Michael Levitt's Blog, page 75

What Did COVID-19 Truly Teach Us?

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We’ve flattened the curve. The number of new Coronavirus cases is on the decline. We stayed home, and helped shorten the time we had our respective lives on pause.

To those that are no longer with us, due to this horrible virus, my thoughts and prayers are with your loved ones. This experience is something I truly hope none of us forget.

Businesses shut down. People lost their jobs. We stopped going to restaurants, movie theaters, pubs. Sports were nowhere to be found. We watched the number of COVID-19 cases increase across the globe. We watched everything on Netflix.

Now it’s time to get back to normal, but normal no longer lives here.

We had opportunities to embrace the slower pace. Focus on what’s important. Focus on loved ones.

Yet, we hoarded on toilet paper. We panicked. We stood in long lines to keep our social distance from others.

We were ill prepared for this type of situation. Healthcare workers worked amazingly long hours, reusing masks and other Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), simply because there wasn’t enough equipment to go around.

It was the ultimate risk management pressure test.

Lessons are to be learned, and I hope that all that are in positions of authority learned lessons along the way.

Leadership is hard. You’re asked and expected to make decisions immediately, and make the right decision, even though you have limited to no information. Fun job!

The new normal is arriving. How will we navigate? Here are some suggestions:

Remote Work Should Be the Norm, Not The Exception

Many organizations should (hopefully) realize that their employees can perform their jobs in places other than their cubicles and desks. Most of the work we do is online anyway, so does it matter that the person is around the corner, or a Zoom/Skype call room away?

If you don’t trust your employees to perform their jobs in a remote setting, why are they your employees? On the flip side, if your employer doesn’t trust you do perform your role from a remote location, why are you working for them?

We Survived On A Lot Less Things Than We Thought We Could

During the isolation period, my discretionary spending dropped off significantly. Eating at home more prevented me from spending money every day at restaurants/bars/etc. More on that below, but I do want to continue supporting local eateries and establishments, but maybe not as much as I did in the past.

When we do return to restaurants and bars, I have a favor request: Double the tip you normally give. These servers have been without work for a long time, and each of us can do a part in helping each other. Thank you for your generosity.

We Discovered That We Do In Fact Have A Netflix Limit

Many of us watched so much video content, that we realized that we needed to do something else. There’s a lesson for us here. We need boundaries around how we spend our time, and we need to be more proactive in designing our days.

Tragedy Creates Opportunity ~ Mark Dyrek

I hope that we take the lessons learned over the past few months and make our lives better for ourselves, and the ones we love.

Be well!

The Pros and Cons Of Automated Business Services

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Automated business services are becoming increasingly popular, as our world turns even faster towards full digitisation. If you run a small or medium sized business and are looking for ways to save money on staffing and freelancers, automated services are likely the best bet for your company.

Nevertheless, there are valid critiques of automated services that are worth exploring. In today’s article we will give you the pros and cons of automated business services - but first, let’s get to grips with the kind of automation your business could be using.

What are common automated business programs and services?

When we talk about automated services, what do we mean? Below are some of the most common automated services that businesses use day to day.

Automated back office. 

Back office organisation and administrative jobs have existed for many years, but now they are being replaced by automated software programs that can do it all - but faster, and for less money. These programs can schedule appointments, remind you of meetings, and generally make the office’s working day much more efficient. 

Automated accounting software.

Most businesses now use payroll software to automatically generate and pay employees, as well as calculate tax and provide data on revenue streams.

Automated telephone answering. 

Automated telephone answering or virtual receptionist functions are very useful for small businesses that can’t afford to hire a full time receptionist. This function can provide customer support, redirect calls to the relevant department, and supply basic information to customers and clients too.

If you need help choosing a professional virtual receptionist, click the link to find out more!

These are just a few examples of how automation is being used by all kinds of businesses nowadays. Now let’s get to the main question: what are the pros and cons of automation?

Health and safety.

Online health and safety has changed the game when it comes to proving compliance, training individual employees and reducing injuries overall. Automated cloud services can be used to hammer home key health and safety messaging and make the office safer overall.

The Pros of Automated Services

Automated services have many upsides - that’s why they are so popular! Let’s delve into the brilliant aspects of having automated services in your business.

Automation eliminates human error.

One of the biggest benefits of using software in lieu of an employee for administration, accounting and IT, is the elimination of human error. Every person makes mistakes at work, even highly talented individuals - whereas a computer will never make mistakes. 

When it comes to payroll and other extremely important aspects of your business, having no human error to worry about is a very wise move.

Automated services are cheaper than employees.

Not only are automated services smarter than humans, but they’re cheaper, too. Paying for a full cloud package or an accounting software program is still much cheaper than hiring a full time employee, or even contracting a freelancer for that matter.

If you run a small business and are searching for ways to cut your costs, automated services are your friend. 

You can update or cut back on your software package whenever you want.

Unlike a human employee who has contractual rights that need to be fulfilled, a software program isn’t that sensitive! If you need to scale up or scale down your automated services based on how your business is doing, nobody’s going to get upset! You can update and modify a software program whenever you feel like it, no questions asked.

Automation is a money-saver when it comes to your office space.

Not only do automated services cut back on your employee budget, but they also help you save money in other areas, too. Your office space, for example, can be much smaller if you have fewer employees who need desk space. You won’t have to shell out for employee perks, parking spaces, and other essentials that are required when hiring a human full time employee. 

Overall, the pros of automation are clear: fewer humans, less cost. So what are the downsides?

The Cons of Automated Services

After reading just how much you can do with automated services, it might be impossible to imagine what the downsides might be! However, there are valid critiques of automated services for business, which we will explore below...

Automation can’t provide human interaction.

Although a computer program might do the same job as an employee, it can’t replace the human interaction and connection that can be found in a person. People’s innovations are what make businesses thrive, so while an automated service might help you pay people on time, it won’t make you laugh in the break room every day, nor will it provide insights into how to make your business better overall.

Customer service will not be as effective using automation.

Automated phone services like a virtual receptionist can be brilliant for small businesses, but they don’t provide the same level of customer service that a person can. There’s nothing more frustrating than an automated phone service getting something wrong when you need help - so if you find that your customers aren’t satisfied, it might be that hiring a person is absolutely worthwhile.

Computer programs can always crash.

Humans take sick days, but when they return, everything will be as they left it. A computer program’s version of a sick day, however, is crashing out, and potentially losing valuable company data along the way. Although this is a rare occurrence nowadays, it is worth considering how trustworthy an automated service is, in comparison with a human being.

Weighing up the good with the bad…

Ultimately, whether or not automated business services are worth it for your company entirely depends on your brand. If you are a local company that thrives within a close knit community, having real humans on the end of the phone is likely to serve you better. 

However, if you are an ever-growing small business that needs to cut costs and find scalable solutions, an automated business service package might be the best solution for you.

4 Ways To Increase Your Companies Productivity

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In business, increased productivity equals greater success. If your staff can be productive and minimal delay occurs, then the likelihood of being on top of tasks will result in better results. Companies can easily increase productivity in the workplace environment and in staff with these simple tricks.

Digital data and document access

Many companies are allowing staff to work remotely or at home part-time or full-time. It allows staff more freedom and happiness, which can result in enhanced productivity. 

However, the further increase their productivity, it will help you offer them an efficient setup at home. A work laptop with all of the programs will allow them to have easy access to everything. Ensuring that all data and documents are easily available will mean that no interruption will occur when they are working away from the office. 

For instance, a staff member may require a client to sign a contract. To do so, if they have easy access to the contract and an electronic signature feature, then the task can be quickly completed. Without instant and easy access, it will cause a delay and therefore a reduction in staff productivity.

Regular meetings

Regular communication is important for a company to overcome issues and find resolutions. In the modern job force, meetings are a great way to track progress and decide on future steps and tasks. Thus, regular meetings will help boost your companies productivity. 

If you hold regular meetings that all staff can attend, it allows people the chance to discuss their successes or concerns. It can be an open floor for discussions to occur and staff to get together and improve their work ethic and knowledge. Without meetings, it will be difficult for staff to discuss work matters and focus on how to improve the business. 

Delegate effectively 

All staff members will have unique roles and responsibilities. There is no use in giving an employee a task that they have no experience in if you want it done effectively and efficiently. Thus, ensuring that you delegate tasks according to experience and knowledge, your company will attain the best outcome. 

Although it is important to train employees and enhance their skill set, if you are looking to maximize productivity and get the job done, then it is ideal to delegate tasks to those with the right abilities. An employee will likely lack productiveness if they have no idea what to do.

Reduce distractions

If a person is distracted, then they are likely to lack productivity. Thus, reducing or eliminating distractions will maximize staff productivity. 

It could be as simple as a no-personal mobile phone policy at certain times of the day. Or, you could ensure that desks are free from litter and junk. A clean and clear workspace will help staff focus on the task at hand.

Sometimes removing clocks can also be effective to boost productivity as time puts pressure on staff and might cause them to focus on timings rather than work optimization.

What You Need To Best Kit Out Your Office

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Starting your own business is a big investment and an exciting time in your life, but before you can start trading or start getting clients you may want to think about setting yourself up a nice office space to make sure you can do business in the comfort and have everything you need to get work done. It doesn’t matter if you are in a shop or working from home having a well-kitted office is going to give you an edge and the stuff you need to get the job done, you need somewhere free of distractions so you can get work done.

If you are starting up a business and you are unsure how to best set up your office and what you may need to get your work done to the best you can then these few tips should help you to understand what you need more and get you started on kitting out your new office to get work done.

Get a great computer software system

If you have an online business or even just a shop having a great computer system is really important. Without a good computer, you will not have the ability to do a lot of things well, if it is slow and clunky then you are going to struggle to get things done efficiently. You want to choose a software system that will help you run your business and grow with your business alongside you. The last thing you want to do is to have to change your software each time your business gets a lot bigger or more successful. You want software that will help you with accounting, payroll, inventory management and so on.

Make sure you have a comfy office

Having somewhere that is comfortable to work is important especially if you are going to be there for many hours a day and multiple days a week. You do not want to over fill your office so get an ergonomic chair, a desk and room enough for your other equipment like printers etc. if you have a specific theme or furniture you are looking for then you may want to get a cabinet hardware manufacturer to create all your storage and fittings for you, that way it will all match and be of the same quality, this is the best route if you are kitting out an office in a shop as you can use the same manufacturer throughout. If it is only yourself using it then you can make it fairly basic as long as comfortable for what you are using it for.

A solid internet connection

Running a business especially online will rely on a stable internet connection in some instances if your internet goes down then so does your business. You need to make sure you get business internet from your provider that way you will get priority services because you have a dedicated business line, it also stops others from being on that internet and slowing it down.

If you are looking to set up your new office whether at home or in an office block, then these few tips should help to give you an idea of a few things to consider when sorting out your office and give you an understanding of why you may need them.

Attention-Grabbing Ecommerce Strategies Customers Can't Ignore

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Ecommerce businesses are booming right now, thanks to the massive growth of leading brands in the industry, like Amazon. But it’s also easier than ever before to set up an online business, which means that the marketplace is crowded. Grabbing attention is much more challenging than many business owners believe or expect. 

In this post, therefore, we take a look at some of the ecommerce strategies you can use that your customers won’t be able to ignore. There are tactics that other companies have used in the past and are proven to work. No gimmicks and no “quick fixes''. Just honest advice that works. 

Collect More Data

If you want to run a successful ecommerce store to compete with the big brands, collecting an email list is everything. Without it, you’ll struggle to gain any traction at all. 

We suggest asking it at every opportunity on your site: on wishlists, checkout forms, in-stock notifications and chat apps. Find multiple ways of collecting them and don’t just rely on regular contact forms. Very few people actually use these. 

Make Shipping Free

If you really want to grab people’s attention, make your shipping fee. It makes customers feel like they’re getting something for nothing, even if it means wrapping up shipping costs in the overall price. 

If you’re worried about high prices versus your competitors, just offer discounts when customers spend a certain amount. 5 percent off when they spend more than $50 should help make you more competitive, and it’s much more palatable to customers, encouraging them to spend even more money. Remember, when customers get free shipping, they tend to select orders with much higher purchase value. 

Get To Know Your Customer Personas 

If you don’t know your customers yet, now’s the time to start learning more about them. The more you can get under their skin, the greater the affinity that you can develop with them. When they feel as if you know them well, they’ll be much more likely to hand over their hard-won money. 

If you created your customer persona a long time ago now, don’t be afraid to update it. Go back over it and ask whether it still applies to your business now. If it doesn’t, change it. 

Create Reviews That Stand Out

Smart companies know that people will decide to shop from them based on their online ratings. That’s why they collect as many reviews as they can. A company with 1,000 reviews giving it 4.5 stars is much more trustworthy than one with one or two reviews at five stars. Most customers won’t buy from companies with no negative reviews. They see it as suspicious. 

Create Demo Videos

Here’s something that the big eCommerce sites don’t do: create product demo videos for their customers. It’s something, however, that you can quite easily do with a camera and a quick script. All you need to do is create a tutorial and you’re done. 

Create A Sense Of Urgency

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If you want products to fly off the shelves, then creating a sense of urgency is an amazing tactic. To do this, you can write things like “click here to reserve yours today” or “low stock: we only have a few of these items left to order.” 

These statements grab shoppers' attention because they worry that they won’t be able to return in the future. It stops them from putting off purchases and encourages them to take action. Did you know that that encourages urgency has both higher open rates and click-through rates. So it really works. 

Create A Reward Program

Customers love reward programs. They want to feel like you value their contribution to your business. 

But how do you do this? Well, the simplest way is to just copy the best in the business. Just look at Amazon’s loyalty program. If you pay a small subscription, you get free delivery, instant streaming and TV shows and access to a range of free Kindle Books. You might not be able to go to those lengths, but there’s nothing stopping you from rewarding your most loyal customers. 

Send Out More Promotional Emails

Bargain-savvy customers love promotional emails. That’s because they offer them opportunities to save money that they wouldn’t be able to find through regular channels. 

Repeat customers tend to spend significantly more than new customers too (because they already trust you to deliver). So sending out emails can build loyalty and keep customers coming back for more. 

Send Out Abandoned Cart Emails

Abandoned carts are a massive problem and something that hurts eCommerce businesses all over the world. But there’s a way to stop this from happening: automated abandoned cart emails. Research suggests that by gently reminding customers to return to their carts, you can rescue upwards of 30 percent of abandonments. 

Give SEO Your Undivided Attention

More than 90 percent of web traffic originates on search engines. Put bluntly, it’s the most likely place for people to find you. So SEO should get your undivided attention, should it not?

The trick here is to get onto the first page for the most common keywords in your niche. Don’t assume that your competitors are already exploiting all of these. They’re probably not. 

If you want to rise in the ranks for certain keywords, try writing web page content around your products. This way, you can tell Google that you provide users with more in-depth information than standard, boilerplate product descriptions. 

Turn To Mobile

Shoppers aren’t on desktop or laptops anymore. Instead, most people are on their mobile devices. So that means that you need to optimize for smartphones. 

But what do consumers actually want from a mobile site? Here’s a quick list of things to focus on:

No scrolling forms

One-directional scrolling (either up or down, or left to right)

Easy to save baskets and wish lists for later

Finger-friendly buttons for selecting products and checkout options

Easy-to-use search bar

Quickly find out more information about products with a single click

All images and descriptions fit comfortably on mobile screens

Why Continual Streamlining Your Business Prevents Burnout

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How many emails do you get on a daily basis?

For me, I’d easily say well over 200 daily emails find their way into my business and personal accounts. Most of those emails come from organizations or individuals that I’ve worked with, interviewed, been a guest on their show, etc.

For my annual time off from work, I know that when I return to the inbox, there will be hundreds if not thousands of messages. Typically I click the box that sets “Select All” and then I delete every message. Nothing personal, but I don’t want to return to work to kill a week reviewing stale messages.

This year, I’m taking some considerable time off during the summer, and at my normal end of year break. It’s all about burnout prevention. It wouldn’t be wise for the burnout expert to burnout, would it?

To help further filter out all the emails for my upcoming summer holiday, I did the following:

Set up separate email accounts for specific types of emails. This takes filtering messages to another level. I set up email accounts for newsletters and investing news. My previously used filters did a good job segmenting messages, but I was still getting the messages grouped together, which was distracting.

Unsubscribed from many emails. As I mentioned before, I get emails from businesses and colleagues that I have worked with over the years. Unsubscribing from those messages shouldn’t hurt their feelings. If it does, they need to have boundaries around their email campaigns and the meaning of business relationships. I simply respond in the reason for unsubscribing as Narrowing my focus. Keep up the amazing work! This hopefully softens the blow of me leaving their email campaign protocol.

By doing this additional filtering of emails and unsubscribing, my business email account has seen a 65% drop in email messages. The newsletters and investing news messages can pile up in the non-business email accounts and I (may) read them once I return from holiday. Don’t bet on it :)

Reviewing what you do on a daily basis in your work will help you fine-tune what you spend time on, and what you shouldn’t be doing. We often operate on autopilot, which for business growth is not good to do.

When you take a vacation, truly vacate from work. We all need a refresher, especially after the pandemic.

Be well!

Michael

How To Market Your Metal Fabrication Business

The steel and metals industry is a specific field with a wide array of options at your disposal. This industry is geared toward the necessary skills needed to complete every industrial project. When starting a metal fabrication business, there will be many ways of marketing it. Here are four of those marketing strategies to help get your business out there.

Develop Marketing Material

When you begin your search on how to market your metal fabrication business, the first thing you’ll need to do is develop your material. You’ll need to put the buyer persona in mind, create your customer type, and think of your potential customer's different services.

When you develop your marketing material, it's essential to highlight the services and products you offer, including the option to give a quoted price. You can include all of these in a brochure or flyer and send them out through the mail.

Stand Out in the Metal Industry

It's imperative to figure out what makes you stand out from everyone else. Maybe you offer a particular welding service provided by few others in your area (if it’s provided at all.) Your business is unique, and it's vital to inform your customer of what’s unique about it—such as a service or a particular product that can add more value to your company.

Know Who Your Customers Are

Knowing who your customers are is essential when learning how to market your metal fabrication business. Believe it or not, your potential customer base will change as time goes by, similar to how your business will continue to grow once you’ve figured out a marketing strategy. Measure your demographics and find out who they are. Send out marketing materials to industry leaders of other businesses and then contact them afterward to begin cultivating a long-term relationship with them.

Be Seen in the Right Industry Circles or Network

The relation you form with your customer is the crucial part of marketing your metal fabrication startup. While walking through the process, you’ll learn whom to network with and what circles you should connect with more often. If you want to be seen in the right circles, partake in conferences and other industry-related events that guarantee you the possibilities for marketing ideas and even improved relationships with your customers and other industry leaders.

When working with any startup, marketing is an essential part of the process. Not only are you gaining customers, but you are also forming lifelong relationships with them. These marketing tips help better understand the marketing process and help you find, build, and maintain solid relationships with your customers.

Different Ways To Prevent Electric Overloads at Work

In any workplace, safety is the top priority. And every workplace has a unique set of safety hazards that owners and management should consider and minimize when possible. Many companies encounter electrical hazards due to the number of tools, devices, lighting fixtures, and more required for daily operations. If businesses don’t handle them carefully, electrical elements can cause dire harm and damage. Discover different ways to prevent electric overloads at work to save your company from electrical dangers.

Know the Signs of an Overloaded Circuit

Knowing the signs of an overloaded circuit can save your company from an accidental electrical explosion. A few indicators that you’re overworking different circuits around your company’s building include the following.

Circuits and outlets are hot on the surface or emitting smoke.

You notice your tools, equipment, or devices lacking sufficient performance and power.

The lights flicker or dim randomly.

There are whirring or buzzing sounds from outlets.

You smell something burning.

Get familiar with the signs of an overloaded circuit so that you know when to cut off the electrical current. Doing so can save your employees from potential harm and your building from costly damage.

Have Professionals Perform an Electric Load Analysis

Evaluating your electrical system is a complicated and hazardous task and you should leave it to the professionals. Therefore, find electrical consulting engineers to perform an electric load analysis.

An electric load analysis will help determine how much electrical current your company’s building and electrical system can truly handle, ensuring the safety of everyone on site. To gain a deeper understanding of what this assessment entails, review this guide to load analysis engineering.

Utilize Different Circuits for Different Equipment

It’s not uncommon for companies to have several devices plugged into one circuit. However, one of the different ways to prevent electric overloads at work is to note how much electrical power a device requires before fixing it to a circuit.

For equipment and devices that have steep power requirements, you should designate a separate circuit. Divvying up the electrical demand reduces the risk of an electrical outburst.

4 Ways To Impress Your Clients

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Your clients are the foundation of your business and are what you need to keep thriving. You must build and nurture your relationships with them to ensure success.

There are several ways and opportunities to impress your clients throughout the year that you should consider doing to improve your connection with them. The happier they are the happier you’ll be and the more business you’ll bring in and be able to keep.

1. Host an Appreciation Event

One way to impress your clients is to host an appreciation event where they can relax and you can get to know them better and thank them for their business. Throw a luncheon or dinner party and wine and dine them to show you care. Make sure you pick the right location and venue to host your special event such as the https://www.thegrandhallkc.com/private-events/. They’ll be wowed by the experience and will know that you appreciate them when you choose a beautiful place to host your meal.

2. Go Above & Beyond

It’s also wise to go above and beyond with your clients if you wish to impress them. Go out of your way and find solutions to their problems quickly and efficiently. Be creative and offer a one-of-a-kind experience when working and engaging with them. They’ll appreciate your efforts and hard work to keep them satisfied and will likely return to do more business with you in the future. Find ways to surprise and delight them that no other company is doing to help you stand out for all the right reasons.

3. Keep Your Promises

It’s also wise that you keep your promises if you want to impress your clients and ensure they’re happy with your business. Stay true to your word and only say what you know you can deliver on in the end. The more you keep your promises the more trust you’ll build and likely they’ll be to purchase from you again in the future. You want to avoid making commitments to customers just to close the sale. Making false promises will only backfire down the road and leave you looking bad and untrustworthy. You want your customer to feel respected and satisfied instead of cheated or like you’re playing games with them.  

4. Be Responsive

One of the best ways to impress your clients is to always offer exceptional customer service. You can do this by being responsive and answering all their questions and inquiries in a timely fashion. Make sure they know how to get in touch with you and that it’s easy to do so through a variety of channels. Let your customers and clients know they can communicate with and reach out to you at any time with both large and small requests. Read through the reviews and feedback you get and respond to your clients to let them know you’re listening and open to change. The more responsive and communicative you are the happier they’ll be and more likely it is that they’ll leave you positive reviews and talk highly about your business.

The Unmistakable Value Of Product Authenticity

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Product authenticity equates to brand authenticity. Every business owner and brand says they are unique. And every customer rolls their eyes each time they have to listen to that statement. The key is to show your authenticity, not just speak about it. Take a look around the world, which brand do you believe is truly authentic? Large brands like Apple, Sony, Microsoft and Calvin Klein come to mind. Is it their logo? Their CEO? Or the marketing that makes them stand out? No, it's their products. They go out of their way to be different and they’re not afraid to poke fun of their stale competitors. Their products are unmistakably authentic because they do the following things.

Brand values show themselves

Values in consumerism and commerce are such an incredibly hot and interesting topic right now. The consumer is shifting towards high-sustainability, eco-friendly brands. Brands such as Calvin Klein have made a huge shift in their material sourcing and their products show it. They only sell all-cotton jeans, all-cotton boxers and sustainable fashion items. Their products have received rave ratings because they are softer, high-quality, stretchier and don’t sacrifice style. 

Their brand values have shown themselves in the very products they make. Just donating to charity from your earnings is not enough, if your earnings harmed the planet and workers in the process. So, start using sustainable materials, go green in your manufacturing, logistics and values.

Mission statement

When a customer opens up their parcel with your product inside it, they should be met with your values straight away. A short mission statement, informing the customer about your brand values, how and why their product is made, and how you are helping the planet/people, should be commonplace. What should your message look like?

Keep it short, most customers will read it but they won’t want a more than 20-30-second read. 

Print it on recycled materials and let them know with a mark to show it i.e. ‘recycled cardboard’ or include it in the message itself.

Thank them for helping them be more eco-friendly. This reminds them that just by buying a product from you, like they normally would, they have helped make the planet greener.

Attachments to the product

When a customer gets the product, there should be a few attachments to it that signify that it is an authentic product. Firstly, you should have a tag. Take a look at these printed die cut hang tags which can be attached to your product. The tag can be finished in gloss, matte or laminate. You select the size, color scheme, message, etc. The message could be to show where you source your materials. A bottle of parfum might have a tag that says, ‘zest taken from fruits grown in the tropics of Panama’, or a shampoo could have a tag that says ‘berries picked from vineyards in southern Spain’. Just something like this, takes the customer’s imagination for a ride. They imagine where your ingredients or materials are from and it makes the product feel like it's been made with love, care and pride.

Support your supply chain

Many companies that source their materials from abroad, will also donate back into that supply chain. For example, if you source cotton from Brazil, then you should make it known in your marketing that you pay back into the communities where the cotton grows. This could be to fund the infrastructure, such as building roads, investing in hospitals, helping during a humanitarian crisis, etc. 

This should become part of your brand to increase its authenticity. This is because you want to have a long history and great relationship with your supply chain. Some coffee brands brag about how they have been sourcing coffee beans from the same few mountains in Columbia for decades. What this does is link your brand to a specific ingredient and quality, hence your authenticity and uniqueness.

Never copy

It may be tempting at times to copy a rival, since something is working for them and you’re struggling in marketing interaction and sales. But don’t! Apple does not try to copy Samsung; at least not on the big things. They don’t copy the design of Samsung, i.e. Apple keeps its phones more squarish. It does not jump ship to Android for any of its products. It does not stop doing it's famous white Apple products.

This is how your brand and product could become more authentic. Never underestimate the true value of having authenticity, as it will forever help you stand out among a myriad of other similar brands.