Amber Bailey has a Bachelor of Science in Communications from the University of North Florida and a Master of Fine Arts from Jacksonville University. She is dedicated to providing the latest information and trends in business branding and marketing.
The team at HC Brands celebrates any opportunity to give back to the Jacksonville community! For the 2021 holiday season, HC Brands employees supported Englewood high school students in need by partnering with Communities in Schools of Jacksonville.
“The Winter Wishes program gives us the chance to work with underprivileged and at risk teens in the local community,” says Sonia Postema, Chief People Officer.
HC Brands team members excitedly purchased gifts and donated money to brighten the holiday season for 10 teens, and on December 15th, HC Brands joined the Englewood students and instructors on a virtual meeting!
9 of 10 Winter Wishes Recipients
Englewood students, such as 11th graders Jacob McKinnon and April Perez shrilled with glee as they opened their gifts. When teachers announced that lunch would also be served, purchased with funds donated by HC Brands employees, students were extra excited!
Here is the highlight reel from the 2021 Winter Wishes program:
Jacob Shows off One of His Winter Wishes GiftsApril Shows Her Unique Anime Gift
Employees from other HC Brands facilities located in Austin, Texas, Salem, Massachusetts and West Chester, Pennsylvania also donated money to support Winter Wishes!
We collected $650 in addition to a room full of gifts! We used this money to purchase additional individual gifts, stocking stuffers for all the students, and also bought their holiday lunch. I love that we were able to spend time with the older students. I feel like high school is tumultuous and it’s easy to forget how much these students need love and attention, says Sonia Postema.
HC Brands has also worked with Communities in Schools of Jacksonville for school supply donations, and looks forward to a continued partnership! Along with programs like Winter Wishes, HC Brands also supports the Jacksonville Humane Society, Her Song, Rethreaded, and Haiti 180.
A philanthropic pulse is at the heart of our company values, and we strive to make a difference in the Jacksonville community, says CEO Bryan Croft.
Congratulations to Grant Smith at the University of Nebraska, Lincoln for being the first recipient of the new yearly HC Brands Scholarship!
In 2020, we established the HC Brands Education Committee and Educational Program which consists of four paid internships, and a yearly scholarship. This year, a proud Nebraska Husker, Grant Smith, was selected because of the inspirational scholarship essay he wrote! In his essay, Grant not only explained why the scholarship would help him continue his studies in marketing and business, he also applied his goals to the HC Brands Core Values.
At HC Brands, we live by these values: Passion, Curiosity, Collaboration, Accountability, Grit and Winning. Grant’s essay proved that he also strives to live by these values!
“HC Brands has an impressive willingness to pay their success forward. I feel blessed and honored to be given this opportunity,” says Grant.
Jan. 5 2021: HC Brands Awards First Scholarship
If you are interested in applying for the HC Brands scholarship, or one of our internships, learn more by clicking the following links:
HC Brands Hosts Winter Wishes Virtual Event for 10 Terry Parker Students
HC Brands partners with Communities in Schools of Jacksonville to bring smiles to the faces of ten local high school students. Through Communities in Schools’ Winter Wishes program, nearly 30 HC Brands employees purchased gifts for the students. The students, Communities in Schools CEO and staff, and HC Brands team joined a virtual meeting where the kids opened their gifts. “It’s been a pleasure to organize this event and help these students have a special holiday,” says event organizer and HC Brands employee, Amber Bailey.
The staff and students wore masks and joined the virtual meeting from their own computers. The students received a range of gifts, including a new TV, Air Jordan sneakers, virtual music lessons, and necessities like clothing and bed sheets.
“HC Brands, for the more than 65 years of its operations, has had many Terry Parker alumni help us grow our company, including its owners. It’s great to give back to the local community and help kids in need,” says Bryan Croft, Owner and CEO of HC Brands.
The partnership with Communities in Schools is just one of many relationships that HC brands has with the Jacksonville community. “Giving back is one of our core disciplines, and a philanthropic pulse will always be at the heart of our company,” says Croft.
In September, HC Brands also organized a back to school drive for Communities in Schools of Jacksonville.
About Communities in Schools
Since 1990, Communities in Schools of Jacksonville has helped more than 110,000 students. Many of their students face serious challenges, from hunger to homelessness. The Communities in Schools staff works inside and outside the classroom to help these students find new paths to success through case management, literacy tutoring, and afterschool programs.
About HC Brands
Since 1954, HC Brands, formerly Holmes Stamp & Sign, has provided essential business products to Jacksonville, FL, but in recent years has grown into a leading ecommerce provider of personalized products ranging from stamps to tumblers. Headquartered in Jacksonville, FL, with 10 web stores and additional distribution centers in Austin, TX, and Salem, MA, HC Brands continues to expand. Visit www.hcbrands.com for more information.
HC Brands represents six core values: Passion, Grit, Winning, Collaboration, Accountability and Curiosity. Every day, the HC Brands team strives to excel at these values, and now we’re offering students the chance to grow with us! As part of our spirit of philanthropy and giving, we’ve now expanded our business to include an Education Department. Education at HC Brands includes a yearly scholarship awarded to one winning essay writer, and four unique paid internship opportunities!
The HC Brands Scholarship
Each year in January, HC Brands will award a $1,000 scholarship to one communications or marketing student (or similar determined by HC Brands). This scholarship is open to all US Citizens, and will be awarded to the winning essay of 1,000 – 1,200 words. Visit our scholarship page for more information and how to apply.
HC Brands Internships
Individuals looking to gain real, hands-on experience in their field of interest can now do it here at HC Brands! We’re excited to announce that we’ve established four paid internship opportunities! We have welcomed interns in the past, but with an established program, application process, and devoted Education Team, we will be able to offer the best experience possible to those looking for real experience and the chance to contribute to a growing eCommerce business.
Marketing and SEO – The marketing internship, open to one student from June to August each year, will provide real experience in SEO, product copywriting, reporting, PPC, social media, marketplaces like Etsy and Jane, and more. Marketing students will finish the internship program with real experience that will bolster his or her resume, including use of programs like Google Analytics, aHrefs, and Magento. The marketing internship is lead by Senior SEO Manager, Amber Bailey and Vice President of Digital Marketing, Chris Warren. Any passionate writer, data analyst or social media wiz will thrive on this fun and energetic team.
Technology – The Tech team, lead by Chief Technology and Marketing Officer, Jim Gruhn, gives tech students the chance to define and write new business requirements, test new software, and to be a real contributor to the essential technical aspects of an eCommerce company. Technology interns will learn JQuery, HTML, CSS, rich javascript and much more! “We’re looking for builders,” says Jim, “those who are ready to come in and build with us,” he says.
Finance – Students who are passionate about numbers will thrive under Controller Erin Poirer’s leadership. “Our finance interns will gain practical experience in the constantly growing field of finance and eCommerce,” says Erin. Any individual interested in, or pursuing a degree in finance or accounting can apply for this summer internship that will be available from June to August each year. Finance interns will be posting transactions, generating a wide variety of reports, creating and updating budgets, and analyzing financial data.
Manufacturing and Customer Care – Under the leadership of Chief Operating Officer Lee Pinkerton, manufacturing and customer care interns will learn a wide range of skills. From Lean six sigma, operations, purchasing and planning to customer service, interns will learn eCommerce operations from top to bottom, and take away real skills that will help build their careers. Dates are flexible from February to August, and we welcome more than one intern during this time frame. Each internship will last 8-9 weeks, and will expose students to the bustling order fulfillment and customer focus atmosphere of a growing eCommerce company.
About Our Past Interns:
Liam Hoffecker, Operations and Marketing student at Indiana University
Liam, Operations Intern 2018 and 2020
The ideal internship program is designed to help students cultivate real job experience, but HC Brands provides much more than that. “The people are friendly and always willing to help,” says Liam Hoffecker, a second-time intern at HC Brands. Liam is a sophomore at IU, majoring in Operations Management and Marketing, and during his second internship at HC Brands, he completed three major projects that provide real value to the company, including a fulfillment center staffing model and customer service performance report. He also assisted in production, making and shipping product and gaining an understanding of what real eCommerce looks like at all phases.
In the summer of 2018, before his senior year of high school, Liam joined HC Brands as a Marketing intern. He gained experience in Ebay and Amazon marketing, and received training in Search Engine Optimization, photo editing and Magento.
“I felt welcomed at HC Brands, and I got to do meaningful things that left an impact on me,” says Liam.
HC Brands works with students of all ages. From hosting a yearly elementary school field trip, and back-to-school drives, to helping high school and college students build their resumes and gain real work experience, HC Brands is passionate about education.
Matthew Joseph, Business student at Indiana University
Matthew, Marketing Intern Summer 2020
Matthew Joseph joined HC Brands as a marketing intern in June 2020. “I had my own desk, and my own team, and I went to work everyday knowing what I was going to do,” says Matthew.
“During the difficulties of 2020 and the pandemic, HC Brands taught me how important culture is,” he says.
During Matthew’s time as an intern, he attended industry leading online conferences such as SMX and Mozcon, shared his ideas with owner and CEO Bryan Croft, contributed ideas for site usability and more.
Since 1990, Communities in Schools of Jacksonville has helped more than 110,000 students in Duval County stay in school. By providing opportunities, counseling, school supplies and personal care necessities, CIS Jacksonville assists students from elementary school through high school to stay the course and earn their high school diplomas. It has been our pleasure at HC Brands to partner with Communities in Schools of Jacksonville!
HC Brands donated 150 signs to CIS of Jacksonville!
Through a successful school supplies drive, the HC Brands team contributed necessities like pens, pencils, backpacks, binders, paper, personal care items, and more to Communities in Schools! Also, through our employee product donation program, we donated 150 signs to Communities in Schools of Jacksonville, along with 50 reusable face masks and 25 buttons.
HC Brands plans to continue this relationship with Communities in Schools with a holiday gift drive and volunteer time. There are several great ways to give to Communities in Schools of Jacksonville. You can help out by:
Sharing your expertise or experience with their students:
Through opportunities such as their “Pizza with a Professional” program, local professionals can meet local students and share their career experience and advice. CIS Jacksonville provides the pizza!
Donating money or supplies:
Whether you participate in their holiday gift program or donate money, the students in nearly 40 schools that CIS Jacksonville partners with will benefit from your contributions.
Reading time and other volunteer opportunities:
There are a few great ways you can spend time with CIS students, including reading to them! To learn more about all of their programs and opportunities, contact Ashley Hooper at CIS Jacksonville.
HC Brands donated 50 custom face masks and 25 buttons to Communities in Schools of Jacksonville
We would like to say Thank You to Communities in Schools of Jacksonville for helping Duval County students in need, and to our HC Brands employees who donated supplies and funds!
HC Brands has a passion for people! We care about forming lasting connections with people in our community and with our customers.
Amber Bailey, HC Brands SEO Manager, with Ashley Hooper of CIS Jacksonville
We also have relationships with The Jacksonville Humane Society, Rethreaded, Celestial Farms and more. Through our Holmes Cares program, we are always looking for new ways to contribute time and resources to the Northeast Florida Community and beyond. We also have locations in Austin, Texas and Salem, Massachusetts.
Wearing face masks has become a daily routine for people all over the world. In the United States, many businesses, cities and states have set strict rules for wearing face masks, especially as America starts to reopen. Face covering rests on a delicate balance between health and safety, and social etiquette. Depending on where you live, work and shop, it’s important to understand when you should cover your face, and why.
Why wear a mask or other face covering?
Even if you’re not fearful of catching the virus, it’s important to remember that wearing a face covering, particularly a non-medical mask or scarf, is mostly intended to protect others from YOU. Non-medical masks, such as the ones we sell, are primarily worn to trap larger droplets from coughs and sneezes, so that people are less likely to spread the virus while in public or in close spaces. Non-medical masks also protect your nose and mouth from dust, pollen, allergies, haze, exhaust, smoke and other substances.
What’s just as important is that wearing a face covering “fosters a sense of faith, a shared or mutual obligation and civic duty.” Read more here. Covering your face shows that you care about public health and you’re following guidelines set in place by the CDC and health officials.
While some cities and states are more relaxed with face coverings and other coronavirus prevention measures, others are implementing strict rules, fines and even possible jail time for non-compliance. Some businesses will not allow customers in without a face mask, and there have been many news reports across the US showing protests against mandates for face covering in public.
Outside of the legal implications, it’s now also a social expectation to cover our faces to protect those around us.
What do non-medical masks protect you from?
As stated above, non-medical masks protect your nose and mouth from dust, pollen, allergies, haze, exhaust, smoke and other substances. In the prevention against the spread of COVID-19, these lightweight face coverings are intended to capture droplets from coughs and sneezes. The more people wearing masks, the less likely COVID-19 can spread from one person to another.
N95 masks and respirators, on the other hand, are examples of personal protective equipment that protect the wearer from airborne particles and from liquid contaminating the face. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention does not recommend that the general public wear N95 masks. These critical supplies should be reserved for health care workers and medical responders.
The CDC recommends that everyone wear a face covering in any setting where social distancing is not an option. Examples of very close spaces include planes, cars (especially Ubers and taxis), elevators and similar spaces. Other indoor spaces you should wear a mask include restaurants, grocery stores, convenience stores and post offices. Most businesses are following social distancing guidelines as they re-open, but customers should protect themselves and staff members of these businesses by wearing a mask indoors.
Face masks are highly recommended, and in some places are required in:
Grocery stores
Planes
Restaurants
Post offices
Convenience stores
Ubers and taxis
Other close spaces where it is not as easy to maintain 6 feet of distance
Where you can be more relaxed about covering your face:
Most people can relax with face covering etiquette in outdoor spaces that allow air to flow more freely, and where people can easily distance themselves by 6 feet. You can be less concerned with covering your face when:
Taking a walk or jog in your neighborhood
Going to a beach or public park
Visiting your local zoo
In other wide open spaces that make it easier to maintain a safe distance
What states are requiring people to wear a face covering?
All Americans are recommended to wear face coverings in public places and confined spaces, but some states have taken it a step further. The list of states requiring face masks includes Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Moreover, as of April 20th, essential business customers in Hawaii could face a $5,000 fine, or a year in jail, if they do not wear a face mask and maintain 6-foot distance.
Coronavirus prevention measures can change from day to day, and in places like Palo Alto, California, people are now required to wear a mask or face covering for most public activities. San Mateo, San Francisco, Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin and San Francisco counties also now require face coverings, with violations punishable as misdemeanors. From California, all the way to Florida, there are strict measures to enforce the use of face coverings in public.
If you plan to go out in public or to an essential business, make sure you’re aware of your area’s latest rules for face coverings. You may even want to call your grocery store or other business before you go, to know whether they’re requiring masks for entry.
Who is generally not required to wear a mask in public?
It’s important to check your state and city orders, but generally those exempt from wearing a face covering are:
Children younger than two years of age
Anyone for whom a face covering would cause impairment due to an existing health condition
Those who work in a profession who do not have any face-to-face interactions with the public
Anyone working in a profession where use of a face covering will not be compatible with the duties of the profession
Anyone exercising, while observing social distancing in accordance with the CDC guidelines
How can you find out what your local rules for face covering are?
It can be tricky to understand what is a suggestion, and what is a requirement. In DC, for example, a discrepancy between the mayor’s verbal and written guidance has caused confusion for customers of essential businesses. This confusion resulted in grocery shoppers without face coverings being turned away.
You can stay on top of the latest orders and news in your area by checking your city’s website. Your city’s website will likely also offer a COVID-19 dashboard, the latest news updates about the pandemic, and new testing sites. If you are local to Northeast Florida for example, check Jacksonville’s COJ.net.
Protect your mouth & face from dust, cold, pollen, allergies, haze, exhaust emissions, passive smoking, Etc.
Available in fun designs, colors or design-your-own style
At HC Brands and 904 Custom, you can easily create your own face masks with business logos, names or slogans. Head back to work safely, while you make a name for your brand.
You can also find designs that make face-covering fun. Shop emojis, animal prints, unicorns and more!
Our non-medical face masks are lightweight, machine washable and easy to wear. We also offer bulk discounts! Whether you’re shopping for your family or for your staff, you can get comfortable masks that help prevent the spread of germs and viruses.
The COVID-19 outbreak has changed our lives indefinitely, and this shift may be further reaching than we expect or intend. (There are positive impacts too!) The coronavirus pandemic is creating new social norms. It is impacting the way we interact with our neighbors, store clerks, mail carriers and delivery workers.
The social impact of coronavirus will undoubtedly create new ways of interacting in the workplace and in schools. When it’s time for kids to head back to class, and employees to return to the workplace, we will adjust to a new idea of normalcy.
What might the new norm look like?
The pandemic has brought out the best of mankind. Although there are frightening impacts to public health and the economy, daily news reports show us that kindness is alive and well.
New positive social norms look like:
Young people delivering meals to seniors who can’t leave their homes
Children using their savings to purchase meals for people in need
Grocery stores offering special hours for elderly Americans and people with compromised immune systems
Small businesses helping their communities with free or reduced cost meals and supplies
The COVID-19 outbreak has also taught us to be aware of our surroundings, to be more germ-conscious, and to keep a courteous distance from other people.
These new norms will likely affect the way we interact with our coworkers when we head back to the workplace
Posting social distancing signs and courtesy desk plates to remind guests and staff to avoid close contact
Limiting access to public pens (for dental and medical patient sign-in, check signing at banks, etc)
Providing sanitizing wipes and gels, and making them readily accessible
Requiring the use of vinyl gloves in food service, spas, nail and hair salons and more
Limiting crowds in lunch rooms and cafeterias by spreading out break times
Changing office rules, allowing workers to order takeout and eat at their desks
Implementing new sick-leave and health security policies to help with disease control. Encouraging symptomatic employees to self-isolate
Prohibiting visitors to workplaces, (no longer allowing family members or loved ones in company buildings)
Outside of the workplace, people will likely continue to practice social distancing for months, or even years, to come. People with compromised immune systems can remind others to keep a healthy distance by wearing special color-coded ID cards, gloves and masks. They may also limit their exposure to public places, by only going to restaurants and stores during slower hours.
How can you be courteous in the new social distancing world?
Help prevent the spread of coronavirus and potential future outbreaks. Don’t use common objects, such as pens at sign-in desks and banks. Use your own pen or stamp instead.
Avoid touching door handles, gas pumps, card readers and other germy surfaces. Wear gloves, use a paper towel, or use hand sanitizer after every contact.
Be aware of people around you. Smile, wave, say hello and be friendly. Wear a name tag or ID with a larger font so people can read your name from a distance. If we all use courteous social distancing, we can prevent social isolation
Take signage seriously. Whether it’s a reminder to wash your hands, or to keep a 6-foot distance, be courteous and follow these directions
Once school is back in session, and no longer taught remotely, educators will likely continue to enforce regular hand washing and social distancing between classmates and staff. Parents may limit play dates and other interactions to a handful of children at a time.
The COVID-19 outbreak has undoubtedly changed our lives, and this change may last for a long time. Despite the fear and negativity that grows as new coronavirus cases are confirmed, there are positive impacts as well. People are spending more time with their pets and getting away from their screens. Pollution has reportedly dipped and the display of kindness grows everyday. Once the spread of the virus has plateaued and people go back to work and school, we can all do our part to promote the new norms!
Keep a courteous distance, wash your hands, smile and say hello.
At HC Brands, we pride ourselves on friendly customer service, fast production and shipping times. We’ve been in business since 1954, making quality rubber stamps, signs and business essentials. We are a leader in rubber stamps, custom signs, name tags and IDs and personalized gifts.
Through these trying times, and as people and businesses recover, we are here for you.
Ultimately, branding is about creating and maintaining an image. The great news is that this can be done on a budget. The main objective is to stay consistent, all the way from your social media presence to your product presentation and packaging.
Whether you choose a simple yet memorable color scheme and logo that carries over from your online to offline presence, or you have a unique logo that speaks for itself, there are simple ways you can keep your image consistent to achieve the brand identity your business needs.
Today, in our The Business of Branding series, we will discuss five fundamental things you can do to brand your business in an affordable way.
1. Establish an online identity and stay loyal to your color scheme, imagery and diction. When designing your website, even if it is a small, single page website that gives information about your company, remember to adhere to a cohesive color and font scheme, and write in a voice that is true to your brand and culture. Take every small opportunity to make your message and imagery cohesive. Can’t afford a website? Be sure you are present on social media channels that reach your target audience. From creating hashtag campaigns to sending out tweets, there are simple ways to maintain your identity online.
It is key to remember who your target audience is! Use your unique identity and perspective to speak to this audience directly. Don’t get overwhelmed creating your online messaging by trying to reach the wrong audience.
2. Be consistent in your presentation. In today’s digital world, much of your correspondence may begin online, and must be cohesively merged into your real world communication. When it comes to real-life, tangible materials, always remember to incorporate your voice, color scheme, logo and other important elements that are found on your website and social media profiles.
If you’re selling T-Shirts from a brick and mortar shop as well as online, wrap orders in branded tissue paper and bags. If you don’t have the budget to create custom packaging materials for your brand, order a logo stamp. Logo stamps can include not only your logo, but other information including your name, location and website URL.
The objective is to never leave out details that bring customers back to your store or your website. The more a customer comes in contact with your logo, colors and messaging, the more likely they are to remember your brand. This sounds elementary, but when things get busy it’s easy to forget. A cost-effective logo stamp can be used in many ways, from branding your shopping bags to stamping letterhead.
3. Find ways to evolve your brand over time. In order to stay fresh, interesting and ultimately alive, a brand must be able to continue to communicate with its target audience in new ways. There are many fun ways you can keep people interested in what your brand has to say and sell.
From hashtag campaigns to giveaways and contests, social media has made it much more possible for brands to stay versatile. Let’s be honest, people live on their smartphones. Remember this the next time you’re struggling with ideas about how to reach your customer. Find out what your customers care about and build messaging around this.
4. Solve tech issues that may affect your ability to reach your audience online. This sounds complicated, but it can be as simple as making sure your text is in a readable font, or your contest page is view-able on a mobile phone.
Most businesses have a website that is the cornerstone of their communication with customers, so if you do, make sure technical issues like page load times and readability aren’t holding you back. People pay attention to these details, and if they have a bad experience with your web page, they are likely to remember and not return.
5. Be present. Even though people live on their smartphones, they still like to see the faces behind a brand, whenever possible. Make sure you’re in the know about trade shows, concerts, events and other real world opportunities to interface with your target customer. This is a great way to merge online and offline communication as well.
If most of your audience knows your brand online, through Facebook or Instagram, they may revel in the opportunity to engage with you in real life via a pop up shop, contest or meet and greet. On the other hand, real world meet-ups like these are also good for meeting new customers to send to your online experience!
Branding can be overwhelming and oftentimes elusive. When it becomes a struggle to come up with new ideas, or to keep your image recognizable and consistent, it helps to revert back to the fundamentals, like what we’ve discussed in today’s blog. Branding is an ongoing and vital part of business and it includes many aspects.
Fundamentally, however, effective branding involves consistent use of color, fonts, voice, your logo, packaging and presentation, and includes providing real world interaction that merges your online and offline identity. There are ways to reach your customer and stay within your budget!
Have you noticed that the oldest and most established companies change their voice and messaging over time? In the 1980s, for example, Pepsi’s “The Choice of a New Generation” campaign used Michael Jackson’s iconic music along with other popular culture idioms to attract the ears and eyes of a youthful audience. (As early as 1961 Pepsi branded itself as the cola for “those who think young.”) Through the years, Pepsi Co. successfully positioned itself as the brand for a younger, hipper generation. (This messaging adversely marked Coke as the soda for a more mature demographic.)
This kind of messaging is powerful and it keeps brands growing, thriving and competing with one another. Company branding is fluid and should be intuitive to the voice of its consumer base and a constantly evolving marketplace. As this week’s “The Business of Branding” post, we will focus on creating a brand voice that not only speaks directly to your target customer, but that also stands out amid a sea of competitors.
First, it is helpful to define what brand voice IS NOT. Brand voice is not music, jingles or sound effects. Once you have reached the point of creating your brand voice and position, you ideally have your visual elements in place, including your color palette, imagery, patterns and other cues that draw the eye in and create an aesthetic identity. Your brand voice should work in collaboration with visual elements to build a cohesive, unforgettable message.
Six basic steps to creating a brand voice:
Define your brand’s personality in words. These words should precisely say who you are. They should speak definitively to your target audience. At this point in building your brand, you should have a strong idea of who you’re trying to reach. Are they young, energetic and ready for the latest trends, or are they older, more mature and established in their beliefs? For decades, Pepsi chose to reach out to a youthful audience, while Coke was the “classic” of soft drinks. Start with 3 words that define your brand, and build from there. (Example: Young, bold and energetic, or mature, established and steadfast.)
Stand apart from the competition. Review what your top competitors are doing. What messaging and verbiage are they using to speak to their customer? Once you find out, DON’T copy what they’re doing. Say something unique. What do you offer that your competitor doesn’t? Reflect this uniqueness in your verbiage.
Ask yourself “How does my audience communicate?” Are they sarcastic, funny or formal? Once you understand the way they speak, you can use this to communicate with them.
Use a call to action; don’t be passive in your messaging. Your visual elements and written communication should work in tandem to grab your customer’s attention.
Find a way to engage your audience. No matter how formal your business is, or how serious your products are, you can find a down-to-earth conversational way to engage your target customer. Speak to them. Consider what is important in their daily life, and how your brand can help solve their problem. Don’t be afraid to use humor or even daily annoyances to get on a human level with your customer base.
As mentioned above, don’t feel confined to your brand voice. It can change over time and fluctuate in response your audience’s needs. Pepsi and Coke are 2 of the oldest and most successful commercial brands, and they continue to find ways to engage their customer while competing with one another in the marketplace.
Positioning your Brand and Product:
At this point, you have ideally pinned down the audience you want to speak to and you’ve begun establishing the diction and visual language you will use to reach them. These elements will also help you position your brand in the marketplace. Consider Pepsi and Coke once again. Which is your favorite and why? If you can answer these questions, you can begin to understand your own business’s position. Is your product essential and affordable, or luxurious and uncommon? Only you can answer these questions, but once you do, you’re on your way to a distinct voice and strong position on the market.
Information we found useful in the creation of this post:
Here at Holmes Custom we are passionate about small business. We often receive orders from small businesses with big goals and even cooler logos! Here in our local Jacksonville community, many small businesses are succeeding and thriving, not through sales alone, but also through relationships with their community and passion for what they do.
As part of our “The Business of Branding Series” we are featuring Grease Rags Clothing Co. for our small business spotlight. We would like to introduce you to Cindy Platt, owner of this inspiring and unique Jacksonville based small business. Cindy has just recovered her shop from damage it underwent during Hurricane Irma and she has just had her grand re-opening!
We are excited to share Cindy’s unique point of view and the trials and successes that inspired her to spread her wings and become a business owner.
Q: When did you start grease rags?
A: Grease Rags Clothing Co. celebrated its 4th year anniversary at the beginning of October.
Q: What encouraged you to open your own retro clothing shop?
A: My prior background was in corporate banking. After completing treatment for Stage 4 oral cancer, I realized a few things. My brain worked a bit differently than before and my priorities had completely changed. No more banking for me, but I had to do something to keep me busy enough on my own terms so I could stop worrying about my health. I always loved the styles but they were difficult to find unless I shopped online.
Q: What keeps you passionate about running your business?
A: There have been moments when owning a business is too taxing on my energy. I still have late effects from my previous treatment and this makes daily life a challenge quite often. In those moments when I think I can’t do it anymore, I think about the community we have built around Grease Rags Clothing Co. I think about all of the good things I can do, such as starting my non-profit organization, to help others.
The shop is a home base for all of these other activities and also a safe place for people to come and decompress from things that are bothering them in their lives. It may sound silly, but this is more than a place to buy a pretty dress and I feel both committed and honored to provide such a place to the community.
Q: What damage did Hurricane Irma do to your business?
A: The storm surge flooded our dress shop and adjoining barbershop. The property owner had a crew down the day after the storm to tear out the damaged drywall, dehumidify the building, and replace the drywall. I believe the quick action saved us from having bigger problems. Luckily, the great majority of our merchandise was not harmed. The little things I initially thought were no big deal have really added up though. Most of our furniture had to be thrown out, we had to rent a commercial floor cleaner to scrub the floors (3 passes on that), replace all of the shop rugs, repaint the floors and walls, buy a new steamer, and more. Even though there has been some significant expense, I chose to look at this as a kind of reboot for the business. The rising water was a kind of forced de-cluttering so we are definitely more organized now too.
Q: What has been most difficult about recovering from Irma damage?
A: The most difficult thing has been trying to keep some sort of business activity going while trying to get the shop squared away. Our online community has done a great job at keeping orders coming in and we did some pop up shops at local businesses such as Steele Hair Gallery, The Volstead, and Hourglass Pub. We greatly appreciate how everyone has gone out of their way to support us and hope we have done a good job at expressing that gratitude.
Q: What has been most rewarding about recovering from Irma?
The most rewarding aspect of this process has been the activities we have participated in to help others. It has been very refreshing to see so many different kinds of people come together for a good cause.
Q: Tell us about your grand reopening!
A: Our Grand Re-Opening was held on Saturday, October 14 from 11 am to 7 pm. We had a huge cake along with refreshments, live music by Redneck Hummus and a sidewalk sale chock full of deals! The turn out was great!
Q: Is there anything else you would like to add?
A: You can find us all over social media so please feel free to check us out.
Cindy modeling one of her styles
It is the determination of small business owners like Cindy that keeps our team at Holmes Custom passionate about what we do! If you would like to learn more about Cindy Platt’s not-for-profit, visit www.rocstartjax.org. You can also follow Grease Rags on Instagram at @greaseragsclothing.
Grease Rags Clothing Co. is a great example of a small business owner taking her personal passion and style and turning it into a brand. From clothing tags to custom buttons, the company’s aesthetic and brand style is apparent the moment you enter this unique shop.
Check back soon for our next post on establishing your brand’s culture!
The partnership with Communities in Schools is just one of many relationships that HC brands has with the Jacksonville community. “Giving back is one of our core disciplines, and a philanthropic pulse will always be at the heart of our company,” says Croft.
The HC Brands Scholarship
HC Brands Internships
We would like to say Thank You to Communities in Schools of Jacksonville for helping Duval County students in need, and to our HC Brands employees who donated supplies and funds!
Who is generally not required to wear a mask in public?
What might the new norm look like?
