Shirley Cottam’s Post

When we start out doing anything new, we are all frauds. In today’s brandivate #blog, Bill Petrie explains why embracing “imposter syndrome” is critical to becoming good – if not great – at anything. #marketing #branding #brandedmerchandise

When we start out doing anything new, we are all frauds. In today’s brandivate #blog, I explain why embracing “imposter syndrome” is critical to becoming good – if not great – at anything. #marketing #branding #promotionalproducts #brandedmerchandise

Double, double, toil, and trouble… If only attracting local clients were as easy as a magic potion! But don’t worry—this Halloween, I’ve got just the recipe you need! My free guide reveals the secret to consistent local clients, no spells required. Message 'Secret' in the comments below and I'll send you the link! #MarketingMagic #SpookySeasonMarketing #ClientAttraction

When You Love the Brand, but the Brand Doesn’t Love You Back. A while ago, my husband and I bought Breville | Sage coffee machine after lengthy online research. We loved it. Used it daily. Sometimes even abused it. We became addicted to foamy cappuccinos and creamy espressos. We said goodbye to neighborhood coffee shops. My husband became a hobby barista, experimenting with latte art to the point where I got used to seeing flowers and heart shapes on our cappuccinos. The coffee was so good that we even started making friends with our neighbors. But then, out of nowhere, the machine stopped working. ● We opened a case with customer support on April 25th. ● Sent a follow-up email on May 2nd. ● On May 10th, we reached out through their chat support. They promise to send a shipment label. It’s now May 21st, and we're still waiting for a shipping label. Almost a month has passed. Our machine is sadly wrapped up in our home office, gathering dust. I don’t have access to my favorite coffee. My 8 AM sales meeting is suddenly much harder than it used to be. Sage, it’s tough for me to say this, but right now, I feel left behind. We have been loyal brand ambassadors, got half of our building hooked on your wonderful espressos, and even convinced some friends to buy one. (You know how badly marketers and data engineers need coffee, right?) Now I’m stuck waiting for your reply in what should be a straightforward process. As a marketer, I know how long it can take to convince people to purchase your products and services. Selling a great product is not enough. It is many times the excellent post-sale support what keeps your customers coming back and spreading the word about your brand. Don’t let them feel abandoned after the purchase. Unresponsive customer service can quickly burn bridges that took years to build. So I wait. Without coffee. Getting an unwanted detox from caffeine. And dearly missing my daily routine. 《written by human》 #customerservice #marketing #brandambassador #loyalty

Have you ever received a cool branded item that made your day? If you are like me, you have!  To learn about the 6 ways to boost engagement and loyalty, visit our blog: https://lnkd.in/gAgxYGkX

Ever found yourself overwhelmed by choices? I recently did while buying a new fridge freezer ❄ . You'd think it would be simple, but with so many options and questions, it felt like navigating a maze! 🤷♂️ After making my decision it brought to mind Marcus Sheridan's brilliant book, "They Ask, You Answer." The book's core message? Answer your customers' questions honestly and openly. It's a game-changer in building trust and making informed decisions. 🔍 Transparency in Action As I went through the countless fridge freezer options and different places to buy them, the brands that really stood out were those answering my questions directly. Detailed FAQs, honest product comparisons, and most importantly for me, videos breaking down features made all the difference. It was like they were right there with me, helping me choose. 💡 Choosing a Marketing Solution At We are PF, we live by the same principle of transparency every day. It's one of our core values. We believe in answering our clients' questions openly, helping them understand their options without any fluff or jargon. Whether it's a complex marketing strategy or a simple social media campaign, we lay it all out on the table. 🙂 🤝 Building Trust Through Answers This approach isn't just about selling a product or service—it's about building genuine trust. When our clients have all the information they need, they feel confident and supported in their decisions. Just like I did with my fridge freezer! 💪 So, next time you're choosing a new service or a new product, remember the power of transparency. 🚀 It's a great fridge freezer by the way...... 😂 #Marketing #Transparency #TheyAskYouAnswer #WeArePF #TrustBuilding #accountants

When you trust your brand to do a trust fall and it leans *completely* the wrong way... 😬 Good thing Market Crafters' reflexes are 💯! Let's chat! #MarketCraftersAgency

You can’t sell the solution if the problem doesn't scare your customers.. Do you think we would have been conscious about floor hygiene until we saw the daunting germs attacking the crawling baby and making him sick in a floor cleaner ad? 🦠 Or Would you ever know that your hand soap is slow until you saw Bunty being taunted by his peers saying “Bunty tera saboon slow hai kya?” in the Lifebuoy ad? 🧼 Now we're thinking! Let’s make it more clear! You can sell the solution to your customer, only if they realise how haunting the problem is. In simple terms: 🌩️ Break your way into their imagination of the problem and expand it as much as it is logically, practically and emotionally correct. ⚠️ Make sure you don’t end up exaggerating, there’s a very thin line. WAIT.WAIT.WAIT 🖐🏻 Your work is not yet over… 👇🏻 If you end this process here, you may make your customer switch his profession and we don’t want that. NOT HAPPENING! Now this is the time you get your customer into the right path with your solution. ⛳ Want to know how? 🤔 Follow me Ruchi Sinha and hit the "🔔" to get notified when I post the next part of this. PS: Check out the link to the first part of this post in the comments below. #contentstrategy #contentmarketing #brandstrategist #contentcoach

If you offer a service, you want to be seen and heard all the time. It’s like walking into the kitchen and seeing a plate of cookies on the counter. I’ll grab half a dozen and start eating, even if I wasn’t thinking about cookies and wasn’t even hungry. The same goes for your business. You need to be the cookies on the counter – always visible, always tempting. Your potential clients might not be actively looking for your service, but if they see you often enough, they'll remember you when the need arises. Visibility isn’t about being in people's faces 24/7, but rather about being there when they need you. Be that irresistible cookie on the counter that no one can ignore. Remember, this isn’t a post about cookies! Monologue- I need to take my own advice 😅 #BusinessTips #MarketingStrategy #StayVisible #ClientEngagement

The key is in the follow-up! Sending gifts is great, but if there’s no reason to follow up or it doesn’t come off naturally, it loses its hidden value… which is continuing the conversation. For example: You decide to send someone a coffee mug with their favorite sports team on it. You get the notification it’s been delivered, and you ping the prospect: “Hey Jim, how was the coffee out of the new Patriots mug I sent you? Any different than yesterday’s coffee?” Or, since you’ve been following me for a while, you decide to send them a shareable item, like cookies or any other baked goods. The conversation tends to flow a bit more naturally. Plus, you don’t even have to reference the deal. “Hey Jim, did you receive the cookies I sent? Did you and your team like them? My favorite is the sprinkles. They’re better than birthday cake!” Remember, Cookies as a Service™️ isn’t just about sending a treat; it’s a relationship-building tool. A delicious and effective one at that! Grove Cookie Company #gifting #relationships #cookies __________________ Find us on our website or your favorite B2B gifting platform!