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Kate Fox Introduction – Filming

Kate Fox introduction picture

Introducing Kate Fox and the business, our killer sentence and a case study.

Please have a listen and see if this resonates with your business requirements.

If you listen to the end, it then goes into other recent films about ‘My Why’, ‘Things you don’t know about me’ and ‘Things maybe you should’.

Kate fox image
Kate Fox
Kate Fox

“Design adds value & we’re here to help businesses improve & strengthen their market communication & message.”

Established in 2008, FGDM work with a diverse range of businesses to help them improve their market image involving branding, digital, animation/video, websites, direct marketing, exhibitions, marketing material designed to build and bolster brands.

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Integrating your brand into social media

talk with social media and branding
talk with social media and branding

Integrating your branding into your social media

Talk with Rebecca Bate (Becs) - Social Media Executive

Becs asked me to talk on her YouTube and Face Book live page all about Branding and Social Media – her blog and links are here and below. 

You can view the video here – https://youtu.be/Mzor3-59hvA

I was delighted to speak with Kate Fox from Fox Graphics Design & Marketing today. Kate literally lives and breathes her brand and reaps the rewards – I’m so excited to share with you her branding tips so you too can reap the rewards! Stay tuned to find out how to build your business brand on social media.

Kate really is a fantastic advocate for branding. It’s no surprise that she was wearing a red jumper and was sat in a red chair – after all red, grey and black are her brand colours!

Before we look at her top tips on how to integrate branding into your social media, here’s some information about Kate.

Kate didn’t start out as a graphic designer – quite the opposite. She gained a plethora of business knowledge by working in the hospitality and recruitment sector both here in the UK and overseas. When she arrived in her mid to late thirties Kate’s life changed; she divorced, had a young child and underwent surgery with a 2 year recovery period ahead of her. Going back to the work she once knew no longer fitted in with her future plans.

Realising that whichever path she was to take, Kate needed to learn about computing. After one year in training and the completion of a psychometric test it became clear that she had a future in graphic design, but to get there meant gaining more qualifications. Kate was determined to make this happen and graduated from the Manchester Met University with a first class degree in graphic design.

Branding: Kate’s epiphany

Kate gets branding – she understands it so completely. It is her world, not just her business.

Kate launched Fox Graphics Design and Marketing back in 2008 and since then has been working with some amazing businesses who have seen great results from investing in their brand.

Fox tips – “treat people as you would like to be treated”

Branding tips for social media are below

Branding: the origins

When you think of the words ‘to brand’, you might think about the branding of cows. And you’d be right! This is exactly where the word originates from.

Cows belonging to the same farmer are all stamped with the same branding, so they are instantly recognisable as belonging to a certain farm. The same goes for a business’ branding – it must be recognisable and distinct.

Consistency

Branding is more than a logo. It should make the customer feel a certain way, it must capture what you do, why you do it and how you do it. It consists of images, content, colours, language and a tone of voice.

To make branding work it MUST be consistent, and everyone associated with it must be on board with it. When branding is done right, the person seeing it will associate it with you and your business. It’s a bit like someone’s signature.

And if you ever wonder what does a good social media brand look like, check out Kate’s website and her social media. You will see consistency is king!

The killer sentence: your marketing message

This is Kate’s killer sentence, the one that is used across all of her social media platforms, her website and used by all of her team – it’s one of the key ingredients which makes Kate’s social media brand strategy so successful. This is how Fox Graphics Design and Marketing is to be seen and remembered.

Branding tips for social media

1. Get yourself a killer sentence and use it across all of your social media platforms and have it at the front of your mind when you are working on your social media marketing – always use the same words. It should consist of three parts: the problem you are solving, how you rid your customers of this pain and what the outcome is for them.

If you don’t want to use a killer sentence, you can consider having an image that reflects all of this. The important thing is to have consistency in your key message.

Use it on your LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook profiles and display it visually on the background headers. And think about how it looks on a mobile phone when your profile picture may hide a part of it.

Branding and social media when managed to the max will get you ahead of the game!

2. Remember that you represent your brand. Make sure that your profile picture reflects who you are perfectly and highlights your personality, it should be clear, have a neutral background, your eyes should be looking into the camera and you should be smiling. It’s worth investing in a good picture – this is something that shouldn’t be rushed – simply sticking up a picture you have on your phone isn’t going to be good enough.
You can do what Kate does and show up wearing your brand colours and decorate your office in them too to reinforce your brand, even when you are on a video call.3. Your company pages are a fantastic place to put your branding. Kate says that putting your branding in your company’s profile is a must, it’s the optimum place to put your logo, key message and to showcase your voice, ethics and the benefits of your products and/or service. The message is not about selling, it’s about telling your network why they will benefit from connecting or working with you. Another great place to use your key message is on the featured posts on LinkedIn. These are the posts that sit with your profile, so when a potential customer goes to your profile to learn more about you, they will get an immediate sense of who you are and what you do.

A superb tip to try is ask some of your friends to describe your brand using only single words. These are the words you should look to include in your key message. And, if your friends don’t give you the words you are expecting to see, you are probably best reviewing what your current message is as it’s clearly not hitting the right notes.

4. When you use an image with your social media posts, place your logo and your website address on them. This provides consistency, and if you can have a template using your band colours, this can be used for testimonials too.

5. Videos and animation are great for social media and really worth investing in. Social media platforms are loving these at the moment and they really do get fantastic engagement results. Check out the animations Kate uses across all of her social media platforms and on her website: Follow The Fox. 

Kate is also in the process of producing a video too where she talks for 90 seconds about the who, why and how of her business. This will really pop out and influence the viewer to keep watching. The video will show Kate talking, the fox logo at the front of her studio, her killer sentence and have a strong call to action.

6. Think about your colour. Place this colour in the front of all of your customers and use it consistently.

If you’d like to see more of Kate’s work or to get in touch with her please head to her stunning website.

I do hope that you have enjoyed reading these branding tips for social media 2020. You may also be interested in Kate’s 2 day workshop which also includes a one hour 1-2-1 deep dive Marketing Strategy for your business. (The workshops last for 90 minutes over zoom). The cost of this investment is £300 plus VAT and more details can be viewed here Brand Strategy Workshop

If you have been inspired to apply your new skills and want to change the way your social media is done I have a blog that will help you get started Top Tips for Social Media Content 2020.

Check out all the blogs/video’s and Becs website here – https://socialmediaexec.co.uk/integrating-your-branding-into-your-social-media/

kate@foxgraphicsdesign.co.uk

mobile: 07927 131600



Kate Fox
Kate Fox

“Design adds value & we’re here to help businesses improve & strengthen their market communication & message.”

Established in 2008, FGDM work with a diverse range of businesses to help them improve their market image involving branding, digital, animation/video, websites, direct marketing, exhibitions, marketing material designed to build and bolster brands.

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Brand, or fail

Kate fox image
Graphic Design

Brand, or fail

Branding is the very essence of your business.

Too harsh? Perhaps. But the sentiment remains. Branding is everything. Use design, or as David Kester, former chief executive of the Design Council, argues, ‘risk failure.’

Sure, you can whip up a logo on Canva, or pay Fiverr some loose change to make it for you. But don’t be fooled: a pretty logo is not a brand strategy.

Branding is the very essence of your business. It is not tangible; it is who you are and what you do. Design, typography, tone of voice, colour – branding is the full package, and encompasses every aspect of your business. Done right, and it can be your most powerful income-generating tool.

This week, the team here at Fox Graphics Design and Marketing have joined forces to explain why branding is the very foundation of business success.

Fox tips – “treat people as you would like to be treated”

Get under their skin

Every client’s business is unique. Clever branding will not only allow you to be heard above the noise, it will clearly differentiate your position within today’s saturated market.

The process starts by discovering your USPs. What really sets you apart from your competitors? When uncovering your core values, we advise clients to select four words which encompass their ethos. With these four pillars in place, the foundation is set for an impactful brand strategy.

Branding conjures curiosity, and speaks to your customers before they even receive services or goods. So branding should be awarded the time it deserves and requires. It is essential that the strategy is holistic, structured and comprehensive. The final brand package should authenticate your business, and constantly repeat and reinforce your values. If your branding is forever changing, customer loyalty is affected and you decrease your chances of gaining repeat customers. 

A picture is worth a thousand words

Your logo sits on all of your communications, from your social platforms to your marketing materials. It is your primary graphic, so you have to love it. To believe in it, and be proud of it.

The impact of your logo supports brand recognition. Your customers should associate your logo with a feeling or promise synonymous with your business. Remember, trust equates to loyalty, and loyalty generates sales.

Many businesses want to rush ahead and quickly create a logo. But this can leave you walking a rocky path ahead. A new logo will not miraculously define or redefine your brand. So although it is tempting to begin the design process straight away, take stock and focus first on discovering the true essence of your brand.

Here at Fox, we know the transformative impact branding can have on your mindset. When you look the part, you feel the part. If you have faith in your branding, you can be confident in charging what you are worth.

Trust Fox

Established in 2008, Fox Graphics and Marketing add a personal touch to branding. Fox will ensure that you stand out from the crowd and achieve a branding package you can be truly proud of.

With a powerful, multi-sector portfolio, we are known for our client-centred approach to branding. So if you are just starting out in business, or you have lost your sense of direction, trust our specialist team to listen, understand, interpret and deliver.

The Fox team are a family and we endeavour to support as many businesses as we can. Through our Fox Networking events, we introduce like-minded colleagues, building a community based on trust, support and connection. (Our tea and cake trays are not too bad either.)

We also host our increasingly popular Brand Strategy Workshops for clients across Greater Manchester and Cheshire. Described by a recent attendee as ‘inspirational’, this is an essential course for both start-ups and those considering a rebrand. With only a select number of attendees, we are able to work closely with each representative to discover the beating heart of their business. Leave feeling refreshed, motivated and ready to implement your new marketing strategy.

If you are ready to build and bolster your brand, call one of the Fox team on 01625 468038, and let’s begin.

Many thanks and Good Luck!

kate@foxgraphicsdesign.co.uk

mobile: 07927 131600

Kate fox image
Kate Fox
Kate Fox

“Design adds value & we’re here to help businesses improve & strengthen their market communication & message.”

Established in 2008, FGDM work with a diverse range of businesses to help them improve their market image involving branding, digital, animation/video, websites, direct marketing, exhibitions, marketing material designed to build and bolster brands.