How to Increase Conversion Rates with Buyer Personas

April 18, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

It’s impossible to position your product or service to meet customers’ needs without knowing who they are. Intelligent marketers and business strategists know the key to high conversion — regardless of the type of media — is a set of clearly-defined customer (or buyer/marketing) personas. Do you have an accurate idea of your ideal customer? Do you deeply understand their pain points, aspirations, daily routines, and definitions of success? Does this information drive every facet of your marketing, sales, product, and service strategies?

A Step-by-Step Guide to Brand Development

April 05, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

This is part three of a three-part series discussing the composition, importance, intent, and process of branding.

As the embodiment of almost everything your organization is and does, your brand is a vital part of your identity. As mentioned in the first part of this series, a brand is more than just a logo. It differentiates you from your competition. It influences your customer, and it provides a level of trust and relevance. If the process of brand development seems complex and challenging, that’s because it is. (Luckily, there are professionals available to help you.)

I Second That Emotion(al Intelligence)

April 02, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

The CIO tells a female colleague she needs to sit in the back of the room — as a joke. The VP of Procurement tells a subordinate he wouldn’t need a new office chair every two years if he’d lose 75 pounds. The CEO demands that a department do his bidding if they want to receive a sustainable budgetary allocation for the year. The VP of Sales regularly yells and cusses at his team for missing performance goals. The CMO is infamous for gossiping about subordinates and feigning ignorance when confronted. Aside from being unprofessional, ill-behaved, and quite shady, what do all of these individuals have in common?

Why is Brand Strategy So Important?

March 29, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

This is part two of a three-part series discussing the composition, importance, intent, and process of branding.

When people talk about a brand, they are typically referencing the visual elements — the logo, the colors, the typefaces, and/or specific marketing materials. As we discussed in the first part of this three-part series, a brand is a promise you make to your customers. It’s comprised of who you are, who you aspire to be, and who people perceive you to be. In essence, your brand is your reputation, and it is what urges customers to choose your company over the competition when the product offering is identical.

Are You Working in a Psychologically Healthy Environment?

March 26, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

In today’s post-recession, skeleton-crew workplace, the pressure to perform continues to mount. Increased production demands, infoxication, and an ever-widening gap between work and home life has taken a toll on the modern employee’s well-being and job satisfaction. According to the American Psychological Association, two-thirds of both men and women cite work as a major source of stress, and one in four has called in sick as a result of work-induced anxiety. So, how do you know if you’re working in a psychologically healthy environment?

What is a Brand, Anyway?

March 22, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

This is part one of a three-part series discussing the composition, importance, intent, and process of branding.

In definition, a brand is a name, symbol, or design that identifies and differentiates a product, service, or organization from its competition. The act of branding is defined as the marketing strategies and practices employed to define, differentiate, and express your unique value proposition. Removing the marketing jargon, a brand is a promise you make to your customers. It’s comprised of who you are, who you aspire to be, and who people perceive you to be. In essence, your brand is your reputation.

Show Me the Money (and Other Ways to Reinforce Team Performance)

March 19, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

The benefits of positive reinforcement in the workplace are innumerable. Reward systems can incentivize and encourage higher levels of productivity, attendance, morale, and retention. They can signal to a team that the work they are doing is important and valuable. Moreover, when positive recognition is aligned with organizational objectives, it can increase profits and reinforce the motivational benefits of challenging direction and well-designed teamwork.

4 Things Stephen Hawking Taught Us (That Have Nothing to do with Physics)

March 15, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

Physicist, cosmologist, and black hole enthusiast, Stephen Hawking possessed the kind of brilliance and determination that most of us can only stand in awe of. Despite a diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease that doctors said would kill him in his twenties, the British scientist went on to live an extraordinary life filled with discovery, passion, and strength of character. Here are four important lessons Hawking taught us during his 76 years on earth.

5 Signs of Bad Leadership (And What to Do About It)

March 12, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

What’s the one factor that affects how engaged and committed you are to your work? According to a whole bunch (very scientific term) of research, it’s your direct supervisor. Simply put, the better the leader, the happier and more engaged the workforce. From an organizational standpoint, effective leaders positively impact productivity, reduce turnover, and improve morale. Yet, despite the obvious benefits, many companies are riddled with bad bosses.

Creating Conditions for Team Success When Conditions Aren’t Optimal

March 08, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

Good leaders inspire confidence in themselves and their abilities. Great leaders inspire confidence in the team and their collective contributions. Great leaders also inspire enthusiasm among the team members to exceed their normal performance level in order to reach a common goal.In order to create an optimal environment for success, leaders must be able to do all of these things and more.

The Benefits of Agile Marketing

March 05, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

Most of us have heard of agile software development and the benefits of implementing it — adaptive planning, evolutionary development, early delivery, continuous improvement, and flexibility. But did you know you can incorporate those processes into your marketing efforts and reap the same benefits?

How to Choose an Effective Color Scheme

March 01, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

For designers, trying to choose an effective color scheme can be a daunting task. The stakes are often high. It’s a long-term commitment, and you want to get it right. You want your name and message to be noticed and, more importantly, you want it to be understood. So with all of the color options and combinations available, how do you choose a palette that works for you?

How to Create a Shared Vision in Your Organization

February 25, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

Van Gogh once said, “I dream my painting and I paint my dream.” In many ways, this is how every vision starts — with a dream put into action. uccessful envisioning requires boldness. Leaders must question, anticipate, imagine, take risks, and ultimately, change; they must dream big where others see obstacles.Does your organization have a vision statement? If so, is it frequently communicated to all levels of stakeholders? What actions can you personally commit to in order to better represent the shared vision of the organization?

Is It Possible to Truly Live a Stress-Free Life?

February 22, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

Is it possible to truly live a stress-free life? The short answer is no. However, it is a bit more labyrinthine than that. While the saber-tooth tiger is no longer a threat, stress still motivates us to act, albeit in a much different way. Things like work, finances, and relationships have the power to activate those same effects in a way that ultimately creates a false alarm in the human body.

W is for Welcome.

February 22, 2018 by Whitney Blackburn

Hello, I'm Whitney. Welcome to Brand Knew—a space to share my thoughts on branding, design, content marketing, and organizational leadership and development. I'm sure you're thinking that's a somewhat strange combination of topics, and it is. I'll tell you a bit about myself, and maybe it will make some sense (or maybe not).