The Transparency Trend

The food and beverage industry has seen dramatic changes over the past few years. Due to the emergence of new research, product recalls, and growing health concerns nationwide, the days when consumers would purchase any product on the shelf without question are gone. Consumers are more empowered and informed than ever before, and as a result, they are demanding transparency from the companies from which they purchase products for their family. In fact, a majority of shoppers expect more information than what is found on a standard nutrition facts or ingredient panel, and often times, even on the company website. Consumers today are proactively seeking out information about the products they consume every single day.

Because of this, there is an increased pressure on companies to be transparent when it comes to the communication of facts, ingredients, brand story, origins, traceability and social or environmental impact of the product. There are a number of factors driving this change. Major contributing factors include an increased awareness of sustainability concerns, animal welfare, GMOs, pesticide use, health concerns, workers’ well being, and more.

So how can companies, both big and small, create more transparency behind their labels and products? Here are a few ways:

• Clear callouts

This may seem obvious, but having clear callouts, benefits, and claims on your packaging, website or collateral materials is critical to being transparent. Many companies tend to emphasize trendy buzzwords or “puffery”, industry jargon, and lengthy claims that often confuse and mislead the consumer. Whether you are making or purchasing products, take the time to sit down and really think about what you want to say and what is most important. Highlight the claims that are significant to your product, help differentiate you from the competition, resonate with your target consumers, and communicate authenticity. Having too many or confusing callouts will clutter your packaging and create distrust. Simple is better.

• Certifications

Certifications are an excellent way to build trust and be transparent instantly because they serve as proof or validation that what you say about your product is true. To acquire a certification, your product is tested and held to a national standard that is consistent across the category. Some widely recognizable certifications include USDA Organic, Non-GMO Project Verified, Kosher, Certified Vegan, Fair Trade Certified, Certified Gluten-Free, Certified Paleo and many more. Obtaining certifications is time consuming and costly, and the consumer recognizes this. Having these seals and icons on your packaging is a straightforward way to communicate what is in your product and your commitment to quality and health of your consumers.

• Website and social media

A company’s digital presence is crucial in fostering trust and showing transparency. Your website is likely the first place consumers will go to for more information and to learn about the brand. Invest in developing your website. You should have tabs detailing your ingredients, harvesting or production process, brand story, social or environmental responsibility, and a designated area for media inquiries. Consumers expect to see all of that information displayed in a clean, organized, and attractive layout. I’m not saying the site has to be expansive and expensive, but it needs to be clear and professional.

Social media also acts as a great customer service tool. More and more consumers today are turning to social media and social proof to give reviews, voice complaints, and ask for help or direction from brands. Companies need to be active, responsive and vocal on their platforms. If you respond to your consumers too slowly – or not at all – you will be viewed as distrusting and unengaged. Pay attention to what your customers are saying and interact with them to build a relationship. If you do not have the bandwidth to do this internally, look for trusted partners to help.

• Tours and videos

A final way to embrace a transparent business model is to give a tour of your office or facility. Consumers will be able to see firsthand what it is that you do, and how you operate from day to day. By providing an open window into your business, you are showing that there is nothing to hide. You can also give a tour on video for consumers in other areas around the country or world. This would make a great addition to your website, and is an affordable and effective way to breed trust and build a relationship with those who interact with your brand. Some companies even use media to illustrate their commitment to the traceability of ingredients down to the source. There are companies that will show you the cows in the fields eating grass on live feed. That’s cool!

What other ways could you showcase brand transparency and authenticity? What certifications, claims or practices do you look for in other companies? How do you feel about the transparency movement in food and beverage? Who is doing this well and acts as a great role model? Share your thoughts below!

As Nemo said, “Just Keep Blogging”

Have you ever heard the phrase, ”Content is King”? I heard it many years ago, but I now fully understand its meaning. It seems like these days, everyone you meet is talking about adding value through content. In fact, content marketing is now considered its own type of marketing specialty.

So why is content so important? You may find yourself repeatedly asking this question. Put simply, content marketing (as defined by Content Marketing Institute) is a marketing approach that focuses on “creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience – and ultimately to drive profitable customer action.” The purpose behind this approach is to provide valuable information and resources for potential customers to engage with your brand. “Give and you shall receive.” Producing consistent content breeds trust with your potential client base, and this trust transforms into loyalty over time. In other words, you’ve got to give a little away up front to attract new clients.

The term “content” can cover a wide range of things. Content can come in the form of social media sites, articles, memes, videos, forums – and my personal favorite – blogs. I understand that producing content may sound like a lot of work at first. However, the benefits to putting out content are huge.

Here are a few reasons why you should “just keep blogging”:

Keeps you in contact and “top-of-mind”

Blogging and creating content keeps you in contact with people in your network. It keeps you at the forefront and top of mind. It’s a great way to show your connections and potential clients what you are up to, what you are interested in, and what your take is on a particular subject. In our ever-evolving digital world, staying visible is crucial to growing your business.

Positions you as an expert

Writing articles, blogs, videos and other forms of content positions you as an expert in your field. By curating content, you are actively joining in the conversation and giving readers valuable knowledge and information. Once you start to do this consistently, people will look to you as a resource and thought leader on this subject matter. They may not agree with you all the time, but you will gain more influence and credibility over time by putting your thoughts, views and opinions out there.

Builds relationships

Much of the content creation process is social and involves other people. For instance, blogs usually have a comment section near the bottom and social share links that allow readers to share your post on their social networks. This fosters digital relationships with your followers. You can ask for their thoughts, feedback, and opinions on a topic, which paves the way for an actual conversation to take place. By producing content, you have the ability to connect with people all over the world, some of whom you would have never had the opportunity to connect with before.

Improves SEO

Creating content improves your SEO, or search engine optimization. Essentially, by putting out content on a regular basis, the chances of someone finding your website are much, much higher. Your rankings improve and you are more visible to more people. This is a huge benefit! If you aren’t currently putting out some form of content, then you are missing out on a huge window of opportunity.

Do you currently use any content marketing strategies? If so, how have you delivered content to grow your business and connect with others? How has blogging been beneficial to you? Share your experience in the comments below!

What’s in a Good Tagline?

Ah, taglines – you either love them or you hate them. Although they are short, they can cause a lot of grief. Coming up with a tagline can often be a lengthy process. You can choose to be humorous, serious, informative, or straightforward with your tagline. No matter which angle you chose, your tagline will set the tone and feeling for your brand. (No pressure!)

However, when it comes to creating a tagline, there are a few guiding principles to help you. Your approach to creating a tagline will vary from business to business, depending on what it is you do and who it is you serve.

Here are five guidelines to follow when crafting a tagline:

Be clear/functional

This is so important! Many people get caught up trying to make their tagline catchy or memorable that they ultimately lose sight of what it is they were trying to say. An unclear or vague tagline will only confuse your potential consumers and make them less likely to engage with your business. To avoid this, your tagline needs to be functional, direct, and appropriate for your industry.

Tell a story

What is your company story? Does it conjure up a certain emotion or feeling? Use your unique story as an integral part of your tagline. Having a story makes it easy for consumers to understand and relate to your brand. Communicating that feeling in your tagline, in an authentic way, makes for a great branding strategy.

Short & simple

When in doubt, keep it short and simple. Don’t overcomplicate your message with lengthy or intricate tagline statements. A potential customer should be able to read your logo and tagline and understand exactly what it is you do or provide. Most consumers won’t understand or enjoy a wordy tagline, or worse, they may not even bother to read it.

Experiment with different versions

So once you narrow down a concept or theme for your tagline, try scribbling out a few different versions. Change up the wording, test different formats or sentence structures, and see which version makes the most powerful impact. It also helps to get feedback from other people or employees to gather multiple opinions. Finally, try giving it a read out loud. You might be surprised (in either a good or bad way) by how sounds when spoken! These are all things you want to test and consider beforehand.

What is your why, or your “true” value?

Taglines can present an amazing opportunity to speak directly to your audience and share your true value, your motivation. Consider the Nike tagline, “Just do it.” They sell shoes that allow you to walk comfortably and play sports, yet their tagline is motivational – push your self, excel, be bold. That is the true value and message behind the brand. Apple does the same thing with their tagline, “Think Different”. Yes, this works for the big brands, but how do you apply this to every brand? Maybe you sell financial services, but what you are really selling is security. Or if you sell tomato sauce, you may be selling family recipes or creating traditions. Use your tagline to connect on a higher level with your audience, in a meaningful and authentic way.

Don’t write it and leave it – incorporate it!

Once you craft your final tagline, consider ways in which you can incorporate it into your existing logo design. If you want the tagline to be closely associated with your brand, then this is a good way to create that linkage. Taglines can usually be tucked into or around the logo in an aesthetically pleasing way. This way, your brand’s visual identity will support the language.

What are some of your favorite brand taglines? What stands out or is memorable to you? Do you have any other guidelines that you follow? I’d love to hear from you in the space below.

A Decade of Lessons Learned

This is a very special blog post for me. In light of a recent milestone, I wanted to share something personal with you. I am very proud to announce that this week my company, Strategia Design, celebrated 10 years in business. It is still both surprising and wonderful to think about how far my team and I have come.

When I started my business, my mother in-law gave me a book entitled, Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson (it’s a great book, by the way). The premise being that others can take you down a certain road and you may not even notice. As business owners, it is important to realize when your clients are driving innovation and change in your business and when you are headed down the wrong road. Awareness to your strengths and your weakness will help you keep track.

It has been such an exciting journey and I have learned so much, both personally and professionally, along the way. In this post, I’d like to share some of my best tips and advice that I’ve learned throughout the last 10 years of entrepreneurship.

1. Mistakes will happen

Believe me when I say no one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes from time to time and what makes them valuable is how you handle them and what you learn from them. Some of the greatest companies have made mistakes (we all remember New Coke). I too have made more than enough mistakes throughout my career, but I have faced them head on, owned them, dealt with the consequences, and taken away a valuable lesson learned. Resiliency is one of the greatest leadership qualities, so I urge you to own your mistakes and keep moving forward. Sometimes everyone is just moving too fast and we need to slow down, that is a hard lesson to learn.

2. Rely on mentors and supporters

No one can go at it alone. Someone once told me, “You can’t tickle yourself.” Sometimes you can’t see your own business objectively and you need others to help. Even the most seemingly independent person has a team of people they can rely on or trust. I have had several influential mentors in my life and I credit them with helping me grow into the professional I am today. Having a mentor, supporter or business partner/colleague to rely on will help you work through the challenges and stay accountable. If there is one grand take-away from this, it is don’t be afraid to invest in your development and take feedback constructively. Oh, and don’t forget to thank your mentors and supporters so they know how much you appreciate them.

3. Customer experience is everything

No matter what is happening in your office or life, never forget the customer experience. It is so important. Being prompt, showing respect, wearing a smile and giving great customer service will take you far. At the end of the day, if you don’t have happy clients or customers, then you likely won’t have a successful business. So take the extra time to make them feel valued and important – because they are.

4. Finished is better than perfect

We all get so wrapped up in trying to make everything “perfect” that it often backfires. Sometimes, finished is better than perfect. Now don’t get me wrong, accuracy is key, but perfection is most of the time subjective and self-inflicted. By waiting until something is “perfect,” you are actually delaying your progress and potentially missing out on opportunities. Work hard, put in effort, and deliver high quality work – don’t waste time striving for the impossible “perfect.”

5. Love what you do

I know this may sound cliché, but if you don’t love what you do, then you won’t be happy. It’s as simple as that. You need to discover your passion and run with it. Nothing is more motivational than that. Even in times of stress, I wake up every day and am happy and thankful to be doing what I do. Passion is what ultimately keeps you going day after day.

6. Change is inevitable

Strategia Design is not the same company it was 10 years ago, and our clients and the industry is certainly not the same. Change can be exciting, but it can also be unsettling. Knowing and accepting that change will happen can make it a little easier to navigate. Be open to change and embrace it whenever and however you can.

If you are an entrepreneur, what other tips would you add to this list? What advice resonates most with you? Please share your thoughts with me in the comments below – I’d love to hear from you.

The Modern-Day Survival Tool

I don’t know about you, but years ago, I carried a Swiss Army Knife in my bag all the time. It is truly one of the most multi-functional products out there, with several different tools stored compactly in one space. The Swiss Army Knife was the quintessential device for survival, whether you were outside, in a dangerous situation, or even just navigating daily life.

Today, I can’t even get on a plane with my Swiss Army Knife. But fortunately, there’s a new survival tool on the block. Last week while walking home from my daughter’s swim meet in the dark, I pulled out my phone’s handy dandy flashlight to guide me. I found myself wondering,

How did we survive without smartphones? 

Yes, smartphones. Although an iPhone can’t help you cut up food, provide a screwdriver, or file a nail (at least that I know of), it helps us with different types of survival. The two tools actually have more in common than you may initially think.

It’s 2015, and our idea of daily survival has slightly changed since the days of the Swiss Army Knife. Now, it’s more focused on navigating the workday, building our home and personal lives, and squeezing in enough time at the end of the day to relax and do what we love.

We thought it would be fun to point out a few of the key features of this modern-day survival tool:

Maps/GPS

This is a big one. How many times have you been driving or traveling and gotten lost, only to remember that you had GPS on your phone? I know that happens to me more often than I’d like to admit. When was the last time we pulled out a paper map or a Thomas Guide? Using the Maps feature always helps me find my way and gives me peace of mind.

Compass

There actually is a compass feature on the iPhone under “utilities.” I can’t say I’ve ever used it, but a compass would be a very handy tool to have in a time of need. This digital compass is a modern twist on the original, with calibration settings and digital reads of your orientation with every turn.

Applications

There is an app for everything, and I mean everything! We recently found a fake water-drinking and food-eating app! You can fake-nourish yourself when you’re in survival mode. It’s the thought that counts, right?

Flashlight

The built-in flashlight feature on the iPhone has saved me several times from falling down the stairs or stubbing my toe late at night. It’s easy to activate by swiping upward on the main screen. In my opinion, this is by far one of the more useful features on this list. Having a flashlight on command is helpful in an array of settings, and you don’t need to worry about replacing the batteries.

WiFi Connectivity

If I’m lost or don’t know the answer to something, I just type it into Google. It’s as simple as that! I instantly have access to whatever information I need to get through the day. Although WiFi won’t help me literally cook or chop food, it helps with so many other steps in the process. I am never disconnected or separated from information I need, unless I really want to be.

Self-charging cases

Obviously, a smartphone will only help you if it is charged. This is one area where the Swiss Army Knife is certainly more durable. However, there are now self-charging cases for your iPhone or Android that recharge your battery while wearing it. This grab & go accessory will help you stay prepared when your battery enters the red zone.

The iPhone and the Swiss Army Knife are clearly different, but both very useful in their respective ways. I find it interesting how we, myself included, have become so dependent on our phones – for reasons other than making actual phone calls! Our phones help us be more productive and efficient, whether we are at work or in survival mode.

What do you think about the modern day survival tool? Do you think your smartphone improves your life? Let us know what you think!