Establish a trustworthy brand across digital platforms.
Creating a strong brand identity will not only build your audience but will turn them into loyal customers. Continue reading to find out how Sharron used digital communications strategies and impactful content to turn a small cafe into a successful multi-unit retail food business.
My sister Brenda and I have had many adventures across the globe. One of our biggest feats was opening our cafe in Helsinki, Finland in 2011. As we packed up our things in Brooklyn and headed into unchartered territory, we were too excited to consider the decade-long journey that lie ahead of us. We had romanticized the idea of owning a cafe since we were kids. Our plans were solid: play Billie Holiday (or any song off the Amelie soundtrack), make the best Italian espresso drinks, serve our favorite American foods and desserts, and create a space where people could daydream. Brooklyn Cafe was born. Sounds easy enough, right?
Photo: Brenda and Sharron Todd was featured in Anna Magazine, one of the many Finnish publications that chronicled their success over the years.
As business owners, you quickly find out that no matter how small (or dreamy) your idea is, there is no escaping the need for implemented industry best practices and strategies to keep your operations successful. If you have unlimited funds or secure investments, then you can hire experts to do the “dirty work.” But if you’re like us, you too invested your minuscule life savings and small loans from friends. You are charged with becoming an expert in many key areas and one of them is Brand Building. As the Marketing Communications head for our companies, Brooklyn Cafe and Brooklyn Baking Co., I developed strategies with three key factors in mind: Be Authentic. Be Creative. Be Analytical.
How to build a brand people care about.
Be Authentic.
Brand integrity is everything. Just like your personal life, how people perceive you or your ideas will determine the level of support you’ll receive from them. Brand perception (both for-profit and non-profit alike) derives from a company’s ability to build trust. Though numerous key factors contribute to building brand integrity, how you continuously tell your brand’s story is paramount.
When developing and implementing Brooklyn’s communications strategies over ten years, I kept our Brand Promise in mind: To deliver excellent products, through people-centered experiences at approachable prices. This promise was reflected in our digital marketing campaigns, website, in-store promotional posters, press releases, and written employee guidelines.
By remaining authentic both in practice and through our communications, I was able to write and produce material that not only retained loyal customers (and staff) but attracted new customers through our reputation and brand consistency across digital platforms.
Be Creative.
The roadmap from ideation to execution must be clear but also creative.
As writers, avid readers, and cinephiles, creativity was our favorite tool to use when growing our company. Each Brooklyn Cafe location (and our bakery) was designed from the best parts of our collective imagination. My sister led Product Development and Visual Merchandising, while I created and wrote stories (through content strategy and digital communications) that connected us to our targeted audiences.
Our Mission Statement included building a meaningful experience that would be remembered for a lifetime. Though we originally planned to accomplish this through a single cafe location, our imagination knew no bounds.
We sold millions of cupcakes, hundreds of thousands of bagel sandwiches and custom-made cakes, developed a private label coffee and served countless customers over ten years. Our company saw a 320% revenue growth by the seventh year.
Be Analytical.
Developing an incredible idea or product is only half the battle in any organization. Research and analytics are key components in understanding not only your target audience but finding out if the work you’re doing is effective.
In an ever-changing digital world, relying on Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Social Media and Email Marketing best practices will keep your company competitive for the long run. Fortunately, many platforms offer free built-in analytic reports to include Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and of course, Google. If you’re looking for more in-depth reports, paid services are also offered.
To ensure that our communications efforts were impactful, I relied heavily on Social Media and Google analytics. I managed our Own, Earned, and Paid media- creating content in a manner that produced measurable results.