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On this page, you can find informative, educational, or inspiring content for your business.
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MARKETING & BRANDING
How to start with marketing and branding your business? Simultaneously!
1. The first question is: Defining the Company. How should the answer look in a simple way? Let's take a Beauty Salon as an example. The answer would be: "Hair and Beauty Salon," "Beauty Salon," or "Beauty Studio."
2. The second question is: Company Name. The answer could be "Gaga," "Gaga Style," "Dragana Lazić Studio," "Fancy Style," or any other name...
3. The third question is: Defining the Service you provide or the product you sell. The answer could be: My service is "hair care, facial care, and body care," or "Hairdressing and beauty services," or "Hairdresser and facial and body treatments."
What do you notice here? Perhaps the choice of definitions made? What is this about? It’s about marketing defining the terms – "Who?" "What?" "Where?" while branding determines the "How?" So, choosing the name defines your tone of communication with the client – and that’s crucial for branding.
4. The fourth question is: What is that service like? For instance, Quality service – offering high-quality products, top-notch equipment, and skilled staff in a pleasant environment. That would be a marketing approach. Branding now needs to spice it up a bit: The service is Excellent, Premium, Outstanding, or Exceptionally Effective Treatments... this is what makes your brand recognizable and sets it apart from others.
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BRANDING
Branding, emotions, and customer attitudes toward us – what tone should we use?
Always the same, a difficult question: what tone should we use when addressing the client to elevate them while not lowering ourselves? First, let’s see which feelings appeal to every client: comfort, care, attentiveness, empathy, safety, the sense of doing something good for oneself, and much more. All of this leads to one unique feeling that is simple and clear: trust.
So, the tone we use should guide the client toward a sense of trust. How? Well, for example, through the atmosphere created by the space, the dedicated time (optimally: without rushing but also without dragging things out), the activities carried out by the staff, special attention to hygiene, concern for the client’s safety, and so on. And how might this branding look in practice? For example, branded lids for cups and mugs to ensure nothing falls in while clients are consuming something during the treatment. Another inexpensive example is tissue boxes for clients to use to wipe their ears, eyes, or nose during treatments. It feels luxurious but is actually inexpensive and demonstrates respect for the client. Here’s another practical example: a shelf under the counter or an additional stool for clients to place their bag on. How much do we struggle with our bags during treatments when it can be so easily resolved? Another affordable example: hangers for coats and jackets. Does a coat have to go directly onto a rack?
These are very important elements of branding. The clearer and more specific the marketing and branding strategies are, the easier advertising will be. It’s important to avoid lies and deception! What is promised through branding, defined through marketing, and advertised through advertising must exist in reality. Success is guaranteed!
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BRANDING VS ADVERTISING
Branding the space/ambiance/atmosphere? – No, it's about the emotion.
The place of business is one of the 4Ps (Product, Place, Price, Promotion), the cornerstone of marketing as defined by E. Jerome McCarthy back in 1960. Therefore, branding the space is crucial for your business. If the ambiance is more pleasant for the client, they will visit more often. This is a strategy used by the entire service industry, so you should adopt it too. How can I help? Here’s the first suggestion: pay attention to your choice of colors. Color = Emotion = Brand. Certain colors evoke specific emotions: Beige – comfort, sophistication, moderation; White – cleanliness, orderliness; Light green – nature, relaxation; Lavender – exoticism, calmness; Blue – transparency, intelligence; Surgical green – innovation, modernity; Black – elegance, strictness; Brown – reminiscent of coffee and chocolate, when used sparingly, very pleasant; Navy – refinement; Baby pink – gentleness, modesty, elegance; Orange – call to action, awakening; Red – boldness; Yellow – joy, cheerfulness, reminiscent of childhood; Pink – youthful, provocative; Purple – luxury, abundance. Play around with colors. It’s recommended that posts and advertisements reflect the tones of the ambiance where clients are welcomed. Again, the key word: Trust. What they saw in the ad is what they experience in person. Trust relaxes, providing a sense of ease instills trust, builds a relationship with the customer, strengthens your brand, and of course, increases profit.
Aside from colors, the ambiance is shaped by materials such as glass, wood, plastic, and metal. It’s a good idea to incorporate all these elements into your space, carefully balanced. Ambiance also includes room temperature, fresh air, scent, sounds, and music. Pay attention to these elements as well. One more recommendation: remove unnecessary details—“less is more” is the latest trend and has been around for a long time. A space that isn’t cluttered with items and details is more comfortable and inviting. Thus, the space doesn’t have to be expensive; it simply needs to be pleasant and attractive to clients.
What’s the purpose of branding the space? To ensure that the client feels satisfied about purchasing a product or paying for a service specifically there!
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ADVERTISING
What is the most effective yet cheapest advertising? – A PITCH!
A pitch is a short, persuasive speech or presentation designed to engage the client with an idea, product, service, or project. The goal is to communicate the key value, solve the target audience's problems, and inspire action in the shortest possible time.
Typical examples:
Elevator Pitch – A brief speech (30-60 seconds) designed to convince someone of an idea’s value, as if delivered during a short elevator ride.
Sales Pitch – A presentation focused on selling a product or service.
Investor Pitch – A more detailed presentation for potential investors, explaining the business model, market, strategy, and expected return on investment.
A good pitch is concise, clear, and tailored to the audience's needs, often including emotional elements to create a stronger connection.
Now comes advertising, or live promotion. Let’s say you only have time for 3 sentences.
Here are some examples:
"Your hairstyle looks amazing! Where did you get it done? We do the same at our salon—this 'Choppy Bob' style where we blow-dry the ends outward. Here’s my business card; check out our Instagram!"
"Have you thought about redesigning your website? Some great new trends are out. We’re running a special called '555' – 5 pages in 5 days for 500 euros. It will completely transform how you’re perceived—people will think you’ve leapt ahead of the competition."
"We just got new anti-cellulite products, and now I can’t keep up with the demand. My phone won’t stop ringing, and I’m out of appointments. If you’d like, I can fit you in through a cancellation."
Prepare at least 10 pitches for yourself. It’s the most efficient, cheapest, fastest, and best way to attract clients. Always have a business card or brochure ready. Make sure to offer it, and if you can, put it directly into their hands.
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ADVERTISING
When is someone actually inspired to buy a product or pay for a service? – When it solves a problem for them!
When does someone buy something? – When they are inspired.
When is someone inspired? – When purchasing solves a problem.
This might sound strange because we have been taught that sales satisfy customer needs and wants. Yes, but what is the deeper issue? Behind every need or want lies a problem. How? It’s simple: we call a plumber because we have a problem with pipes or a valve, a mechanic for car troubles, a dentist for dental issues, and so on. Now, consider why women get their hair styled; that’s not solving a problem—actually, it is. An anti-cellulite program is also a solution to a problem, just like creating a website or dining at a restaurant. You might not feel like cooking, or you want to treat someone but can't cook at home or don’t know how to cook. That too is a solution to a problem. So, the next time you create an advertisement, keep in mind that you are solving someone’s problem. Just package it nicely!