BRANDING

Beyond issuing style guides, monitoring the tone of voice used in social media and reprimanding stakeholders for incorrect use of a logo, through my career I’ve learned that branding is really about what you promise to the customer, and how this effort is communicated as consistently as possible, over as many touch-points as available to you. 

A great way to fully immerse yourself in the world of branding is in a rebrand, an exercise that requires comprehensive knowledge of where a brand has been, and the journey it needs to take customers on to arrive at where it is currently, a rewarding process that I've been fortunate enough to work through in several instances. 

Each branding project has delivered unique learning, but it’s clear to me that in retail, experience with brand is foundational. 

Content 

There is no industry more thirsty for content than retail, and no industry more fertile ground for interesting, engaging and relevant content.

Content marketing truly allows brands to connect with their consumers. However, in a competitive retail environment, it can be difficult to balance commercial interests with the increasing need to be an influential platform and fostering a place for customers to input and engage. 

In my professional experience the sweet spot in finding balance is careful planning, with a dash of sparkly spontaneous reactivity (also planned in). Working with key influencers and bloggers I’ve learned a lot about developing a genuine and engaging brand story within a transactional framework. From developing in-house magazines, to successful user-generated programs, development of a blog and video content, it continues to be an area where professional growth is required on a daily basis.  

EcomMerce 

My knowledge has grown with my experience, which now includes managing segmented email marketing programs, from planning to execution and maximizing in-store on on-site data capture to develop a greater understanding of the customer to ensure all communications to optimized for relevance. This ensures prospective and existing online customers have a great brand experience, and will continue to be influenced with relevant and persuasive messages.