It’s no secret that the power of a brand can make all the difference in the world of marketing. When people think of Apple, they think of clean, sleek and innovative designs. When you think of Wendy’s, its smart and clever Twitter account has become the high water mark for how brands should interact with their base. But what happens when you’re a smaller brand still building your message? How do you go about finding your base and voice?

“We can talk about the quality of the food and the antibiotic-free chicken. We can talk about our made-from-scratch Southern sides. We can talk about that hospitality experience. We want you to feel like a guest when you’re [at Joella’s]. And we thought that was just the bigger play to help educate people around hot chicken and also have a little bit more of that broader appeal. So we’re not just that destination to come try hot chicken once we get the hottest thing. We want to develop customers that love our flavor and love our experience and want to continue to come back to us for more.”

Those are the words of Katie Wollrich, the CMO of Joella’s Hot Chicken, and on this episode of Marketing Trends, she dives into the importance of messaging and understanding where your brands live within the marketplace and in the minds of consumers. Plus, Katie provides insights on how marketers who are accepting their first CMO position, can hit the ground running.

Main Takeaways:

• Be Our Guest: When your brand is regional and not national, it’s important to recognize the impact of being a community partner. This means putting more of a focus on understanding the impact local public relations can have on your brand. Being able to partner with local organizations and then using those partnerships as opportunities are important when it comes to brand awareness.
• Building Up Your Brand: When it comes to developing your brand’s message, finding your voice doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, you need to be methodical and opportunistic with your approach. Keep your message simple and consistent. Start with gathering strong strategic insights and then reiterate that same message over and over again.
• Rewarding Loyalty: One of the best ways to get to know your customers and to understand them is through loyalty programs. Not only are you consistently rewarding your guests when they come into the store, but the data you are gathering from those visits is far more valuable. When you have a better understanding of your customer, who they are, and what drives their purchases, it provides a better chance to reach them in the moments that matter most.

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