The Expert Storytellers for Passionate Brands
At Laurel Leaf Studios, it starts with the story. Work with our expert brand consultants to identify the story you have to share. Then, we’ll help you use the medium suited to reach your audience. From advertisements to YouTube, we will evaluate all the options available to you and create the plan that will help you get the word out.
Digital Media
According to the Pew Research Center, 77% of adults in America own smartphones. If your story isn’t being shared online, you’re missing huge opportunities for engagement. In addition to the huge opportunity for engagement, digital platforms provide an easy way for your audience to buy in. From signing up to email blasts to online shopping, more “opt-ins” occur online than ever did before.
The beauty of a digital first strategy is that a lot of attention can be generated for very little money. For the cost of your time and using someone’s smart phone, you can have a product video. The digital age has opened many doors for small businesses and nonprofits to reach a significant audience for very little monetary investment.
Our Platforms
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram: “The Big 3” in social media. Should you be cultivating a following on these platforms? Do you need to use all of them? Are there other platforms you should be using in addition to The Big 3?
Also, what should you be sharing? How often? Should you be selling through these platforms? We can help you identify the answers to these questions as they apply to your brand.
You have a website. Or maybe you don’t! Either way, are you portraying your brand in the best possible way online?
What is the best platform for your website? Should you have a professional website administrator? How much information should you be sharing on your website? Should your pricing be available online? Are you at a disadvantage if you don’t have a website? (Hint: yes.) We will help you figure out what you need to do to create and maintain a helpful web presence.
“A blog? What am I, a foodie?” Well, maybe! A blog is not what it used to be. When people started creating “web-logs” in the mid-nineties, they had a lot of stupid information on them. However, as the digital world has evolved, so have blogs.
A blog gives your brand an opportunity to have an opinion, voice and influence. If you blog regularly, you can share things like product updates, “news you can use,” helpful tips and tricks, information to related products/services and, yes, maybe you share a favorite restaurant in order to show off your personality.
We can help you put together a content marketing strategy and schedule.
“Integrations” is a term I use for “other stuff you need.” Do you need to accept payments online? We’ll add the integration to your website or social media account. Do you have multiple locations? Let’s put something on your website to help people find the location nearest to them. Also, we can help you set up Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, affiliate programs, email marketing, lead magnets, and more.
In addition to the technical integrations, we will help you integrate your story into every part of your marketing plan. Are you adding a new section to your website? Let’s write a post about it. Are you starting a Facebook Group for your VIP customers? Let’s blog about it! In order to communicate effectively, you need to communicate cohesively.
“Content” is such a buzzword that it has all but lost its meaning. What we will help you with is value creation. From how-to videos to downloadable PDFs or features guides, you might need some pieces to complement your products or services.
For example, if you want someone’s email address to send coupons and announcements, you will need to give them something. You can give them a PDF of “The 7 Things You Need to Know About X.” Alternatively, you could send them a video or a printable guide or access to something completely different.
We can help you create these assets that will help your customers or potential customers fall in love with you and, ultimately, purchase.
Other Media
We are not naive enough to think that a digital campaign will be 100% effective. So, we will help you identify the other kinds of things you can be doing to reach your audience.
A fair warning: we believe that most of your marketing budget should be spent on digital media. We are more than happy to explain why we think this, and if you don’t agree, we will not be offended. However, please don’t ask us to create a campaign for you that is not 51% or more digital. That won’t be a good fit for you or for us, and we just want to do right by you.
That being said, “other media” can be a very valuable addition to your marketing program. Here are a few things we might suggest for other media.
Other Media
Pens are the exact opposite of a digital-first campaign. However, how many pens do you have with no logo on them? Items like pens, sticky note pads, USB sticks, coffee mugs and more are physical reminders of you. Leaving a pen or note pad with a decision maker has a profound and unconscious effect on their decision process. All other things equal, people remember what they see multiple times. And, hopefully that’s your logo pen on their desk.
With digital ads being the new, shiny thing, a lot of publishers are making great deals for print ads. Your local paper or an industry magazine could get your ad in front of a lot of eyes for a lot less than many websites.
We can help you identify where a few dollars should be spent on print ads and help you track the return on investment you get from this part of the campaign.
Brochures, business cards, postcards, direct mailers, appointment reminder cards, educational literature, and more. Customers and prospective customers would like to have something physical to look through, whether they’re waiting for their meeting/appointment or if they’re trying to make a decision. There is something comforting about physically turning pages when you’re making a hard decision. Also, putting an appointment reminder card on the fridge helps people keep their appointments more often.