Susan
More to marketing. Welcome to motor marketing, a podcast on marketing, product and everything in between. I’m your host, Susan, and today I have a special guest Danita is joining us today all the way from Sri Lanka to talk about the amazing work she’s doing with companies across the world. Her specialty is not just making websites. It’s also working with the brand and bringing its awareness to life so Donita tell us a bit about how you got into this passion.
Donita
Oh, first of all, thanks so much. For having me.
Donita
It’s a branding jersey. It didn’t just happen like it, kind of like it was not a calculated like path like I just I started off as a like doing graphic design as a hobby. When when I was in like when? I was like 11 years old. And then. And then I accidentally started a business like with this long story. But when I was in my, umm, city. And then I’m once I started working with clients, I realised that people don’t like make small businesses. They don’t need just websites. They also need a brand strategy to make them different from others and also it like.
Donita
Unfortunately, small businesses skip the branding strategy because of, of course it’s it. It is expensive, but they also don’t understand how it can help them become different. It’s not marketing. It’s like a totally different. Like different like strategy, yeah.
Susan
Exactly. It’s all about who they are, what they represent, how people should resonate and feel with them. So they have to build that from something and they don’t understand how important it can be.
Donita
Exactly 100.
Susan
Percent fantastic. So with your brand awareness and creation, what steps do you usually take when you’re first starting to explore with a new client?
Donita
Also.
Susan
It’s.
Donita
I can’t do a bit of a different process, so before I do like like brand strategy, I first refine it, come like companies offer. So what they offer to the marketplace first. So so process is called offer refinement. So, so before we do, we brand strategy, I need to make sure that one day I should offer to marketplace makes sense to the customer. So like I go to companies where they, they haven’t even nailed down their needs. Like they don’t know who their ideal client is like they don’t. There’s no clarity behind what they offer, and there’s no point of branding if the offer is not clear for the customer. Like if the customer needs to know exactly what you. Do. And if there’s no clarity like there’s no point of marketing. Branding it. Yeah. So I do the offer. Pharmacist. Before going ahead rebranding.
Susan
That makes complete sense because if we look at what the three sees of brands are clarity, consistency and constancy that really does resonate that you really need to know what your refinement is to know where they sit in the market and in the consumer’s mind before you can even look at. What their brand should be saying?
Donita
Exactly. Exactly. Yeah, like and is actually a new process. Are reasons are doing. It was in the beginning it. Was just like. It it we started really basic like graphic design then website design and then commercial focused website design and then brand strategy was like obviously I’ve. I’m operating this business for like 4 years and I’m I’m literally learning like like it was literally an accident. So I’m learning as I go. Yep. Yeah. And like as as is go by, I realise what’s important for the cost, the customer, the clients.
Susan
And flipping that around as well makes complete sense, bringing it from the end of your process to the beginning of it would make everything else more streamlined as well for how you need things to look and feel and say.
Donita
Exactly. Exactly.
Susan
So so once you’ve defined the niche. What steps do you next take when you’re making that brand awareness piece and pulling that all together for this strategy?
Donita
OK, so after let me find the offer. So that’s that’s when I actually go straight to the brand strategy. So brand strategy just to confirm with everyone who’s listening, it’s not a logo, the logo is literally one of the last few steps. There’s a lot of steps before. That. So the first. Step in the buying process is the internal brand, which includes the mission statement, the brand values, the vision statement and like the purpose of the brand. Yeah, yeah. So we get that internal clarification first. Before, before proceeding with the positioning strategy like how a customer wants to be perceived as, are there a channel or are they a Walmart? Like really go deep into. Yeah, like how how to.
Susan
Hello, Jeanette.
Donita
Be perceived by the customer. So after we like after so after going deep with the internal brands, I will move on to the position strategy of the company. Yeah, as well as the competitive analysis like what their unique selling proposition is and also so although. The offer refinement Phase I talk about the ideal find avatar. I also refine it here in the strategy, which is called the the audience persona. Yep. Yeah. So so it’s literally. It’s it’s essentially like a client avatar, but except then you it’s literally the audience like. So when you create content, who’s the audience? How can we make them into a person so that this like like the the activities we do resonates with the audience to know?
Susan
So we love to sign. Personas are fantastic just to get that snapshot of one to three of them. That helps you look for the types of markets that they’ll be in to market to them.
Donita
Exactly because like you need to know deeply who who you’re talking to. You can’t talk to everyone, and like, not everyone’s gonna buy, so you best better off. Just. Speaking to the people who actually want to purchase from you. Yeah. So you need to go. You have to go deep into the demographics, the psychographics, the challenges. They go through their pain points, their emotional investment and like also just map out their customer journey like.
Susan
Yeah, I don’t think enough companies do customer journey mapping. I think they just assume they know. I don’t think they actually take the time to step in the customer’s shoes and see what’s actually happening.
Donita
Exactly, yeah. And like, and I think it’s mainly because people just just don’t know, like when people he he branding like even before I started branding I I just don’t always probably it’s the logo but it’s obviously more than that.
Susan
Ohh definitely. Like just thinking about things, that’s about the tone of voice. Are you gonna be cheeky? Are you gonna be very sophisticated? That’s just one piece of this big puzzle of brand, isn’t it?
Donita
Exactly 100% and like recently. Like I just worked with the clients. Her brand voice is like it’s like innocent. So like, but unfortunately before her brand voice was, it wasn’t clear who she wanted to portray it like. It wasn’t even her authentic self. Yeah, she’s trying to be someone she wasn’t. And like this big power with. It’s only up. Like your own brand voice, like brand voice, essentially who you are too. Like because obviously the the Founders values are also the brands value too. Yeah, it like it aligns.
Susan
Yeah, probably a a good example that’s quite topical. At the moment. Is Elon Musk’s takeover of Twitter and how he’s changed the logo from like I know it, but like, it’s not just the.
Susan
Ago. But he’s done all these changes internal. He’s changed a bit of what Twitter actually does now. He’s changing the logo to an X, so he’s bringing about his love of X and making that part of the personality now.
Donita
Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. So yeah, at the end of the day, obviously the founder has the big the biggest power of the company. And like, unless they, it’s like public owns. Yeah, but like. Really, the Founders values impact the entire company. Yeah, so that’s that’s very important for the founder to know, like, have clarity on the vision they plan to bring to their company because that descends everything really.
Susan
Yeah. And and. You’re 100% right. Those internal branding pieces, the mission, the value, the props and then the unique positioning they they really need to be cohesive. And work well together and that that brings me to mind of the the 5A’s of branding. So the awareness, authority, authenticity, appearance and audience you’ve talked about all of those and they have to all be included or you’re missing a piece to that puzzle.
Donita
Exactly.
Susan
You know I love, I love the collaborative approaches. If bigger organisations do all these pieces well together, because then everyone’s living the values as well within the company.
Donita
100% and your employees definitely need to be.
Susan
So.
Donita
Like. So there’s no point of branding a company if the employees are not on the same page.
Susan
Hmm.
Donita
Like, yeah, like everyone needs to be on the same page like the reason why the company. Exists. Like the employees need to know the mission statement. Because like if there’s no like purpose. Like. Like probably just probably just feel like they just working working, there’s no purpose behind working for this company. There’s no impact that they could bring. Yeah. So it’s been.
Susan
It removes that passion, doesn’t it?
Donita
Exactly. Exactly.
Susan
Yeah, yeah, I hear what you’re saying definitely is. I think one thing also companies. Could do better is.
Susan
Reminding or having it as part of the everyday language as well because. Face it, a lot of companies you learn about this when you first join as part of induction. It needs to be a part of the everyday language and part of every day work so that you’re living and breathing it too. So you actually feel like you’re part of the journey.
Donita
Exactly 100%. And of course that’s very. It’s definitely easy to implement, especially when like most companies, they always focus on like profit margins. But but the company that actually really priced this, I think they have a big future ahead of it.
Susan
Definitely and probably I I guess I haven’t going stats in front of me, but they probably have less turnover of staff too because the staff are more engaged and want to. Be part of it.
Donita
Exactly. Yeah. So like essentially you want the employee to like join like a movement just like this. This is entrepreneur called Grant Cardone. Like he’s a he’s a American entrepreneur who does mainly real estate. And he also recently started education and like the employees that. For him are really In Sync with his mission, which is. To. Build more entrepreneurs like empower them to like like 10X their efforts, their dreams, their income, everything. Yeah. So like he has done it really well with creating that vision diverseness with the employees.
Susan
Yeah, I I love that. I’ll have to check him out. Martha, send me a link after this so I can check him out. Love to see that.
Donita
I yeah, of course. Yeah, of. Course. There’s a ransom you should research that led him to him.
Susan
I love those, but I love going down those rabbit.
Donita
Holes. Yeah. Yeah. Been to a lot of rabbit holes. So if we go.
Susan
Back to your client engagement. So part of your strategy is going through the discovery. Phase. So you start talking about the tone, finding out how to find their authentic self. What other things do you do when you’re talking to the client about trying to engage them in the branding so it actually is authentic?
Donita
And to me, it’s kind of complicated because like, it’s like I go through a certain process, but just naturally when I work with people, I make them really comfortable. I do I I do. And just telling people more comfortable with me based on my experience and they can’t tell that even their darkest secrets. So, so, so far.
Susan
Nice.
Donita
I have no problem with like making them comfortable, but I also give them like before working with me. I do tell them like a like a disclaimer or something. Say just be your authentic self. Tell me everything. I’m here to help you. I’m not gonna like, say, your dream. Yeah. Yeah. I’m not gonna be judgmental. I want you to tell you everything. Like your dreams. Like. Yeah, and I. Really.
Susan
Judge yeah.
Donita
Uh. Just said them. I said that anything is literally possible and I it is literally possible.
Donita
Like for me, like I’ve been through a lot of challenges, but that didn’t stop me from progressing forward. I just keep on just pursuing and like. Yeah, so, but what seems impossible in the beginning. But when you do it, it’s actually not as impossible as people think it. Is.
Susan
So it’s bite sized pieces isn’t.
Donita
Yeah, exactly. Yeah. So I think mindset for any like client fulfilment process. Like you have to make sure the client is in the same mindset like the the good mindset. Of yours? Yeah, yeah.
Susan
Wanting to grow and prove and make their business the big as it can.
Donita
Be I love it. Exactly. Exactly.
Susan
So if you’ve done all this, I’m gonna go on a bit of a a a tangent here. You’re pulling together now. A brief of all of this information. How did they look? Do you do it just in writing? Do you do you image boards? Do you put it into a PowerPoint? What’s your process on reflecting it back once you’ve pulled it all together and actually demonstrating where it could go?
Donita
Also, what I usually do is like once I’ve done all the brand strategy, I collected all the data I put it into like a brand guidelines document. So this is literally like a marketing plan, but it’s for branding. Yeah. So I I summarised all the information from the audience persona to the mission statement to the mission statement. To their storytelling framework like it’s literally a summary of what we call it. So the the idea is that they use it whenever they do a marketing like content.
Donita
So that the branding is in like In Sync with the marketing. Yeah. So everything’s consistent. So there’s no point of having like a marketing strategy and brand strategy that like they do not work together. So yeah, and it’s all about consistency at the end of the day.
Susan
Exactly. So, because I’d love that you provide an actual toolkit for them that can be used anywhere, whether it’s marketing, internal documents, probably even just general signage around the place too for that consistency. And then they can put it into their comms plan or anywhere else that they’re utilising their branding.
Donita
Exactly. Exactly. Yeah. And I think I also for for them to be be also like obviously when you give a document sometimes loses electronic people just they don’t they don’t really that model way to use it or my way through it so why do it So what I do with my clients is I I send them a physical.
Susan
Yeah.
Donita
Copy of the bank guidelines books.
Susan
Oh, I love that. That’s that’s.
Donita
Yes, yes. So they have physical one, it’s more motivating.
Susan
Yeah, yeah, it’s one.
Donita
Yes, yes.
Susan
One of those things I think is a lost peace now is the physical tactile. I still send physical Christmas cards and.
Donita
Exactly.
Susan
I almost get a response back from everybody when they receive it in the mail because they don’t do that anymore, so it definitely is that way to cut through and for them to always have. It on hand as well.
Donita
Exactly, exactly. And I think obviously I’m I’m doing like a essentially intentional business like most of my clients are not domestic and it’s very hard to like build a long term relationship without that physical interaction. So sending like physical, yeah, the physical gifts really help.
Susan
It’s that reminder. Yeah, it’s that, that reminder all the time, isn’t it?
Donita
Yeah, exactly 100%.
Susan
Wonderful. Now, is there any final pieces about branding that you’d like to share with us?
Donita
The only thing I want to say is the so so once I do the offer refinements then the brand strategy, there are a few other steps that. I go through. So after the brand strategy does, why do the marketing strategy? Yeah, so go deep dive into that. So like choose like if it’s if it’s, if it’s digital or is it like like a physical business like? Really. Hold. Hold on that. So what’s the market strategy for both formats? And then and then after the market strategy, that’s when I do the website design and search engine optimization.
Donita
Yeah. And then after that, the last solution when I do that show like, you know like print or digital material design like your brochures, Flyers.
Susan
Yeah. Any other assets that they might?
Donita
Right. Yeah. So that’s that’s oops. I’m so yeah, that’s literally the process of what I go through.
Susan
Now I love Dan. Thank you so much for sharing that cause. It’s it’s one piece to do the work. That’s where it now fits in. So you do have to plan ahead for time to be able to update websites. Do materials even think about how the. If you do happen to change what your messaging is, how that might impact SEO. So 100%, they’re definitely things for the consideration post creating a brand strategy to ensure that you are that the clarity that consistency. So it’s constantly always going to be the same and it is authentic to.
Donita
Exactly 100%.
Susan
Well, fantastic. Thank you so much for your time today, Danita. I really appreciate it, but I have one final question for you.
Donita
Because of this.
Susan
If you and any brand, any brand at all, what would it be to best represent you and why?
Donita
Ohh OK, that’s a bit of a.
Susan
It can be what you feel like today. You can change tomorrow.
Donita
That it’s it’s it’s a deep question for. Sure. I mean, the first thing that came into mind, I mean it’s not really related to what I’m actually doing, but the for his name. I’m actually going for you. Look it up.
Susan
Google’s your best. Friend. Ohh yeah.
Donita
Oh. OK, got it. So the brand that I would like to like, kind of like model is the Fred Hollows Foundation.
Donita
UM. It’s mainly because like I’m I I really like charity, but I like even when I had no. Money. Like I I do want to help people and I like. I even dreamed of like when I was small to build houses for the homeless. So I always liked helping people and this foundation. That helps people mainly. Like I’m giving them the eye sights. Yeah. Doing. Yeah. And like, so far, that has been really true to my heart. And that’s something I would like to replicate with my business. Like, even if I’m doing website design, I I do want to have the charity component.
Susan
I love that. I love it that it’s. So is it might to me represent you very well because. No eyesight, then suddenly having eyesight, so having no brand and now suddenly having a brand and flourishing, and how to do? Things. I see that as a really nice synergy there.
Donita
Yeah, yeah, that’s that’s cool. I picked that up. Like like I I did not. See the connection before.
Susan
No, no, it’s it’s a very worthy charity, yeah. You’ve done so. Much good and a lot of those underprivileged countries.
Donita
And what’s interesting was it was founded by Australian eye surgeon Alfred. Those. Yes. Yeah, yeah, yeah. You know, so I think that’s probably one reason how I found out about the foundation cause I think I may have got leaflets.
Donita
And I and I have donated in the past year, so it now motivates me to like continue donating and like supporting the.
Susan
Cause. Yeah, that’s good. Something close to your heart as well I love.
Susan
You thank you so much for your time Donita. We’ve learned so much from you. From when? From not just jumping straight into brand strategy, instead taking a step back with the client and doing an offer refinement piece. Then, as part of Discovery, going through and finding the authentic voice. Also looking at how internal documents are created to support the brand through the Vision mission statements value and also the purpose. And through this you then look at positioning strategy, competitive strategy and how the brand can actually stand. Out by being unique. And that’s not where it ends. From that the brain strategy is then created. But after this you have to use it. So again, you took us through those steps about how to bring it into the marketing strategy, your website SEO and any other marketing assets and making sure it’s consistent, concise and very much so authentic to the voice that. That founder, in the case of a Smee, is wanting to actually feel so. Thank you again so much. I really appreciate your time. Yeah. And I’d like to ask anyone else, please make sure to follow more to marketing and I’ll put some links on the podcast. So you can follow Donita as well. And don’t forget her business is needle forward.com. I’ll have that link in. There as well for you too.
Donita
Thanks so much, Susan.
Susan
More to marketing.
