I’m a storyteller today

You've come up with an outstanding product, addressed critical consumer requirements and are all set to ramp up your sales. What next?

The most significant thing that entrepreneurs usually miss is to tell their brand story. Every hardship has a saga. Every inspiration has a story. Every big dream faced struggles. That’s what you need to tell the world. Tell your story and build a bond with your customer.

Do not forget that brand stories are not marketing materials, but they are a few facts that companies share with their customers. They are not advertisements, and certainly not sales pitches. Brand stories are narrated keeping in mind the brand’s persona and the teller’s personality at center stage."

If you're wondering where to start, check out a small story:

Indian textile and apparel sector is growing at a rate of 9.5% and is expected to be 220 billion US$ in the next eight years. Small and medium enterprises play a crucial role in this growth. And one such contribution is from the heritage city of Jaipur.

I am going to talk about Suvasa, which was once a small unit. They promote the traditional art of block printing through women apparels. Jaipur is known for its rich culture, exotic architecture and clothes indeed, which is Rajasthan’s biggest hub for apparel creation and printing.

The traditional workers popularly known as karigaars have been doing this as an art, and it is in their blood. The journey of Suvasa began in the year 2001 with the joint effort of Rajat Sign and his wife, Una. It was a humble beginning where they started their workshop from their home. They had to face huge competition from big labels, but they concentrated only on one niche that is block printing in ladies garment.

Gradually they extended, and currently, they have their outlets in 4 cities – Jaipur, Gurgaon Chandigarh, and Bangalore. The company believes that the key support behind their growth is their workers which are now a close kith family.

Gradually they extended from ladies apparels to toiletries, furnishing, etc. The journey was difficult but worth an applause. A work from the home project, which started with mere Rs. 25000/- has now its outlet in 5 major cities in India. The venture started with the savings that the couple had, and now it’s a reason behind the savings that their employees make. Wow!!

The most important thing that the Suvasa team concentrated was on building their brand. Right from their name to logo, to their shopping bags…they planned it in a systematic way. The move was slow, but a well planned one. People now recognize Suvasa not only through its clothes, but its logo, bags, prints, etc.

The most gratifying feeling that the couple has been it provides families and homes with employment today. The entire Suvasa family is growing. In words of Una – “Workers who used to come once in a bicycle now comes in a car. It’s a great feeling to see the family grow.” Their dream is to see their outlet in every state in India and they also wish to explore the global market.

One dream gives rise to another!! Share your stories; share your journey for who knows when you become an inspiration to someone… 

Does design play a crucial role in product packaging?

Packaging designs plays a major role in the marketing mix because companies do understand that a good packaging helps augment sales. Don’t you get carried away by attractive bottles of wine when compared to that of a plain Jane design? Certainly yes!!

Don’t forget that packaging is consumer's first point of contact with you and your product. Hence, an attractive and a spiffy package will force people to try a new product line which they never did before. Your package design plays a significant role in either launching or re-launching your product. However, there are a number of things that one has to consider before designing a package because the design has to function. Apart from attracting people, your packaging should also protect the product inside it, should facilitate easy storage and distribution, and give required information about the product to attract customers.

Remember that the cover needs to be captivating to sell what’s inside it. The following are a few important questions that one needs to address before finalizing a package design:

1 – How will your packaging represent your brand?

Your brand’s personality is conveyed through fonts, colors, and textures that are used on the packaging. An appealing design combines all these elements and conveys your brand’s story. On the contrary, an excellent design goes a step further. It considers the shape of the product and ensures that it stands out with a unique outline.

2 – How is your product priced?

Your packaging also plays a significant role in deciding the price. If you wish to position your product as the cream of the slot, then the packaging can be high-end. Understand the fact that you can increase the perceived value of your product by offering the same in a good cover.

 3 – What materials will be used?

How durable should the packaging be to ensure that the product inside it remains fresh or safe till it reaches the end user? This aspect plays a crucial role because the design also depends on the kind of fabric on which it will get imprinted. For example, certain colors and designs will look on plastic packaging, but may not appeal on glass. Hence, the designer must design logos, prints and other designs keeping in mind the above mentioned points.

The nutshell is: “Yes, designs on your packaging plays a significant role when it comes to marketing your product.” Hence, opt for good and appealing designs to grab and retain customers.

Excogitate The Very Purpose Of Designing

Since a decade, designs have been considered as an integral part of branding, advertising and marketing. The reason is simple – “It talks volumes.” Designs have always had its impact on the physical world. Sometimes designs are simple; at times complex, yet they offer a deep rooted meaning.

So why do we need designs and what goes into excellent designing? Whether its logos, ads or campaigns, the nutshell is: “Impressive Designs.”

The fact is that designing demands deep thinking and the job of a designer is to blend all the ingredients of designing effectively. Using copied, cheap or free design essentials is like a reputed chef making use of canned sauces. The nutshell is to create your product from the scratch and offer the best.

Keeping all these in mind, smart agencies have came up with the concept of “Collaborative Designs” wherein experts come together for individual projects and offer sans pareil results.

Every company has a fixed budget for marketing and advertising. With a stipulated budget, companies cannot hire the best in each segment. Instead, it is wise to opt for agencies who offer such collaborative services. Collaborations will help sink in the best talent in the market. Using free or cheap elements of designing will give rise to poor designs or replicas.   

In short, the very purpose of designing is to create original and impactful designs. If companies are looking for the best, then the wise thing is to go with the flow of collaborative designing. It’s a smart and an intelligent way of branding and promoting your products and services. 

Budget friendly ways to build your brand

You have an excellent product range, a great idea, interesting website and even some funding. So what? This will not fetch your business anything until people are talking, buzzing and sharing stories about you. If no one heard the tree falling in the forest, how will anyone know about the very existence of the tree - and why would anyone even care?

This is the usual case with the startup companies because publicity typically comes last in their expenditure list. However, with tremendous competition for attention and coverage, publicity does play a major role in connecting dots. Smart strategies help, but company’s profile does play a major role. This in turn, attracts advertisers, consumers, investors and, partners.

Reality Check: Companies which consider public relations as the lead horse will cross the boundary before anyone else. However, if you’re bootstrapped and do not wish to spend on a PR firm, then it is wise to hire an in-house communications specialist, who can kick-start the drumbeat with the help of excellent social media marketing and press coverage buzz.

So what best can you do to attract the media and the customers especially when you have a limited budget?
Understand your elevator pitch: "Tell your story", ensure that your presentation to the media, customers and the investors is interesting. It is observed that behind the scenes stories are more captivating than the than the actual pitching strategy. 
Leverage your contacts : It’s indeed a small world where you can make best use of your contacts to get business. Don’t be shy to ask for references because you never know what clicks for you.
Use social media : We are lucky to be in this era wherein connection and relations are just a click away. And believe me so is business. Ensure smart moves on social media platforms and believe us there is huge business happening on these sites.
Do your research : Never go for pitch in without knowing about the opposite party. Understand their recent business, interests and then offer what the company is looking for. This will ensure prompt and smart move.

Building a communication strategy for the business is as crucial as building a business plan. Understand that every business must have a communications strategy, and a few PR activities to stay in the limelight. Make best use of social media, PR and contacts to grow and excel.