CAPS TITLE CAPS TITLE CAPS TITLE Heading 3 SELECTING THE BEST BRAND management tool Managing a service-based company? Looking for a strategic brand management tool to help you overcome your marketing challenges, and grow sustainably? ​ continuous branding Craig proposes a five steps path to harnessing the power of ‘Continuous Branding’. Whatever stage you’re at, you’ll discover answers to your branding questions in Craig’s ‘Continuous Branding’ book. If you don’t, get in touch and ask away. We’re here to help. brandin g advice By doing some networking and researching, you’ve probably got a few ideas about branding and rebranding; but you haven’t settled on a clear way forward for your brand yet. Branding and rebranding can seem complex and uncertain. Among a million branding and marketing experts, who do you listen to and why? Will your rebrand pay off anyway? Your five steps BELOW To a fitter, stronger and more prosperous future. Read more 1. List your branding challenges Make a list of all the marketing and branding challenges you face. Read more 2. Understand your branding options Understand all your branding options. Ask yourself why you are rebranding, if you are. Read more 3. Find a branding solution Find the best branding solution to help you to grow consistently and sustainably. Read more 4. Ask branding questions Ask questions about our branding tool so you understand how it works, how others have used it, and what it achieves. Read more 5. Get branding! Branding Specialist Craig Thatcher will show you how to harness the power of Continuous Branding, and guide you to success.

TOP 10 TIPS for a successful branding project Here are our top ten tips to help prepare for a successful branding project. It doesn’t matter where you start your journey. Its where you go that’s important. Nobody seems to explain what the stages of branding are or how to prepare, because it demands so many different skill sets to complete successfully. It can also be confusing if you listen to some practitioners who like to make it appear more complicated. It isn’t. Discover some of the many marketing and business challenges that our brand tool can help you to overcome. Appoint a specialist Select the right branding consultant or agency partner because you’re going to need specialist expertise to guide you on your journey. Make sure they have the relevant skills and experience. Do they have a tried and tested creative process? Do you think they have the ability to challenge you, guide you and listen to you when needed? Are they able to work collaboratively with you? You’ll achieve a better, more robust result with this type of relationship because it will complement the skills and experience of the individuals you’ve enlisted internally. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make because the difference in the results you can expect from working with the best people - and the rest - could be the difference between success and failure. Write a clear brief Provide all the relevant background information to your market, competitors (including any research findings), the project objectives, an indication of budget, any constraints, the timeframe, the approval process and when a response is required. Set your target for success What are the deliverables? This should correspond with what you need the project to do for your organisation. How are you going to measure whether you’ve been successful? You can use numbers, or specific qualitative targets or goals. Share these with your agency so they’re clear about what the objectives are, and they’ll rise to the challenge with their proposed creative solution, giving you something solid to judge it against. Engage decision makers Engage all key people throughout the entire process. This is especially important when agreeing the positioning for your brand. If everyone is not in agreement with the new proposed position, you’ll never agree on the creative solution to achieve it. You’ll also need their support and a united front when you introduce your brand to others in your organisation. I appreciate that it isn’t possible to include everybody all of the time and you’ll have to decide when and how to involve them. Ensure all on board Make sure everyone is ‘on board’ at the right time in your timeframe. The people in your organisation can make or break your brand so this is an important point. You need to let them know precisely how to personify your brand and any other ways you expect them to help you. Fix date for launch Organise a launch event to celebrate and communicate your new or refreshed brand. Set a date and stick to it. The event doesn’t need to be large but do organise a venue that reflects your brand’s personality - and send out invitations. Having a date ‘set in stone’ helps focus minds on a point in time and reduces procrastination and indecision. Do what you say Do what you say you’re going to - when you say you’re going to do it. It can be difficult to get everyone on board, to get decisions and feedback on time and to gain consensus, especially with a large group of people. But it’s essential to keep the process on schedule as procrastination can seriously disrupt the whole process. Make sure you factor in reasonable time for discussion and debate as this will give you a chance to iron out any differences in the time available. Clear prompt feedback Be clear, prompt and honest with feedback to your agency partner. Everyone in the team needs to be clear on what they’re doing, when they need to do it and to provide prompt feedback within the agreed timeframe. Otherwise you’ll be at risk of going round in ever decreasing circles which burns up time and money very quickly. Be brave to be different The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth, but in my experience meek brands are never successful. You have to be brave to be different - to stand out and be noticed. When I say brave, I don’t mean reckless. If you work in a large organisation you may be thinking this is easier said than done. Well it is - but it shouldn’t stop you doing it. Too many organisations find it easier and safer to blend in with their competitors because they feel clients are all looking for the same sort of service provider. This is a flawed strategy because their clients will find it difficult to pick them out. Differentiation is what they need. Launching is not the end Keep your brand moving forward on a continuous basis after the launch. Remember the launch date is a significant milestone on your journey, not the end of the branding process. It’s tempting to launch, then sit back and congratulate yourself, but this is dangerous territory. Once you’ve introduced your brand to your own people and clients you need to develop and commit to a plan that keeps your brand in front of them on a continuous basis.

KEY POINTS FROM the CONTINUOUS BRANDING BOOK Here are the key points from each of the chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Ideal for service-based organisations ambitious to grow. Key points from the chapter Why branding is vital Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not – the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Key points from the chapter Find your tail wind Recognise the feeling of a ‘head wind’ slowing you down, because Continuous Branding is like a ‘tail wind’, making progress a lot easier. There is considerable evidence for design acting as a strategic motor for growth and innovation. Design is more than merely styling. Organisations can incorporate it into their own particular way of doing things. Awareness of the strategic importance of using design in both the private and public sectors across the European Union is growing through better design management. Servicing the wrong clients will drain your resources. Your brand only needs to be relevant to clients that are an ideal match. Don’t bother with the others, let your competitors struggle with them. Key points from the chapter Preparing for the future Explain why you do what you do, then develop and share your point of view to make it easier for clients to choose your brand. Having a point of view increases or creates demand for a service, and brands without one will always be followers not leaders. Create services that are useful, helpful and relevant to your ideal type of client to save them time and make their lives simpler. Agility, flexibility and informality are prized attributes for all service brands as the world speeds up around us. Re-think and re-organise the way your people work together and with third party agencies and suppliers to help you provide a better brand experience. A company’s size no longer matters as much as quality of service. There is a premium to be enjoyed by keeping things simple. Key points from the chapter Think of a brand as a person People relate to service brands like their other personal relationships, using all their senses to set their expectation before actually experiencing the service itself. People with the right attitude and approach will personify your brand. Give them authority and discretion to flex their appearance, behaviour and communication depending on the particular situation in hand. If you have more than one service brand within your portfolio, make sure that the skills, experience and personalities enable each of them to compete strongly in their respective markets, and not with each other. Proactively manage the relationship between your service brand or brands and the personal brands of the key people that work for them. Key points from the chapter Your service brand is great People don’t buy from companies, they buy from people. Actually, from experts they like - so don’t hide yours away. They are your only real point of difference, so make the most of them. Spend time talking to your people about your brand, what it means to clients and why you do the things the way you do. To personify your brand, make your people feel valued, important and cared for and you’ll bring out the best performance in them. To outshine your competitors, provide personalised experiences for your clients that they’ll find memorable and will want to share with others. Small shifts in behaviour can lead to bigger shifts in thinking and a dramatic effect on your clients’ experiences of your brand. Key points from the chapter A strategic tool for growth Successful organisations recognise that branding and design are essential components for growth and innovation regardless of their size. Service still tends to be under valued as a key differentiator by many organisations. My most successful clients share a common pattern in terms of their thinking, behaviour and communication that helps explain why the best of them grow consistently, whilst others do not. This is mirrored in successful world-class organisations. I wanted to develop an easy way to explain how service brands grow by linking an organisation’s strategy to its clients, its leader and its people as well as its suppliers - in a way that everyone can understand and support. My aim is to share this in a form that you can adapt for your own advantage, first by thinking differently and then looking at your specific circumstances from a new perspective. Then introduce changes that make a fundamental difference over the long term. Key points from the chapter Five principles of Continuous Branding Continuous Branding is made up of five principles and is for anyone running or marketing a service-based organisation and building their brand through their people. Use Continuous Branding strategically, by putting the principles at the heart of everything you do for greater brand performance and success with more consistent and sustainable growth. Motivating your people to personify your brand is both challenging and rewarding and Continuous Branding can help you with it. Key points from the chapter Building Rapport Guest Services Greg understands the power of Continuous Branding by linking it to his strategy and his people, and putting the five principles at the heart of everything he does. Principle 1: Greg thinks like a brand owner by continually building the value of Rapport through excellent service and growing the company at the same time. Clients want to appoint Rapport because they’re the best in the market and to experience their unique brand of hospitality. Principle 2: Greg leads from a powerful market position because he understands that his clients crave an intuitive service, one that anticipates needs, that saves time and makes their guests feel welcome and relaxed. This is conveyed through the Rapport website, driving home its market position and continually reinforcing it with ‘industry firsts’ like National Telephonists’ Day to celebrate the role of professional telephone operators. Principle 3: Greg and Rapport have an engaging point of view. With his five-star hotel experience, he has a crystal clear idea of how clients and their guests should be looked after. Although, his real gift is his ability to inspire his people to personify the Rapport brand by thinking and behaving like him. He is always telling stories about his wonderful Rapport Ambassadors and the annual Excellence Awards are recognition, celebration and reward for the most outstanding examples of service. Principle 4: Greg personalises the Rapport brand experience for clients and guests. This makes them feel important, valued and good about themselves. It comes from empowering his Rapport Ambassadors to take control of situations that are ‘out of the ordinary’ and trusting them to do the right thing. This personalisation is powerful and extremely difficult for competitors to replicate. Principle 5: Greg invests continuously to grow consistently. He knows that the minute he stops investing will be the minute Rapport stops growing. This is what drives him on to win new contracts and prestigious awards for service and excellence in workplace engagement whilst still growing the Rapport brand at more than 20% per annum. Key points from the chapter Your branding journey begins here Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not - the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

A dynamic flock of designers, digital marketing technologists, content creators and brand experience makers, headed by Craig Thatcher. Creating memorable connections with your audiences. Contact Craig Play our soundtrack Adapt to the ever-changing digital and marketing landscape. Impress your prospects and clients, wow your colleagues, drive deeper engagement and grow. Engage us to market, reposition or rebrand your business. Build a stronger and fitter company with greater value and a prosperous future. Achieve your ambition with our continuous branding, flexible digital marketing expertise, pin-sharp internal communications and stunning experience design. Our specialist marketing AREAS SUCCESSFUL ongoing BRANDING Ask us to create compelling marketing communications, with continuous branding based on a distinct market position. Give yourself an unfair marketing advantage. Ask us POWERFUL DIGITAL MARKETING Know what your audiences want and then show them how to get it. ​ Discover how to use great digital marketing. Discover how CLEAR INTERNAL COMMUNICATIONS Empower business colleagues and stakeholders to connect for in meaningful relationships. Learn why internal communications are so important. learn why DESIGN MEMORABLE EXPERIENCES To make you stand out and help you attract clients and top talent. ​ Uncover why amazing experience design drives enduring client and talent engagement. Uncover more Adding most value You may not want the overheads of a full time, in-house marketing team, but you will want the advantages of proven professionals on-call. We're a flock of marketing talent you can rely on when you need expert marketing and branding skills. Ask us how to outsource our marketing services. SOME OF OUR CLIENTS WHAT Susan SAYs "Craig is a natural problem solver, quick to identify what’s not working and always has a range of solutions" Susan Higgins Director of Communications at Edge Foundation Case study WHY THE NAME? Hatched by Craig Thatcher, the name StrawberryFinch comes from his lifelong interest in Charles Darwin. Craig draws a parallel between the survival of Darwin's fittest finches on the Galapagos Islands with the survival of modern-day companies adapting to challenging business ecosystems. An unusual name, it speaks of our drive for originality and distinctiveness. ​ Yes, it is also a real bird. Whythename? Our THREE most recent blog posts Tom Campbell talks about the secrets for a successful photoshoot to Craig Thatcher Nic Cornwall discusses the three stages of creating great films with Craig Thatcher Andrew Wicks talks about balancing website design and user experience with Craig Thatcher

FREE 45 MINS WEBINAR Coming soon Build your B2B Brand’s Future Outrun the seismic shifts in your markets by discovering the 20 key traits that successful companies all share. So they stay relevant and stay ahead to build their brands. Learn from them, apply valuable insights to your business to achieve the same. By Craig Thatcher of StrawberryFinch - which exists to help you build a stronger, fitter and more engaging brand with a prosperous future and greater value. Some of the companies interviewed for this research PERFECT IF YOU'RE pushed for time Especially for busy board directors or brand and marketing managers of companies who want to ride out the rollercoaster on our return to business as un-usual. Don't be left high & dry Because our world is changing fast and the pandemic is accelerating this. Companies like Amazon, Google and Apple are enabling us all to shift too. If we want to. We’ll all be left high and dry, if we don’t. Discover valuable new ideas. Your brand is your most valuable intangible asset, so we’re helping you to make the most of it with insights from successful business leaders. These are based on interviews with senior directors and owners of several outstanding companies in the hospitality, professional services, serviced offices, furniture design and healthcare sectors. KEY tRAITs REVEALED valuable insights for youR BUSINESS Learn from their collective experiences and what separates the very best companies from the rest. Then apply the most valuable traits and insights to your business . Reserve your place

CRAIG THATCHER An experienced branding specialist, creative director, copywriter, film producer, author and publisher. Become a better brand builder with my support. INSPIRING YOU To communicate in new and compelling ways, with greater confidence. ACHIEVing this With skills honed over more than thirty years and an entrepreneurial spirit. By probing, listening and gently challenging the way you currently think. Getting to the key issues quickly. Then identifying and simplifying what needs to be communicated to achieve your objectives. Power to transform Design has the power to transform your company, so I'll help you get better at using it. ​ Sharing my knowledge with you in a supportive and proactive way. ​ See the results. Contact Craig CB SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST If you need to adapt to a challenging business ecosystem, my book, workshops and 1-2-1 coaching will help you and your team. Or perhaps, you'd like me to share my knowledge and experience with you. Just let me know. Paperback & ebook This short book reveals the importance of branding and sets out to help you get a lot better at using it. Available in paperback, Kindle and ebook from Amazon and other e-retailers. From only £7.99 . Order now . ​ Download free sample chapter . Audiobook The Continuous Branding book is also available as an audiobook from Amazon and other e-retailers. From only 7.99. Listen to the free sample chapter. Workshops & talks Get the best results from the Continuous Branding management tool by understanding and then applying the five principles. Brought to life with real examples. It can be tailored to your company and the numbers attending. when not working I'll be running, walking or training my border collie in the local fields and woods near where I live.

HIGHLIGHTS and FAVOURITES Here are just a few of our personal favourites over recent years featuring clear communications. 2023 launch new venue Craig Thatcher managed the creative process for the design and build of a microsite for Kingfisher Wharf - a new venue for entertainment and education on the river Thames at Fulham. Writing the copy and proposing the navigation, he collaborated with a web designer and Search Engine Optimisation specialist to meet a demanding deadline for Riverstone, the founder and creator. 2023 be yourself Film Rapport wanted to show how they encourage their colleagues to be themselves at work and asked Craig Thatcher to produce a film to demonstrate this. So he worked with an award-winning film director, Nic Cornwall and commissioned a unique piece of music from Dom Jones for the soundtrack. Nic wrote the lyrics and the Rapport choir sang it. Read more . 2023 celebrating ten successful years Craig Thatcher attended the 10th anniversary celebratory dinner for the Edge Hotel School in June. He was invited because Craig led the original creative team that designed, developed the brand identity and first website for the Edge Hotel at Wivenhoe House, which still looks fresh a decade on. Read more . 2021 new competition for enTpreneurs We launched NEXTGEN, a new annual competition for entrepreneurs, as well as creating a new name and brand identity for WoodWhite Accountants, the company behind it. Read more about the competition. 2021 NEW IDENTITY WEBSITE AND COMMUNICATIONS Edge Foundation is an independent educational organisation with charitable status. We designed a new identity and more accessible website to reflect their new strategy and to help bring about the much needed change to the UK’s education system. Read more. 2020 NEW BRAND AND website Design of a new value proposition, a new brand identity, followed by the design, build and copywriting for the website of RISC Vision - an ambitious start-up risk intelligence platform that uses artificial intelligence. Read more . 2019 LAUNCHING A NEW AWARD Craig Thatcher led the creative team that designed the brand identity and website and provided social media support for the inaugural launch of the Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award. He was also a member of the judging panel, pictured with winner, Kitjia Lace of Rapport Guest Services. Read more about launching the award. 2019 BIG GAIN IN Market share As a result of improved digital marketing for a new range of air conditioners from Caice Acoustic Air Movement. Up from sixth position to third in one year. The new range was also a finalist in the RAC Cooling Awards. Read how we have helped Caice to achieve it. 2018 DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR FINALIST Craig Thatcher was a finalist in the IOD Director of the Year Awards (London & South), in the SME category. 2018 HIGHLY COMMENDED For the design and production of a one off publication for Informa plc a FTSE 100 client at the Institute of Internal Communications Awards for Excellence. 2018 Digital CONGRESS MADRID As a host on day two, Craig Thatcher introduced 14 expert speakers to delegates, each with a TED-style talk. In the afternoon he led a panel discussion on the topic of ‘Data and ROI’. Over 18,000 people attended during the three full days of this popular and successful digital congress. 2018 ADVISORY BOARD MEMBER Craig Thatcher was appointed a member of the advisory board of the Edge Hotel School. He has maintained a long association with the hotel school ever since it was established as well as with the charitable foundation behind it. 2016 In memory of stephen green Craig Thatcher launched a brand of coffee in memory of Stephen Green, the founder of Greenfisher. Called, Mornin’ Squire, because it was his favourite greeting. An award-winning importer and roaster created the special blend and £1 from every pack sold was donated to Action for A-T, his favourite charity. 2015 HIGHLY COMMENDED Craig Thatcher led the creative team that was 'highly commended' for the best strategic development of a new brand for Rapport Guest Services in the Transform Europe Awards. Read more about building Rapport. 2015 BRANDING BOOK PUBLISHED Craig Thatcher wrote and published a book called Continuous Branding. Available from Amazon in paperback, ebook and as an audiobook. Read more about the author or buy now . 2013 BBC RADIO 4 INTERVIEW Craig Thatcher was interviewed by Michael Rosen for Radio 4 Word of Mouth programme - on why instructions manuals are so hard to follow. To listen search 'instructions michael rosen word of mouth'. 2012 RE-BRANDING CITY CATERER Craig Thatcher led the creative team that re-branded Restaurant Associates, a division of Compass Group UK & Ireland. Following this, it was awarded Business & Industry Caterer of the Year at the Foodservice Catey Awards. The judges said that the re-branding made a significant contribution to winning the award. 2011 SALES SUCCESS FOR ZANUSSI Craig Thatcher devised a brand engagement and retail sales programme for Zanussi. Masterminding a very successful tie-up with celebrity chef Gino D’Acampo. Thousands attended the branded roadshows around the UK & Ireland, resulting in a significant gain in market share against a declining market. 2011 BUILDING RAPPORT from scratch Craig Thatcher led the creative team that named, positioned and designed the brand identity for this guest services company. Since then he has helped Rapport to become a market-leading, multi-award winning company in six countries around the world. Read more.

MAKE CONTACT To discover how to make your brand stronger & fitter. Craig Thatcher Branding Specialist & Creative Director +44(0)1628 232186 The Roost 57 Oaken Grove Maidenhead Berkshire SL6 6HN United Kingdom Submit Thanks for submitting!

Success Stories As an experienced digital marketing agency, here are some stories we hope you'll find useful. If you don't spot something exactly what you are looking for, don't worry, every client is unique. The chances are that we've helped somebody like you overcome similar challenges. Just get in contact. Discover how our digital creative team developed the new website for Rapport New marketing strategy and position for a Hospitality Management Platform Creating a diversity and inclusion film called 'Be Yourself' for Rapport Re-positioning a specialist people management consultancy for farmers Why animation is a great way to tell a complex story, simply and quickly The Edge Hotel School celebrates ten years and looks forward to the next New website and digital marketing for an acoustics consultancy Improving digital marketing and branding for the building products manufacturer - Caice Supporting the Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award Building the Rapport brand over 10 years Re-name, re-position and re-brand an Accountants practice New brand identity, website and communications for Edge Foundation Strategy & challenges of re-designing a website for a charity New responsive website design for a wonderful Berkshire charity New value proposition, brand identity and website design for a start-up risk intelligence platform How to create a new name, B2B brand identity & service offer

Clear internal communications will transform your business As a design agency in Maidenhead we help company owners and managers to create clear, internal communications for colleagues and stakeholders. Helping ambitious people like you to build your brand , engage your people and grow your business with highly motivating digital marketing and memorable experiences . There is little point spending money on external marketing campaigns if your colleagues are not on-board with you. If they’ve not bought-in to what you're trying to achieve they can easily contradicting your messaging by mistake. Or at worst, actively protesting about it on purpose. A brand is a promise of an experience yet to be enjoyed what's this mean for me and my job? That's what your colleagues will be thinking. So ask yourself the same questions they’ll ask. Think about how and where they consume information. ​ They’re can often be sceptical about what is being communicated, so you’ll have to work harder to win them over. Always tell your colleagues what is going on. N ever tell them one thing and external audiences another as this is the quickest way to lose their trust. ​ Don’t skimp on your communications with them as they won't believe what you say, regardless of how important it is to you. improve your internal communications and transform your business Contact Craig How to attract the best employees to start and stay with your company? Improving digital marketing and branding for the building products manufacturer - Caice Building the Rapport brand over 10 years Re-name, re-position and re-brand an Accountants practice Supporting the NEXTGENeration of entrepreneurs Clearly communicate your new value proposition How to increase company brand value using the 'Continuous Branding' tool New brand identity, website and communications for Edge Foundation Why is the Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award important? New responsive website design for a wonderful Berkshire charity How to create a new name, B2B brand identity & service offer How your company can compete at a higher level with Continuous Branding How we make B2B brands more engaging Turn your business plan into reality Internal communications posts

Create a distinct advantage for your company by using the power of experience design As a branding agency in Berkshire, we help company owners and managers to design memorable moments for their clients using experience design. brand promise, value & experience Experience design is a new way of integrating your company's promise with your clients’ experience and the ‘value’ they enjoy . ​ It also acts as a powerful form of branding because b usiness people and designers can easily collaborate using the experience design framework. why is Customer experience so important? Because we’ve all had poor experiences of buying from or working with others and it can be disappointing or even annoying, depending on how bad it was. It makes us feel like they don’t care about us. So why should we care about them? It can destroy hard-won loyalty and encourages us to quibble costs, flirt with competitors or never buy from them again. call back later, she snapped I left my previous private dentist practice, not because my dentist wasn’t any good, but because one day the receptionist told me coldly to phone back and make my appointment after her lunch break. I never did call back and found a new dentist closer to home. I am not the only one who switches because of poor service. “Design the service experience at the start, then reverse engineer the offering, the touchpoints, the service and even the organisation to be able to reliably produce the desired experience”. Source: This is Service Design Thinking - Stickdorn / Schneider engage and motivate Service is such an important way of differentiating your company, it is vital that you motivate your colleagues to deliver what you promise to your clients. ​ make clients feel special You can learn a lot from the way that hospitality businesses create unique guest experiences for their customers. Like most companies we talk to, there is probably little difference between your products and services from your competitors'. So making your clients feel special with memorable experiences gives you a distinct advantage because they will find it very difficult to copy. discover how to create memorable experiences Contact Craig Experience design posts Discover how our digital creative team developed the new website for Rapport How to attract the best employees to start and stay with your company? New website and digital marketing for an acoustics consultancy Improving digital marketing and branding for the building products manufacturer - Caice How Craig Thatcher created a short film to explain what StrawberryFinch does best Building the Rapport brand over 10 years Supporting the NEXTGENeration of entrepreneurs How to increase company brand value using the 'Continuous Branding' tool Why experience design can help you be a market leader Why is the Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award important? Helping hospitality professionals with video call support How to create a new name, B2B brand identity & service offer How your company can compete at a higher level with Continuous Branding How we make B2B brands more engaging Turn your business plan into reality

Discover how brand storytelling videos drive engagement and better business results intro In today’s fast-paced, visually-driven world, video is one of the most effective ways to communicate. ​ You can foster stronger connections and influence more people.​ ​ Here are the top reasons why you should use video, backed by independent stats with real-world examples from our client success stories. engaging engaging & motivating Video is ideal for compelling storytelling, capturing attention and evoking emotions, making it more memorable than text-based communication. ​ ​B ring your company to life for your audiences and engage people so they remember what you’re saying. ​ ​ ​STAT: 55% of people consume video content thoroughly - the highest rate across all types of content.​ ​ Source clear clear message delivery Video combines visual and auditory elements for clear and concise messaging, reducing the risk of miscommunication. ​ Studies show that people are more likely to engage with video content because of this combination of elements, which helps stimulate memory and retention. ​ ​ STAT: Your brain processes visuals 60,000 times faster than text, enhancing retention & comprehension when visuals are used with storytelling.​ Source deeper deeper & MORE meaningful Videos are highly engaging, and keep viewers' attention for longer periods. Giving you more time to connect on a personal level. A Rapport ambassador talks about her role, her workplace and herself. One of six videos in a series profiling interesting employees, all designed to encourage top talent to join the company. STAT: People watch an average 17 hours of video content per week. Source dramatically dramatically increase reach People are more likely to watch and share videos, so expanding your message’s reach across social media and other platforms. Our work on this Diversity & Inclusion video called 'Be Yourself', led to significant engagement and social sharing. ​ STAT: Social media videos generate 1,200% more shares than text and image content combined. Source show show authenTIc culture Video provides a powerful and more vivid way to showcase your company’s values, personality and authenticity, especially with behind-the-scenes, culture & team videos. It helps to build trust with external audiences, reinforces identity internally and makes your company more relatable by demonstrating shared values with your audience. This is very important as people are increasingly prioritising authenticity when choosing which brands to engage with.​ STAT: 60% of consumers are more likely to connect with & trust brands that communicate through video content. Source humanise humanise your company Videos allow companies to share authentic stories and introduce team members. Making you more relatable and approachable b y bringing real faces and voices to your organisation. This kind of storytelling enables prospective customers or employees to see the human side of your company, and building deeper engagement. As people connect with people in ways they don’t with logos and slogans. STAT: 87% of consumers say video quality impacts their trust in a brand. Source roi very good return on investment Using video will boost brand awareness and be it’ll be great for your business. As a marketing tool, it is very effective, with the vast majority of marketers reporting positive outcomes from their video marketing efforts.​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ STAT: 90% of marketers say video marketing has given them a good ROI. Source showcase showcase success stories V ideos can highlight case studies, employee testimonials, or ambassador programmes, adding credibility and authenticity to your company’s message. Or they can just be a discussion between you and your client about what they have achieved from working with you. Either way they build trust and illustrate real-world value. ​ Craig talks to multi-award winning film director, Nic Cornwall about how to make successful videos and their rewarding collaboration over more than a decade. STAT: 82% of marketers find video to be an effective tool for increasing understanding of their products or services. Source create create emotional impact Videos are uniquely suited to create stronger emotional connections with viewers. Which can be essential in motivating employees, attracting clients, or creating a deeper relationships with stakeholders. Text or static images alone cannot match the impact achieved. ​ ​ Watch how we stirred emotion in this video entitled, "How do you feel about the people you work with?" ​ STAT: 72% of customers prefer learning about a product or service through video, making it ideal for companies with diverse audiences. Source easy make it easy to get Why make if difficult? Visual storytelling can simplify complex ideas, making it easier to communicate detailed processes, products or initiatives. ​ Our animation showing how Acoustic Louvres are designed, manufactured and delivered to Caice's client sites on time is an excellent example. ​ STAT: 200%-300% boost in click-through rates when video is included in an email campaign. Source effective effective training & onboarding Internally, videos are effective tools for training, onboarding and knowledge sharing as they are easily digestible and can be revisited. Though not for public viewing, our work on a TUPE transfer video explaining the process for inducting new people has simplified onboarding, and made it far less stressful for everyone. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ STAT: Including a video on a landing page can increase conversions by 80%. Source pubquiz want to learn more? Whether you're launching a new product or service, talking about your culture, or sharing success stories, video offers a powerful and engaging way of achieving clarity and emotional impact. ​ Contact Craig posts about making videos Nic Cornwall discusses the three stages of creating great films with Craig Thatcher Creating a diversity and inclusion film called 'Be Yourself' for Rapport How Craig Thatcher created a short film to explain what StrawberryFinch does best

Using branding and design strategically will build long term value for your company When we talk to company owners or managers they'll clearly articulate what their offer is and what their aspirations are for the future. However there are often gaps between what they promise and what is actually experienced by their clients and colleagues. So first we listen and then explain where the gaps are and how to fill them in. You can build a successful brand using design and a distinctive market position. So you'll find it easier to turn your business plan into reality and deliver your offer. Adding value IN an engaging way experiential marketing that works For a sustainable future, all businesses want profitable, long-term relationships,. But how can you achieve this? ​ Give people memorable experiences they'll never forget that can't be easily copied elsewhere. A new brand identity will improve sales when combined with razor sharp digital marketing. Your sales teams and colleagues will be invigorated by a new sense of self and purpose. ​ inspirING people enables transformation add value to your company Contact Craig now branding posts How to attract the best employees to start and stay with your company? Paul Harris of REAL Success gives his B2B branding tips Paul Harris of REAL Success talks to Craig Thatcher about B2B rebranding Re-positioning a specialist people management consultancy for farmers The Edge Hotel School celebrates ten years and looks forward to the next Improving digital marketing and branding for the building products manufacturer - Caice How Craig Thatcher created a short film to explain what StrawberryFinch does best Supporting the Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award Building the Rapport brand over 10 years Re-name, re-position and re-brand an Accountants practice Supporting the NEXTGENeration of entrepreneurs ‘Continuous Branding’ available in ebook, audiobook and paperback Brand management tool for service-based companies Need help rebranding a company? Ready for company repositioning? Take advantage of our proven strategic brand management tool Service branding makes the intangible tangible Going for brand leadership

Digital marketing reaches all of us in very personal ways As a digital marketing agency in Maidenhead, we help company owners and managers to drive awareness and generate leads. Digital marketing uses the internet, mobile devices, social media and search engines to reach, engage and interact with individuals. It demands new ways of approaching and understanding how people behave compared to traditional marketing. Communications are two way, yet the power balance is in their favour, not yours. why digital marketing? Because people now spend most of their time on-line. Digital marketing provides enormous reach - on a global scale, if necessary. With highly accurate targeting as you learn what they're like from their digital footprints, the channels they prefer or platforms they visit. Lowering your acquisition cost as you waste less on those with little prospect of engaging with you, as well as increasing the speed of communication. easier to measure Return On Investment is easier to measure when compared to traditional forms of marketing. And, it's easier to amend your strategy if the results don’t match your expectations. Similarly, if things are going really well, you can throttle back on your marketing, if needed. Digital Strategy Digital Campaign Best Digital Channels Digital Tools & Assets Analytics & ROI your digital marketing strategy We'll help you define your ideal targets, calculate how many there are and the best way to reach them. Then work with you to define their experience at every touchpoint of their journey with you. developing your campaign Once you’re happy with the strategy we’ll agree clear objectives for your campaign. The greater the clarity the greater the chances of success. We'll also propose which key messages need to be communicated and the steps to be completed to achieve what you want. Digital marketing strategy Digital marketing campaign choosing your best channels These are the channels the people you want to reach use most frequently or where they spend their time, in alphabetical order; Content Marketing Email Marketi ng Influencer Marketing Pay Per Click Advertising Podcasts SMS Messaging Social Media Marketing Video Marketing Webchat Websites Discover more details on which channels are best . creating your digital tools and and assets We live in a fast-paced, multi-media world with lots of distractions and tiny attention spans. So you’ll need to talk in an engaging way that reflects your unique personality, using the best digital tools and assets that we've created for you. They include one or more of the following in alphabetical order; Animated Icons & Logos Audible Branding Animated Videos Digital, ebooks & Audiobooks Documentaries, Short Films & Stings Infographics Kinetic Typography Podcasts Soundtracks & Sound Effects Voiceover Artist Webinars ​ Discover more details on why you should use certain digital assets and tools . Choosing best digital channels Creat digital tools and assets Analytics & ROI maximum effectiveness How much you spend and the results you achieve will depend on what market sector you're in, how ambitious you are for growth and how long your campaign goes on. With digital marketing you can use all sorts of analytics tools measure the Key Performance Indicators that'll help you to manage better. improve Your digital marketing Contact Craig Digital Marketing posts Tom Campbell talks about the secrets for a successful photoshoot to Craig Thatcher Nic Cornwall discusses the three stages of creating great films with Craig Thatcher Andrew Wicks talks about balancing website design and user experience with Craig Thatcher Discover how our digital creative team developed the new website for Rapport Creating a diversity and inclusion film called 'Be Yourself' for Rapport Transform your market position with your own AI powered knowledge base Using Generative AI in creative workflows for telling stories from filming interviews Digital marketing advice for service businesses Paul Harris of REAL Success gives his B2B branding tips Paul Harris of REAL Success talks to Craig Thatcher about B2B rebranding Why animation is a great way to tell a complex story, simply and quickly New website and digital marketing for an acoustics consultancy Improving digital marketing and branding for the building products manufacturer - Caice How Craig Thatcher created a short film to explain what StrawberryFinch does best Supporting the Corporate Receptionist of the Year Award Building the Rapport brand over 10 years Launching the NEXTGEN competition by WoodWhite Accountants Searching for 2022 Corporate Receptionist of the Year

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Do what you say Do what you say you’re going to - when you say you’re going to do it. It can be difficult to get everyone on board, to get decisions and feedback on time and to gain consensus, especially with a large group of people. But it’s essential to keep the process on schedule as procrastination can seriously disrupt the whole process. Make sure you factor in reasonable time for discussion and debate as this will give you a chance to iron out any differences in the time available.

Key points from the chapter Your service brand is great People don’t buy from companies, they buy from people. Actually, from experts they like - so don’t hide yours away. They are your only real point of difference, so make the most of them. Spend time talking to your people about your brand, what it means to clients and why you do the things the way you do. To personify your brand, make your people feel valued, important and cared for and you’ll bring out the best performance in them. To outshine your competitors, provide personalised experiences for your clients that they’ll find memorable and will want to share with others. Small shifts in behaviour can lead to bigger shifts in thinking and a dramatic effect on your clients’ experiences of your brand. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Ambitious for growth? Fancy flying high? Need some help to rebrand your company? But not quite sure where to start? Help is at hand. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Key points from the chapter Why branding is vital Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not – the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Key points from the chapter Find your tail wind Recognise the feeling of a ‘head wind’ slowing you down, because Continuous Branding is like a ‘tail wind’, making progress a lot easier. There is considerable evidence for design acting as a strategic motor for growth and innovation. Design is more than merely styling. Organisations can incorporate it into their own particular way of doing things. Awareness of the strategic importance of using design in both the private and public sectors across the European Union is growing through better design management. Servicing the wrong clients will drain your resources. Your brand only needs to be relevant to clients that are an ideal match. Don’t bother with the others, let your competitors struggle with them. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Are you making significant changes to your business model? Have you developed a new value proposition and now you and your team need to pull together to communicate it clearly. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

< Back Pivoting out of the pandemic? Discover the best rebranding strategy that adds most value to your company. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Clear prompt feedback Be clear, prompt and honest with feedback to your agency partner. Everyone in the team needs to be clear on what they’re doing, when they need to do it and to provide prompt feedback within the agreed timeframe. Otherwise you’ll be at risk of going round in ever decreasing circles which burns up time and money very quickly.

< Back Markets changing fast? Competitors more aggressive? Ready to reposition your company? Use branding strategically and your ideal clients will find you. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Fix date for launch Organise a launch event to celebrate and communicate your new or refreshed brand. Set a date and stick to it. The event doesn’t need to be large but do organise a venue that reflects your brand’s personality - and send out invitations. Having a date ‘set in stone’ helps focus minds on a point in time and reduces procrastination and indecision.

Previous step Next step All steps 5. Get branding! 5. Get branding! You want to brand strategically. But you’ll need to know how before starting your own branding journey. Would you like to harness the power of Continuous Branding? Do you know what the key stages of the branding process are, and what happens in each of them? To get going, you’re going to need support from an expert Branding Specialist. Key stages in the Continuous Branding process: 1. Gain Insights 2. Strategy and Positioning your Brand 3. Developing your Brand Story and Point of View 4. Naming your Brand 5. Creating your Brand Identity and Experience 6. Marketing Communications 7. Engaging your People 8. Helping Everyone Find your Brand 9. Adopting Continuous Branding Would you like to know Branding Specialist Craig Thatcher’s top ten tips for undertaking a successful branding project? Please click on the link: https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/continuous-branding-top-tips-10 If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. Please read this chapter from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 9: Your Branding Journey Begins Here Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Set your target for success What are the deliverables? This should correspond with what you need the project to do for your organisation. How are you going to measure whether you’ve been successful? You can use numbers, or specific qualitative targets or goals. Share these with your agency so they’re clear about what the objectives are, and they’ll rise to the challenge with their proposed creative solution, giving you something solid to judge it against.

Previous step Next step All steps 2. Understand your branding options 2. Understand your branding options What’s holding your marketing or rebranding back? Do you understand all your options for improving your brand? What are your branding objectives - really? Can you really fix your branding issues? Do you really understand what’s possible? Are you open to finding the best way forward? Are some of your clients difficult to work with? Do they drain your resources? Perhaps you need to replace them with new clients that are a better fit for you. But how? Few brands can afford to lose clients. Do you want to lead your market or follow it? Is your business or brand growing more slowly than other brands in your market? Would you like to learn from other successful leaders how service branding can help you grow your company? Are you constantly, proactively improving the quality of your services? Is your service as good as it can be? Is your service consistent? Do you deliver on your brand promises? Do you know what makes your company great, and the best way to communicate this? Do you think you’ve tried every way to grow your brand? Did you re-brand a few years ago, but sales are starting to slow again, yet you still have big plans to grow your company? Maybe you need help repositioning. Many brands do. If you answered yes to one or more of these questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. Please read these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 3: Preparing for the Future Chapter 4: Think of a Brand as a Person Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

< Back Are you at a business cross roads now? Overcome all your signifiant challenges with this brand tool for service-based organisations and look forward to a prosperous future. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Key points from the chapter Think of a brand as a person People relate to service brands like their other personal relationships, using all their senses to set their expectation before actually experiencing the service itself. People with the right attitude and approach will personify your brand. Give them authority and discretion to flex their appearance, behaviour and communication depending on the particular situation in hand. If you have more than one service brand within your portfolio, make sure that the skills, experience and personalities enable each of them to compete strongly in their respective markets, and not with each other. Proactively manage the relationship between your service brand or brands and the personal brands of the key people that work for them. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Key points from the chapter Your branding journey begins here Service-based organisations have to overcome issues that manufacturers of products do not - the intangibility of their services, market differentiation, adding value to their offers rather than cutting costs and engaging people in new ways. There is a fundamental relationship between branding and design to be exploited by those that recognise the existence and relevance of it. Continuous Branding is a strategic tool to be used by service-based organisations to grow consistently, sustainably and to communicate clearly. Measure the impact of branding against your organisation’s key objectives and link it strategically to your brand’s performance. This encourages continuous innovation and renewal with more consistent growth. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Key points from the chapter A strategic tool for growth Successful organisations recognise that branding and design are essential components for growth and innovation regardless of their size. Service still tends to be under valued as a key differentiator by many organisations. My most successful clients share a common pattern in terms of their thinking, behaviour and communication that helps explain why the best of them grow consistently, whilst others do not. This is mirrored in successful world-class organisations. I wanted to develop an easy way to explain how service brands grow by linking an organisation’s strategy to its clients, its leader and its people as well as its suppliers - in a way that everyone can understand and support. My aim is to share this in a form that you can adapt for your own advantage, first by thinking differently and then looking at your specific circumstances from a new perspective. Then introduce changes that make a fundamental difference over the long term. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Want to increase the value of your company in the next five years? If you have or are changing business strategy then discover how you can make sure you make the most of it. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Launching is not the end Keep your brand moving forward on a continuous basis after the launch. Remember the launch date is a significant milestone on your journey, not the end of the branding process. It’s tempting to launch, then sit back and congratulate yourself, but this is dangerous territory. Once you’ve introduced your brand to your own people and clients you need to develop and commit to a plan that keeps your brand in front of them on a continuous basis.

Key points from the chapter Five principles of Continuous Branding Continuous Branding is made up of five principles and is for anyone running or marketing a service-based organisation and building their brand through their people. Use Continuous Branding strategically, by putting the principles at the heart of everything you do for greater brand performance and success with more consistent and sustainable growth. Motivating your people to personify your brand is both challenging and rewarding and Continuous Branding can help you with it. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Previous step Next step All steps 3. Find a branding solution 3. Find a branding solution Your company or brand is not growing as quickly as you would like it to. You know your company is great, but you don’t know how to motivate your team to build your brand. Find out exactly what sets your brand apart. You’re probably too close to your brand to see it objectively; but your existing clients won’t be: they can give you useful feedback on your brand, as can new clients, prospects, and people not connected with your business. If nothing or little, in truth, differentiates your brand from others, your marketing communications can: the way you speak to people determines the way they see you. Have you explored all other forms of marketing support or corporate branding advice? Have you shortlisted other ways to solve your marketing and/or branding problems? Deep down, are you still ambitious for your organisation? Do you need to manage and engage your people better? You know your service is really good, but how do you make it stand out? How do you move your company from follower to market leader? Finding it hard to grow, or want to improve your performance? You’re not alone! Do you have all the marketing skills and corporate branding experience in-house to move your brand forward? Or do you think you’ll need to collaborate with external experts too? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. My ‘Continuous Branding’ tool helps diverse organisation to grow consistently and sustainably. Please read these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 5: Your Service Brand is Great Chapter 6: A Strategic Tool for Growth Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Key points from the chapter Building Rapport Guest Services Greg understands the power of Continuous Branding by linking it to his strategy and his people, and putting the five principles at the heart of everything he does. Principle 1: Greg thinks like a brand owner by continually building the value of Rapport through excellent service and growing the company at the same time. Clients want to appoint Rapport because they’re the best in the market and to experience their unique brand of hospitality. Principle 2: Greg leads from a powerful market position because he understands that his clients crave an intuitive service, one that anticipates needs, that saves time and makes their guests feel welcome and relaxed. This is conveyed through the Rapport website, driving home its market position and continually reinforcing it with ‘industry firsts’ like National Telephonists’ Day to celebrate the role of professional telephone operators. Principle 3: Greg and Rapport have an engaging point of view. With his five-star hotel experience, he has a crystal clear idea of how clients and their guests should be looked after. Although, his real gift is his ability to inspire his people to personify the Rapport brand by thinking and behaving like him. He is always telling stories about his wonderful Rapport Ambassadors and the annual Excellence Awards are recognition, celebration and reward for the most outstanding examples of service. Principle 4: Greg personalises the Rapport brand experience for clients and guests. This makes them feel important, valued and good about themselves. It comes from empowering his Rapport Ambassadors to take control of situations that are ‘out of the ordinary’ and trusting them to do the right thing. This personalisation is powerful and extremely difficult for competitors to replicate. Principle 5: Greg invests continuously to grow consistently. He knows that the minute he stops investing will be the minute Rapport stops growing. This is what drives him on to win new contracts and prestigious awards for service and excellence in workplace engagement whilst still growing the Rapport brand at more than 20% per annum. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

< Back Are your client relationships too transactional and too fragile? Communicate the change in your client relationships to collaborative partnerships for greater reward. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Be brave to be different The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth, but in my experience meek brands are never successful. You have to be brave to be different - to stand out and be noticed. When I say brave, I don’t mean reckless. If you work in a large organisation you may be thinking this is easier said than done. Well it is - but it shouldn’t stop you doing it. Too many organisations find it easier and safer to blend in with their competitors because they feel clients are all looking for the same sort of service provider. This is a flawed strategy because their clients will find it difficult to pick them out. Differentiation is what they need.

Previous step Next step All steps 1. List your branding challenges 1. List your branding challenges When branding and marketing, what’s holding you back? Is your service-based company or brand not growing as fast or as sustainably as you would like? Are you finding if tough to recruit and retain key people? Do you feel that you have a great company but struggling to motivate your people to build your brand? Are you finding it difficult to engage your clients, customers and your people? Do your colleagues understand what your brand means to them and the value it gives your clients? Does your company really stand out in your market? Are you considering rebranding your company and worried about the time and costs involved? Are competitors stealing market share or growing faster than your company? Are there more and more new ones entering your market? Are your margins under increasing pressure? Do you feel like your company or brand is sailing into a head wind? Are you fed-up with rebranding every few years? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions then you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients to overcome exactly the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them with rebranding their organisations. I can help you, too. Think of it like like having your own tail wind. Read the key points from these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 1: Why Branding is Vital Chapter 2: Find your Tail Wind Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Engage decision makers Engage all key people throughout the entire process. This is especially important when agreeing the positioning for your brand. If everyone is not in agreement with the new proposed position, you’ll never agree on the creative solution to achieve it. You’ll also need their support and a united front when you introduce your brand to others in your organisation. I appreciate that it isn’t possible to include everybody all of the time and you’ll have to decide when and how to involve them.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Write a clear brief Provide all the relevant background information to your market, competitors (including any research findings), the project objectives, an indication of budget, any constraints, the timeframe, the approval process and when a response is required.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Appoint a specialist Select the right branding consultant or agency partner because you’re going to need specialist expertise to guide you on your journey. Make sure they have the relevant skills and experience. Do they have a tried and tested creative process? Do you think they have the ability to challenge you, guide you and listen to you when needed? Are they able to work collaboratively with you? You’ll achieve a better, more robust result with this type of relationship because it will complement the skills and experience of the individuals you’ve enlisted internally. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make because the difference in the results you can expect from working with the best people - and the rest - could be the difference between success and failure.

< Back Struggling how to market and brand your new services? If you have developed new services to exploit new opportunities then service branding makes the intangible tangible. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

Key points from the chapter Preparing for the future Explain why you do what you do, then develop and share your point of view to make it easier for clients to choose your brand. Having a point of view increases or creates demand for a service, and brands without one will always be followers not leaders. Create services that are useful, helpful and relevant to your ideal type of client to save them time and make their lives simpler. Agility, flexibility and informality are prized attributes for all service brands as the world speeds up around us. Re-think and re-organise the way your people work together and with third party agencies and suppliers to help you provide a better brand experience. A company’s size no longer matters as much as quality of service. There is a premium to be enjoyed by keeping things simple. Previous chapter Next chapter All chapters Branding tool Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

Previous step Next step All steps 4. Ask branding questions 4. Ask branding questions The Continuous Branding tool could work for you. But you need to know how well it applies to your specific branding and marketing circumstances before deciding to use it or not, right? You need to know if it has worked as a branding tool for anybody else, and what was achieved, in what time frame. Finding it hard to grow your brand? Want to improve your brand’s performance? Put the five principles of the Continuous Branding at the heart of everything you do for a fitter, stronger and more prosperous future. 1. Think like a Brand Owner 2. Lead your Market from a Powerful Position 3. Have a Point of View and Tell Stories 4. Personalise your brand experience 5. Invest continuously to grow consistently The Continuous Branding tool is for ambitious leaders of service-based organisations who want to grow consistently and sustainably, and who are looking for a successful, strategic solution. It isn’t a quick fix. It’s a long-term marketing and branding solution. You can expect great results from the Continuous Branding tool if you follow all the principles all the time. Not some of them some of the time. Rapport Guest Services grew by 20% per annum for nearly a decade. It evolved into a market leading, award winning company by using the Continuous Branding tool. Read the story of the company’s early years in chapter eight of the Continuous Branding book. CONTINUOUS BRANDING CASE STUDY https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/post/building-the-rapport-brand BRAND TOOL https://www.strawberryfinch.co.uk/brand-tool-overcome-challenges If you answered yes to one or more of the above questions - you're not alone. I’ve helped many clients overcome the same issues by using my #ContinuousBranding tool to help them rebrand their organisations. I can help you, too. Please read these chapters from the Continuous Branding book. Chapter 7: Five Principles of Continuous Branding Chapter 8: Case Study: Building Rapport Guest Services Get in touch if you are unclear or need to know more about StrawberryFinch marketing.

Previous tip Next tip See all Top 10 tips Ensure all on board Make sure everyone is ‘on board’ at the right time in your timeframe. The people in your organisation can make or break your brand so this is an important point. You need to let them know precisely how to personify your brand and any other ways you expect them to help you.

< Back Going for brand leadership? If you're ambitious for the future success of your company, aspire to be a market leader or regain lost leadership, then read more. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

< Back Need a brand tool that works? We have a simple brand management tool available in ebook, audiobook and paperback. With coaching and workshops for support. < Previous Next > Anchor 1

overcome YOUR MARKETING CHALLENGES WITH THE CONTINUOUS BRANDING TOOL A brand management solution for services-based organisations ambitious to grow consistently and sustainably. We designed the Continuous Branding tool to help you overcome your biggest branding and marketing challenges. proven with excellenT results Rapport Guest Services grew by 20% per annum for nearly a decade by using Continuous Branding. The business evolved into a market leading and award-winning company. Read the story of the early years in chapter eight of the Continuous Branding book. 20% some of the challenges we can help you smash Ambitious for growth? Fancy flying high? Need some help to rebrand your company? But not quite sure where to start? Help is at hand. Read more Are you at a business cross roads now? Overcome all your signifiant challenges with this brand tool for service-based organisations and look forward to a prosperous future. Read more Are you making significant changes to your business model? Have you developed a new value proposition and now you and your team need to pull together to communicate it clearly. Read more Are your client relationships too transactional and too fragile? Communicate the change in your client relationships to collaborative partnerships for greater reward. Read more Going for brand leadership? If you're ambitious for the future success of your company, aspire to be a market leader or regain lost leadership, then read more. Read more Markets changing fast? Competitors more aggressive? Ready to reposition your company? Use branding strategically and your ideal clients will find you. Read more Need a brand tool that works? We have a simple brand management tool available in ebook, audiobook and paperback. With coaching and workshops for support. Read more Pivoting out of the pandemic? Discover the best rebranding strategy that adds most value to your company. Read more Struggling how to market and brand your new services? If you have developed new services to exploit new opportunities then service branding makes the intangible tangible. Read more Want to increase the value of your company in the next five years? If you have or are changing business strategy then discover how you can make sure you make the most of it. Read more Thinking differently "Company size no longer matters. Only excellent service does." Craig Thatcher #ContinuousBranding Of companies that listed their brand values on their websites, each included ‘trust’, ‘honesty’, ‘integrity’ and ‘ethical’. It’s pointless to list these qualities because everyone does! In fact listing them can suspend disbelief and inspire scepticism. If you say you’re honest, you may not be, and if you’re not, you’re certainly not if you say you are. distinct brand values are critical why do some companies grow more than others? Because their leaders think like brand owners and build the companies and their brands consistently. Not in fits and starts. Companies that use design as an integral part of their strategy to solve customer problems reap the biggest rewards over those that use design as a process, or only for styling or don’t use design at all. Design Ladder developed by the Danish Design Centre, 2003 impressive return on investment Warwick Business School interviewed 48 leaders of world class companies and found the use of design was strongest with senior management support. It transforms the way organisations think and work and adds value to companies of any size. Eden Partners: Evaluating Designing Demand 2012 and Centrifuge: Evaluation of Public Services by Design 2010 RIGHT at the heart Put Continuous Branding at the heart of everything you do and you'll communicate your strategy to your clients, your people and your suppliers in an exciting and engaging way. A commonality I saw five key principles and branding practices that our best performing clients have in common with the most successful brands. The main difference between the best performing brands and the rest is that the best brands follow all five principles all the time - not some of them some of the time. follow all these principles, all of the time See what others say “I liked the book: a good and worthwhile read. It opened my eyes to the wider aspects of branding which I hadn't given consideration to before.” Jonathan Ross Recruitment Consultant and Solopreneur Order ebook, audiobook or paperback. From £7.95 inc VAT. Buy now

TOP 10 TIPS for a successful branding project Here are our top ten tips to help prepare for a successful branding project. It doesn’t matter where you start your journey. Its where you go that’s important. Nobody seems to explain what the stages of branding are or how to prepare, because it demands so many different skill sets to complete successfully. It can also be confusing if you listen to some practitioners who like to make it appear more complicated. It isn’t. Discover some of the many marketing and business challenges that our brand tool can help you to overcome. Appoint a specialist Select the right branding consultant or agency partner because you’re going to need specialist expertise to guide you on your journey. Make sure they have the relevant skills and experience. Do they have a tried and tested creative process? Do you think they have the ability to challenge you, guide you and listen to you when needed? Are they able to work collaboratively with you? You’ll achieve a better, more robust result with this type of relationship because it will complement the skills and experience of the individuals you’ve enlisted internally. This is one of the biggest decisions you’ll make because the difference in the results you can expect from working with the best people - and the rest - could be the difference between success and failure. Write a clear brief Provide all the relevant background information to your market, competitors (including any research findings), the project objectives, an indication of budget, any constraints, the timeframe, the approval process and when a response is required. Set your target for success What are the deliverables? This should correspond with what you need the project to do for your organisation. How are you going to measure whether you’ve been successful? You can use numbers, or specific qualitative targets or goals. Share these with your agency so they’re clear about what the objectives are, and they’ll rise to the challenge with their proposed creative solution, giving you something solid to judge it against. Engage decision makers Engage all key people throughout the entire process. This is especially important when agreeing the positioning for your brand. If everyone is not in agreement with the new proposed position, you’ll never agree on the creative solution to achieve it. You’ll also need their support and a united front when you introduce your brand to others in your organisation. I appreciate that it isn’t possible to include everybody all of the time and you’ll have to decide when and how to involve them. Ensure all on board Make sure everyone is ‘on board’ at the right time in your timeframe. The people in your organisation can make or break your brand so this is an important point. You need to let them know precisely how to personify your brand and any other ways you expect them to help you. Fix date for launch Organise a launch event to celebrate and communicate your new or refreshed brand. Set a date and stick to it. The event doesn’t need to be large but do organise a venue that reflects your brand’s personality - and send out invitations. Having a date ‘set in stone’ helps focus minds on a point in time and reduces procrastination and indecision. Do what you say Do what you say you’re going to - when you say you’re going to do it. It can be difficult to get everyone on board, to get decisions and feedback on time and to gain consensus, especially with a large group of people. But it’s essential to keep the process on schedule as procrastination can seriously disrupt the whole process. Make sure you factor in reasonable time for discussion and debate as this will give you a chance to iron out any differences in the time available. Clear prompt feedback Be clear, prompt and honest with feedback to your agency partner. Everyone in the team needs to be clear on what they’re doing, when they need to do it and to provide prompt feedback within the agreed timeframe. Otherwise you’ll be at risk of going round in ever decreasing circles which burns up time and money very quickly. Be brave to be different The Bible says that the meek shall inherit the earth, but in my experience meek brands are never successful. You have to be brave to be different - to stand out and be noticed. When I say brave, I don’t mean reckless. If you work in a large organisation you may be thinking this is easier said than done. Well it is - but it shouldn’t stop you doing it. Too many organisations find it easier and safer to blend in with their competitors because they feel clients are all looking for the same sort of service provider. This is a flawed strategy because their clients will find it difficult to pick them out. Differentiation is what they need. Launching is not the end Keep your brand moving forward on a continuous basis after the launch. Remember the launch date is a significant milestone on your journey, not the end of the branding process. It’s tempting to launch, then sit back and congratulate yourself, but this is dangerous territory. Once you’ve introduced your brand to your own people and clients you need to develop and commit to a plan that keeps your brand in front of them on a continuous basis.