Topics

Mid-Market

Brand Strategy for Turbulent Times

April 14, 2020 —

Brand Strategy for Turbulent Times

Business is in Flux Brand strategy matters now more than ever. COVID-19 is a health crisis first, but also, an economic one. Many businesses that we work with are feeling uneasy about the current economic situation and the long-term effects of COVID-19 on business. Financial markets are no doubt showing extreme symptoms. There is an unignorable sense of shutdown and although the world has faced other economic crises before, this time is different. Business leaders, VC funders, investors, consumers, and employees are unsure how long this will last and to what extent they must shift...
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Business Growth: Steps to Success for the Mid-Market

September 26, 2018 —

Business Growth: Steps to Success for the Mid-Market

Leveraging new data about business growth from the National Center for the Middle Market, Emotive Brand identifies three key factors that make all the difference. Business growth is always good. But sustained, consistent growth is always better. Data from the National Center for the Middle Market shows that the best indicator of company’s financial future is not how fast it grows, but how often it grows. Those that expand incrementally are more apt to survive, thrive, and outperform. Companies that grow consistently are more adept at aligning their organizations’ people and practices around...
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Why a Startup Should Invest in the Brand Quickly

May 24, 2015 —

Why a Startup Should Invest in the Brand Quickly

Why we believe founders need to rethink their investment in their startup brand There’s the startup rush. That undeniable startup rush. That adrenaline flow that starts the moment you have an idea worth sharing. An idea that you’re willing to ask perfect strangers to fund. It’s a rush when someone says yes, and another rush when that first check shows up. The one that rents the homely first office and gets you going. After that it gets harder. The technology component of the idea might be easy for you. After all, it’s what you were trained to do. But for many startup founders, the hard part...
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Is Your Company Primed for Sustained Growth?

May 19, 2016 —

Is Your Company Primed for Sustained Growth?

Growth is always good. But sustained growth is always better. It’s not just a matter of a stronger will or more ambition. Sustained growth companies are more agile, more resilient, and more innovative. Our work with a group of mid-market clients, along with a growing body of academic research, indicates the companies who enjoy sustained growth have embraced their purpose, and have built a culture and a set of practices that “live it”. Purpose sharpens vision, inspires teams, and empowers people. Purpose helps every person find fresh ways to think differently, to see how market dynamics can...
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Purpose-led Brands and the Role of the CEO

May 6, 2016 —

Purpose-led Brands and the Role of the CEO

Purpose-led leaders lead thriving businesses. If you are a marketer faced with the task of re-branding or leading a brand strategy for your business, think about the person most influential to its success. Wondering who is essential to be part of the team? Ask yourself: Who has the greatest insight into where your business needs to go? Who can make sure that the company’s brand strategy embodies, and brings to life, this vision? Who sees how the people, processes and policies of the business need to evolve to address future issues and opportunities? Who is the best person to lead the...
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Fast Forward Your Startup: Agile Strategy for High-Growth Companies

April 21, 2016 —

Fast Forward Your Startup: Agile Strategy for High-Growth Companies

A new approach for supporting high-growth companies We work and compete in a fast-moving world, driven by an accelerating pace of technological and social change. The markets we compete in shift quickly, competition intensifies, and expectations rise. Flux is the new normal. This increases the pressure on high-growth companies and brands to evolve and implement strategies in shorter and shorter time frames. As a brand strategy firm, we discovered that many of our high-growth companies, especially those operating in crowded, in-flux categories, needed a much more agile approach to addressing...
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Brand and Marketing? What’s the Difference?

February 10, 2016 —

Brand and Marketing? What’s the Difference?

Brand and Marketing? Leaders are sometimes confused about the difference between brand and marketing. This is not surprising, because they are not mutually exclusive ideas. They are interdependent strategic activities that feed, inform, and drive each other. The important distinction to make is in the intent – and desired outcome – of each area. Brand Strategy Brand strategy defines how people should ideally feel about your business and products. It strives to find how to optimize belief in what you do offer, and what you stand for in the world. It is an abstract idea held in the hearts and...
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Your Business Problems Might Have a Brand Strategy Solution

May 12, 2015 —

Your Business Problems Might Have a Brand Strategy Solution

When you spend a lot of time working with people in the C-suite, you’re exposed to C-sized business problems. Those larger strategic issues that can’t be solved by the CEO alone, or by existing resources. When changes in your industry push you to shift business strategy, it’s a sign that your brand strategy needs to shift in a synchronized way to reposition for success. Example: We’ve surveyed C-level executives about the number one desire they have for their brand strategy. Know what they want? Differentiation. A competitive advantage. A defensible position. Differentiation is tough. When...
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