BRAND STRATEGY BOOKS
Branding: In Five and a Half Steps by Michael Johnson
In Forging an Ironclad Brand the alchemy of branding is demystified, transforming the abstract into the actionable. This essential read guides you through a clear, comprehensive framework designed for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and marketers who aspire to elevate their brand and engrain it into the hearts and minds of their audience.
Forging an Ironclad Brand by Lindsay Pedersen
Building Brand Experiences: A Practical Guide to Retaining Brand Relevance by Darren Coleman
This book is an indispensable manual for anyone looking to understand the art and science of branding. Stripping back the complexities of brand creation, Johnson offers a clear and concise methodology that guides readers through the process of building a distinctive brand. This book stands out with its unique "half step," focusing on strategy before creative execution, ensuring that every aspect of branding is intentional and impactful.
Designing Brand Identity: A Comprehensive Guide to the World of Brands and Branding by Alina Wheeler
Building Brand Experiences is an essential guide to mastering the craft of creating and sustaining brand experiences that resonate deeply with consumers. This hands-on book offers a wealth of practical advice, supported by real-world examples, to show you how to keep your brand significant in the rapidly changing market landscape. Coleman emphasizes the strategic integration of emotional and experiential engagement, providing a toolkit empowering all to build lasting relationships with their audience.
Designing Brand Identity is a quintessential roadmap through the dynamic landscape of brand creation and evolution. This fully updated edition offers a step-by-step approach to crafting a powerful brand, from research and analysis to design and implementation. Wheeler provides rich insights, tools, and visuals that equip professionals and students alike with the knowledge to develop meaningful, enduring brands. This is a must-read for anyone building a brand that stands out and thrives.
Buyer Personas: How to Gain Insight into your Customer's Expectations, Align your Marketing Strategies, and Win More Business by Adele Revella, Pam Ward
Sales Differentiation: 19 Powerful Strategies to Win More Deals at the Prices You Want by Lee Salz
Buyer Personas offers a transformative approach to understanding your audience at a deeper level. This book dives into the methodical process of creating detailed buyer personas, providing you with the tools to uncover the real expectations and motivations of your audience. Revella’s expertise will guide you in aligning your marketing strategies with actual the needs of your audience, enhancing engagement and dramatically boosting your business’s success rate.
Obviously Awesome: How to Nail Product Positioning so Customers Get It, Buy It, Love It by April Dunford
The concept of sales differentiation is centered around the idea of distinguishing one's offerings and approach in a crowded market. This is directly applicable to personal branding, where the "product" is oneself or one’s personal services. Topics covered include value proposition, market understanding, competition analysis, communication strategy, and consistency. By applying these principles from "Sales Differentiation," individuals can effectively craft a personal brand that stands out, communicates unique value, and resonates with their target audience.
This book delivers a masterclass in positioning, transforming the complex process into an accessible and actionable strategy. This book dives deep into the core of positioning, helping you to understand how to make your product (you) stand out in a crowded market and become the obvious choice for audience. With practical tools and insightful examples, this book is a must-read for entrepreneurs, marketers, and business leaders who want to elevate their market presence.
Building a StoryBrand: Clarify Your Message So Customers Will Listen by Donald Miller
In this book, Donald Miller offers a transformative approach to marketing and communication, centered around the power of storytelling. Miller introduces the StoryBrand framework, which leverages the universal elements of classic storytelling to create compelling brand messages that engage and resonate with customers. This book teaches you how to clarify your message, eliminate confusion, and connect with your audience on a deeper emotional level, ensuring that your marketing isn't just heard, but is also impactful.
Beloved Brands: The Playbook For How to Build a Brand Your Consumers Will Love by Graham Robertson
Beloved Brands is a comprehensive guide to creating brands that not only capture attention but also win over hearts. This playbook delves into the strategic thinking behind some of the most cherished brands in the world, offering practical insights and actionable steps for building a brand that resonates deeply with consumers. This book empowers you to transform your brand into a beloved icon in its industry.
Awakening the Heroes Within: Twelve Archetypes to Help Us Find Ourselves and Transform Our World by Carol S. Pearson
This book is an inspiring exploration of the psychological archetypes that reside within us all, shaping our behaviors, beliefs, and interactions with the world. Pearson's book offers a deep dive into twelve universal archetypes, such as the Sage, the Explorer, and the Lover, providing insights into how these figures can serve as guides in our personal and professional lives. By identifying and embracing these archetypes, readers are encouraged to uncover their inherent potentials, navigate life’s challenges more effectively, and ultimately, contribute to a more understanding and transformative world. This book is a valuable resource for anyone interested in personal development, psychology, or leadership, providing a unique framework for self-discovery and empowerment.
Strategic Brand Management, 5th edition by Kevin Lane Keller, Vanitha Swaminathan, Ambi Parameswaran, Isaac C. Jacob
Archetypes in Branding: A Toolkit for Creatives and Strategists Margaret Hartwell and Joshua C. Chen
Dive into the realm of universal narratives with Archetypes in Branding where the timeless power of archetypes is masterfully woven into branding strategies. This guide offers a detailed exploration of each archetype, showing how it can shape brand narratives and foster deep connections with audiences. By integrating psychological insights into branding efforts, the toolkit equips marketers, designers, and business leaders with the ability to craft identities that resonate on a profound level.
Unlock the secrets of building and sustaining strong brands with the fifth edition of "Strategic Brand Management" introducing the latest research, strategic insights, and real-world applications to help you navigate the complexities of brand management. The authors delve into the crucial elements of brand equity, providing strategies to ensure consistency, relevance, and differentiation in a competitive marketplace. Rich in frameworks and case studies, this book is an indispensable resource for marketers, business students, and professionals seeking to leverage brand power to achieve long-term success and a robust competitive edge.
Below are books that helped me understand branding in the most comprehensive way and gave me the most bang for my buck.
EMAIL MARKETING
Get Response, Sprout Social, iContact, MailChimp, and Constant Contact are all email automation clients I have used in the past. And for my business, I considered trying all platforms and actually used MailChimp for quite some time. But, more recently, I decided to subscribe to ActiveCampaign after it was referred to me by one of my former marketing professors.
So If you are like me, wanting an enterprise-level email marketing automation system without the price tag, ActiveCampaign may be the right email marketing automation tool for you.
SOCIAL MEDIA
SmarterQueue is a game-changer for anyone looking to streamline their social media management. With its ability to automate the repetition of the same post, you can set up your evergreen content once and let it run on a schedule without lifting a finger. The platform makes it easy to manage multiple social media accounts, track analytics, and ensure your content reaches your audience consistently. It’s the perfect tool for busy marketers and entrepreneurs who want to maintain an active online presence with minimal effort.
SproutSocial
Hootsuite
Later
Buffer
Brand24
Udemy
Coursera
Mention
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Quickbooks
Freshbooks
WEBSITES
Wix
Squarespace
WordPress
BRAND + MARKETING RESOURCE HUB
The links below are affiliate links for my favs!
VANESSA C. MATTHEW
MY VALUES
Spirituality: A deep-seated belief in spiritual growth, mindfulness, and connection to something greater.
Personal/Self-Development: A focus on personal growth.
Empowerment: A passion for empowering others.
Creativity: A love for creative expression.
Holistic Well-Being: A focus on overall health and harmony.
BORN IN NYC, STAYING IN NJ
VANESSA@VCMSTRATEGIES.COM
