Business Advice

There are so many things that come to mind when we talk about the year-end. We think about special occasions, the things we planned to do at the start of the year that we’re still not able to do until now, and the items at home that you planned on buying but are still on your to-buy list.

I don’t know if your to-buy list includes the essential kitchen fixtures that you need to replace annually but I’m sure that you’re on the verge of a plumbing disaster if these fixtures get broken.

In this post, we’re going to talk about some of the essential kitchen fixtures that you should inspect or replace every year to avoid some burdensome plumbing emergencies that they can cause.

Here they are:

Kitchen lights

Most people usually take a dimming kitchen light for granted. We think that as long as it’s working, there’s nothing to worry about. However, it’s best to store a couple or more of replacement lights at home every time. Don’t wait for your light to flicker or to totally go out before buying a new one.

P-trap under your sink

You may have noticed a series of pipes under your sink that connects the drain to the plumbing pipes outside of your home. That’s the p-trap. It plays a major role in kitchen plumbing because it traps the junk and the grease that gets drained from the sink so they won’t cause clogging deep within your home plumbing system.

You need to get this plumbing part inspected at least annually to make sure that its parts work well and that it can still perform its task. Plumbers usually remove the p-trap to clean it and replace parts that are already worn out.

Kitchen faucet

Our good old kitchen faucet works hard every day to provide water for our daily activities. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that you’re supposed to inspect it for any signs of damage. Some of the leading faucet problems are squeaky handles, aged washer rubbers, and damaged spout.

The life span of faucets usually exceeds a year, but that depends on how many people use it and how it is used. That’s why before every year ends, you’ll have to inspect your kitchen faucet if it’s still in good condition or if it needs replacement.

Rubbish chute

We often take this kitchen essential for granted because it’s not a fancy part of our home. After all, rubbish chute is technically something that we share with the whole building. However, rubbish chutes are prone to several problems that will bring hassle to your household if you don’t prevent them.

There’s a need to inspect and repair your rubbish chute when major parts like the latches, pistons, and the frame gets damaged. The unbearable smell coming from the rubbish chute is another problem that you don’t want to encounter. Be responsible with your use of this home essential. Don’t let leaks, spills, and crumbs of dirt accumulate on the frame or the tube inside your rubbish chute. Be careful in disposing possible flammable wastes too like perfumes, gas, and acid-based substances.

With all the dangerous possibilities surrounding the rubbish chute, you really to have it inspected at least once a year.

Exhaust fans

When the kitchen gets humid because of all your cooking activities, poor indoor air quality is bound to pollute your home. That’s why exhaust fan is a kitchen essential that you shouldn’t lose.

However, we understand that this kitchen equipment is hard to monitor. Usually, there’s no sign that your exhaust fan is on the brink of failing. So before it happens, make an annual inspection for any possible issues. It’s always best to hire a pro to inspect your exhaust fan to make sure that problems can get detected before they worsen.

Catalogue marketing is a form of retailing where consumers can select products from catalogues in the store, order it through the mail or an order form. Although online marketing has increased, brands are still using traditional methods like catalogue design to improve the buyer’s journey and make retail catalogues relevant in the digital age.

Here is a step by step guide on how to improve the relevance of your catalogue and reach the target audience you want.

• Build trust in your readers

A good catalogue and pamphlet printing not only help build a better brand identity but increases the likelihood of customers purchasing the product. Strong brands design their catalogues in a way that not only builds trust among their readers but their customers are able to tell their catalogue design apart from the rest. A good example of this was the Danish electronics retailer, Power. The name Power was identified early and chosen in order to get their customers attention to what they do.

• Make your pamphlet printing shoppable

According to research done by Lookcast, around 33% of online retailers stated that their customers digital shopping experience was a top priority. Brands realised that most millennials preferred shopping products with a high visual content and they came up with different ways to make their Instagram-worthy catalogue shoppable to younger audiences. The more you show of your brand the better chance is there of consumers building trust with you and turning your catalogue into revenue.

• Use your designs online as well

In this day and age consumers will look at every touchpoint before deciding to buy your product, which means that your product needs to be uploaded to your website as a PDF as well as through other traditional forms of marketing. Start by identifying your social platforms which are relevant to your brand like your social media, blogs, advertisements and upload your catalogue as well as other high-quality images on this. Archi Products uploads its new architecture designs 2020 on its website as well as snippets on its social media pages, this helps them reach audience online as well as offline.

• Stay relevant with SEO

SEO is an important part of staying relevant as a brand. Backlinko gives you the entire SEO checklist for 2020 than any business needs to get their search rankings up. Google favours any information that is helpful and relevant, which means you could use a blog, article, app, a video, a product, and a service page to attract and inform customers. Unlike other forms of content, your catalogue will sit under your brand domain which makes it easier for Google to add it to your overall domain authority. If you have fulfilled all the SEO requirements then you’ll be adding to your Google rank too.

• Catalogue distribution

Target the area where your ideal audience lives and share your catalogue through social media marketing. From there, you can pick your audience and boost the post to reach specific buyers who you are targeting. This works well as it allows customers who are interested to subscribe to you and they are far more likely to buy your products compared to others.

In conclusion

Every brand out there faces competition and it is up to you to stay relevant in a digital landscape. Consumer shopping interests are constantly changing and by ensuring that you use the right catalogue design, you will increase the chances of reaching out to them both online and offline. Your catalogue helps extend the reach and relevance of your offering. Always remember to keep your design simple and eye-catching to make the buying experience easier for the customer.

When a customer puts your product in their shopping cart, they’re doing so for a few reasons. They like your packaging, they respect the quality of your food, and most important, they trust your brand. They trust that they’ll get the same delicious taste every time they buy, and they trust that your brand story, which reeled them in as a customer, is true. However, if it comes to light that your origin story isn’t grounded in truth, the revelation can leave behind a bad aftertaste.

Always tell the truth

In today’s food market, the power of a compelling brand story almost overrides the appeal of the product. People are more willing to support a company that funds a great cause or whose owners have a similar backstory to their own.

Take Mast Brothers Chocolate, for instance. Rick and Michael Mast became the darlings of the craft chocolate world. Their chocolate bars were packaged in sleek, aesthetically pleasing packaging, and they were sold to the public as two hard-working, bearded guys from Brooklyn who loved chocolate. However, a 2015 exposé accused the Mast Brothers of lying about their product. Their claim to fame was a “bean to bar” process that produced rich chocolate, but they allegedly started making their product by melting down industrial chocolate and adding flavoring. The brothers denied the claims, but it created a firestorm of criticism and a cloud of mistrust continues to hang over their brand.

The public doesn’t like to be lied to. It’s one thing to rebrand yourself to fit the image of your industry. If you want to make a splash in the craft food scene, a beard can help. But you shouldn’t choose an image that strays too far from who you really are, and you should avoid making hyperbolic claims that you can’t back up. Don’t claim that you’re the best or the first or that you’ve never sought the help of experts. In these cases, you’re practically baiting fact checkers to unearth the truth.

Make a great product

Behind every great story is a great product. A strong brand story helps you build an initial relationship with your customer, and it motivates retailers to carry your brand. However, once the buzz of the story wears off, you need to deliver. Thus, it’s important that you never sacrifice the quality of your product for the story.

When you make something that the public craves, they’ll buy it from you directly and retailers will come knocking on your door. An intriguing backstory helps, but the food matters most.

The creators behind nut butter company Wild Friends (Keeley Tillotson, Erika Welsh, and Tillotson’s father, Bruce) started their company as an organic alternative to mass-market brands that were high in sugar. A huge part of their story was that they’d once appeared on Shark Tank and that both Tillotson and Welsh had dropped out of college to run their business. But the ultimate draw to their product is how great it tastes. Wild Friends is carried in retailers all across America, not for the backstory, but because customers love their nut butter.

A great product creates its own story and essentially sells itself.

Choose your words carefully

When promoting your brand, you may reach out to a public relations expert to help you craft a story that appeals emotionally to your target demographic. These stories often require spinning the truth a bit, to differentiate you from your competitors, and position your brand as truly unique and worthy of attention. However, be sure your story doesn’t stray too far from reality.

To ensure you stay in truthful territory, try to avoid using any of the following five words in your brand story:

Small-batch: This is a buzzword that’s synonymous with quality. Immediately, small-batch signifies that everything you produce is made by a single person in a small kitchen, and that means every single unit meets your utmost standards. This may have been true when you were selling bottles of homemade bitters to your friends. But once you find an audience, an investor, and a retailer, production ramps up. You may still use the same recipe, but you’re no longer producing a small-batch product. Avoid the word now to skip the contradiction later.

Artisanal: Artisanal doesn’t pack the same punch it once did. In the truest sense, an artisan is a skilled craftsman that makes things from scratch. Thus, artisanal products are those that are made from scratch every single time. However, artisanal began to represent slightly better ingredients or off-kilter flavors; not products made by artisans. Odds are, your product isn’t artisanal in the truest sense, so leave it off the label.

Crafted: Like artisanal, crafted has been overused to indicate authenticity. However, instead of evoking an image of homemade goods, try to use verbs that more accurately describe your product. Is your coffee crafted or cold-brewed?

Authentic: Speaking of authenticity, there’s no need to affirm that your product is authentic. This is a word reserved for things that are truly the first of their kind. Even if you’ve created a flavor or recipe that’s unique to your brand, avoid using authentic. Instead, describe what stands out about your creation.

Handmade: Telling a customer that something is handmade isn’t exactly helpful. It’s a general term that could have dozens of meanings. Focus on describing the benefits of your product being handmade. For example, do your peach preserves have a richer flavor because they’re handmade?

To attract and retain business, you need a strong brand story. But that brand story needs to tell the truth, or else, it could come back to haunt you and destroy your business.

As a small business owner, you know that building a strong brand is essential for success. But with limited resources, it can be difficult to know where to start. Fortunately, there are a variety of creative strategies that can help you build a strong brand on a budget. From leveraging social media to creating unique content, there are plenty of ways to get your brand noticed without breaking the bank. In this article, we’ll explore some of the most effective and affordable brand building strategies for small businesses.

How to Leverage Social Media to Build Your Brand on a Budget

Building a brand on a budget can be a daunting task, but leveraging social media can be a great way to get started. Social media is a powerful tool that can help you reach a wide audience and build relationships with potential customers. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your social media efforts on a budget.

1. Identify Your Audience: Before you start creating content, it’s important to identify who your target audience is. Knowing who you’re trying to reach will help you create content that resonates with them and will help you focus your efforts.

2. Choose the Right Platforms: Not all social media platforms are created equal. Different platforms have different audiences and different types of content. Choose the platforms that are most likely to reach your target audience and focus your efforts there.

3. Create Quality Content: Quality content is key to building a successful brand. Focus on creating content that is engaging, informative, and entertaining. This will help you build relationships with your audience and keep them coming back for more.

4. Engage With Your Audience: Social media is all about engagement. Make sure to respond to comments, answer questions, and interact with your followers. This will help you build relationships and create a sense of community.

5. Leverage Influencers: Influencers can be a great way to reach a wider audience and build your brand. Reach out to influencers in your industry and see if they’d be willing to collaborate with you.

By following these tips, you can leverage social media to build your brand on a budget. Social media is a powerful tool that can help you reach a wide audience and build relationships with potential customers. With a little bit of effort and creativity, you can create a successful brand without breaking the bank.

Utilizing Influencer Marketing to Increase Brand Awareness on a Budget

Influencer marketing is an effective and cost-efficient way to increase brand awareness and reach a larger audience. It involves leveraging the influence of social media influencers to promote a brand’s products or services. By partnering with influencers, brands can tap into their existing fan base and reach a wider audience.

When it comes to influencer marketing, it is important to select the right influencers for your brand. It is important to consider the influencer’s reach, engagement rate, and audience demographics. Additionally, it is important to ensure that the influencer’s values and interests align with those of your brand.

Once you have identified the right influencers for your brand, it is important to create a strategy for your influencer marketing campaign. This should include the goals of the campaign, the type of content to be created, and the budget. It is important to ensure that the content created is relevant to the influencer’s audience and that it is in line with the brand’s values.

When it comes to budgeting for an influencer marketing campaign, it is important to consider the cost of the influencer’s fee, the cost of creating content, and the cost of promoting the content. Additionally, it is important to consider the cost of tracking and measuring the success of the campaign.

By utilizing influencer marketing, brands can increase their brand awareness and reach a larger audience on a budget. It is important to select the right influencers, create a strategy, and budget accordingly in order to ensure the success of the campaign.

Conclusion

Brand building on a budget is a great way for small businesses to increase their visibility and reach their target audience. By utilizing creative strategies such as leveraging social media, creating content, and engaging with customers, small businesses can build a strong brand without breaking the bank. With the right strategies and a bit of creativity, small businesses can create a powerful brand that will help them stand out from the competition.