Branding: Stop Ignoring These Essential Steps

In this episode of Marketing That POPs, join Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson of ThrivePOP as they discuss building a compelling and consistent brand identity. Together, they talk about the use of taglines, how to develop your brand’s personality, and when to initiate a rebrand.

Michele Ringelberg is the Owner and CEO of ThrivePOP, a digital marketing agency specializing in the cannabis, technology, and manufacturing industries. As a certified Hubspot Gold Partner, a Google Ad Certified Partner, and a WBENC-Certified woman business owner, she helps B2B and B2C businesses scale by implementing marketing tactics that generate leads and traffic. Michele also volunteers for the National Cannabis Industry Association’s (NCIA) Marketing & Advertising Committee, where she educates business owners about marketing in the cannabis industry.

Olivia Johnson is the Director of Marketing and Content Strategy at ThrivePOP. She began as a Digital Traffic Manager and has been with the company for five years. Before ThrivePOP, Olivia was a Project Coordinator at 40 VISUALS, where she managed new business development and project timelines.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn: 

• [2:21] How beginning with a mission statement helps shape a brand’s identity
• [4:00] Strategies for developing your brand’s personality
• [6:30] Creating a strong visual identity with logos, color palettes, and typography
• [12:34] The impact of taglines and how to strengthen your brand voice
• [16:17] Why maintaining brand consistency is crucial
• [19:48] When and how to rebrand your visual and messaging components

In this episode…

Branding can make or break a business, yet many brands aren’t consistent with their efforts. From unclear messaging and a contradictory identity to inconsistent visuals, these gaps can leave potential customers confused or disengaged. How can businesses craft a brand that stands out and builds trust and recognition?

Branding experts Olivia Johnson and Michele Ringelberg outline key steps to developing a strong brand foundation. Brands should begin with a mission statement, vision, and core values to shape the brand’s identity before diving into design. When developing your brand design, Michele and Olivia suggest creating cohesive logos, typography, and color palettes to strengthen brand recognition. Maintaining a consistent brand voice and communication is crucial, so businesses should tailor their messaging for various platforms while maintaining a unified tone.

In this episode of Marketing That POPs, join Michele Ringelberg and Olivia Johnson of ThrivePOP as they discuss building a compelling and consistent brand identity. Together, they talk about the use of taglines, how to develop your brand’s personality, and when to initiate a rebrand.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Michele Ringelberg on LinkedIn
• Olivia Johnson on LinkedIn
• ThrivePOP
• ThrivePOP website checklist 
• ThrivePOP brand voice template

Quotable Moments:

• “You have to start with your mission statement… before you start to decide visually how you’re going to display yourself.”
• “You want them to feel like somebody's just talking to you… that it’s not all fluff.”
• “Having the different options for your logo… there’s so many times we’ve run into ‘this doesn’t fit here.’”
• “If you are going through like a rebrand… [ask] how can I demonstrate my brand’s commitment?”
• “You really have to think about it when it comes to branding… that’s why we love it.”

Action Steps:

1. Define your brand’s mission and values: Establishing a clear mission and set of core values helps create a strong foundation for branding. When customers and employees understand what a brand stands for, it fosters trust, loyalty, and a consistent identity.
2. Ensure brand consistency across platforms: Keeping a uniform visual identity, tone of voice, and messaging across social media, websites, and physical stores builds recognition. When customers see a cohesive brand presence, they are more likely to remember and engage with it.
3. Adapt your brand messaging for different audiences: While maintaining consistency, tailoring your communication for various platforms and audiences ensures relevance. A social media post may have a more casual tone, while a formal publication should reflect professionalism and authority.
4. Monitor your brand’s performance and perception: Regularly reviewing audience feedback, website analytics, and customer engagement metrics can help identify areas for improvement. Understanding how the brand is perceived allows for timely adjustments to stay relevant and effective.
5. Consider a brand refresh when necessary: Evolving industry trends and customer expectations may require updates to your logo, colors, or messaging. A well-timed brand refresh can signal growth and modernization without losing brand identity.

Sponsor for this episode...

This episode is brought to you by ThrivePOP, the #1 cannabis marketing agency for B2B and B2C companies. 

We are a women-led team of strategists, graphic designers, social media specialists, and web developers who work with dispensaries and cannabis service businesses to implement marketing strategies in a regulated industry. 

ThrivePOP creates unique marketing campaigns to inspire, create, and grow cannabis-focused businesses.

To learn more, visit https://thrivepop.com/ or book a meeting with a dedicated marketing strategist at https://thrivepop.com/contact-us.