter
Tony on LinkedIn
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Transformative Brand Photography—An Interview With Doug Banks
This week on BBB:
Brand Photographer Doug Banks joins me to chat about brand-led photography. We have a great chat about:
- What Brand Photography is
- The benefits of Brand Photography
- How it brings about tranformative change
- What is brand? Doug's thoughts
- Is it worth small businesses investing in branding?
- The difficulty of selling without trust
- The brands of tradesmen
- A concept from The E-Myth Revisted by Michael E. Gerber
- The values of a businessperson
- Branding is the impressions you create
- Doug asks me to share some actionable branding advice
- An analogy from Buddist Principles
And lots more!
Doug's Background:
I'm a Branding Photographer who takes images of business owners and their business in a way that will connect better with their customers and clients which results in greater success.
The success often being measured in reference to the values instilled within the business owner and the business.
Show notes:
The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
Stephen Houraghan on YouTube
Where to find us:
Doug's LinkedIn profile
Doug's Instagram profile
Doug's website
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
The Apple Brand—A Chat With Craig Burgess
This week on BBB:
I take a leaf out of Craig's book and we go unplanned! I'm armed with a blinking cursor where my first question should be. Happily, we still manage to have an interesting chat loosely revolving about branding.
We cover:
- Apple's brand in the modern day
- The folly of Features
- How Apple pull you in
- Microsoft's new direction and research
- The inevitability of tech habits
- Local pubs and the lost art of conversation
- The importance of a personal brand
- Promoting yourself as a British person
- Personal brand = portable capital
- Accentuating your quirks
- Podcasting and reasons to keep at it
- The appeal of Seth Godin's marketing books
And lots more!
Show notes:
Jack Butcher on Twitter
Steve Jobs on Marketing
Microsoft's recent research
Fortnite's 1984 Ad
Steve Jobs talk: The iPhone
Matthew Kobach on Twitter
This Is Marketing book by Seth Godin
Where to find us:
Craig's Twitter
Craig's website
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Finding Your Brand Story—An Interview With Kate Tyson
This week on BBB:
The very friendly Kate Tyson from Snowball Communications joins me to chat about brand stories. We talk about:
- What a brand story isn't,
- Kate's thought's on buzzwords,
- The facts & psychology attached to stories,
- How to make your marketing more powerful,
- One of Kate's personal stories,
- How to discover your own stories,
And lots more!
Show notes:
Building A Storybrand—Donald Miller
Start With Why—Simon Sinek
Tribes—Seth Godin
Where to find us:
Kate's Facebook group
Kate's website
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Unearthing Brand Truths—An Interview With Heather Ditch
This week on BBB:
Native's impressively eloquent Heather Ditch joins me to talk about brand truths. We talk about:
- Beginning from a point of truth,
- The dangers of ignoring the truth,
- Addressing difficult truths,
- The value in being a smaller business,
- The promises we should make in advance of parties,
- How you can unearth your own truth,
- How to road-test the robustness of your own truth,
And lots more!
Show notes:
Michael Johnson—Branding In Five And A Half Steps
Where to find us:
Heather's Twitter
Heather's Sheffield Creative Guild profile
Tony's website
Learn about branding with The Brand Digest
Changing The Podcast
This week on BBB:
I share some big news (!) and talk about the new format we'll be using from here onwards.
Where to find me:
Tony's website
Escaping Commoditisation
This week on BBB:
Matt and I talk about commoditisation and why, as brand builders, we should aim to escape it.
Show notes:
No Logo book—free on the internet archive
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/
Visual Content, Business Roots & Personal Brands
This week on BBB:
Matt and I answer listener questions: We discuss the importance of visual content and businesses leaving their history behind. Lastly, we share a few tips to cultivate a stronger personal brand.
Show notes:
Colour Psychology
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/
Frankenbrands
This week on BBB:
Matt and I think out loud about Frankenbrands. What exactly is a Frankenbrand, and what do you need to know about it?
Show notes:
Tesco's branding wheel
Levi's & Lego
WIRED on the Lego House
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/
Marketing Vs Branding
This week on BBB:
Matt and I discuss marketing and branding. We share what we think each one represents, and chat about very specific definitions.
Show notes:
B&M Bargains
Waitrose
Habito
Brand Master Academy
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/
Why Do Brands Matter?
This week on BBB:
We're wondering out loud—why do brands matter? We share a couple of interesting stories to help us tackle this question.
Show notes:
Mary Poppins on Wikipedia
Luke Skywalker on Wikipedia
Tony's free Brand Solar System framework
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/
What Is A Brand?
This week on BBB:
Matt and I set the scene. We ask ourselves what a brand actually is...
Show notes:
Glassdoor.co.uk
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/
(The Outdated) Intros & Goals For The Podcast
This week on BBB:
In this first episode of Building Business Brands, we'd like to give you a little context. You'll learn about the backgrounds of Matt and I, and our goals for this podcast. We'll also set the scene by exploring branding and design a little...
Where to find us:
Tony's website: https://letsmarque.it/
Matt's website: https://apt.uk/