Episodes
2 days ago
2 days ago
EPISODE 148
The Visionary Chronicles Podcast
CHRONICLE: March 26th, 2024
Brand Marketing Metrics | Create a Strategy for Success
Brand Marketing Metrics matter and are essential to defining brand ROI. They establish marketing discipline, decision-making, investment analysis, assessing the effectiveness of critical activities, and validating how business outcomes are achieved.
It is how we determine, assess, and manage these metrics to build an effective marketing strategy that provides tangible brand equity benefits and a realized ROI.
The first step in building your Roadmap is determining the most critical data points to construct an analysis of brand investment value.
Metric Data Point Analysis
Do these metrics impact revenue (P/L) or the brand equity value/goodwill (balance sheet)?
Do the metrics define the past (previous) or the future (lifetime value)?
Are the metrics static (period demand generation) or dynamic (ongoing demand build)?
The Roadmap to the Value of Defining Marketing Metrics:
Campaign Metrics | Effectiveness, ROI through click-through rates, and visits.
Satisfaction Metrics | Customer satisfaction through NPS (net promoter score) or revenue.
Brand Metrics | Brand affinity or brand equity valuation increase.
Customer Acquisition/Attrition | Process to determine customer churn rate.
Corporate Metrics | Enterprise value translation through corporate Culture, HR, or potential M&A value.
You must initial the analysis with metrics that track marketing investment performance, such as promos. Then, determine and measure the outcome and compare it to the expectations, such as;
Click-Throughs?
Customers Visits?
Do the results justify the investment?
How effective and efficient was the marketing strategy?
Were you able to determine ROI?
The most common marketing ROI formulas are;
TOTAL: Marketing Return on Investment
MROI (%)= Incremental revenue attributable to marketing ($) during the period – Marketing spending ($) ÷ Marketing spending ($)= % ROI
FUNNEL: Marketing Return on Investment (LiquidMind action sports customer example)
The campaign cost ($30,000) generates 6,000 views of the video. Historical tracking projects 12 of the viewers will become qualified leads within 6 weeks, and 10 % will convert to revenue within 6-9 months = 72 sales. At a profit of $500/sale = $36,000 in revenue.
Funnel MROI - $36,000-$30,000/$30,000 = 20% MROI
CUSTOMER EQUITY: Marketing Return on Investment (LiquidMind banking customer example)
Customer retention/attrition valuation; 10,000 customers, @ $2,000 annual profit/customer. The current attrition rate = 20%, invest $4M, and the goal is to reduce it to 17%.
Before; 10,000 * $2,000/20% - $100M
After; 10,000 * $2,000/17% = $117M
Customer Equity MROI; $17.6M (increase) - $4M(marketing)/$4M (marketing) = 340% MROI
These marketing metrics need to be combined with other metrics. Still, the most important ones are revenue growth, which realizes a tangible ROI, and customer satisfaction through the Net Promoter Score. The marketing team can measure the Value of brands equity value growth through other more intangible metrics such as;
Brand awareness
Brand consideration
Brand preference
Brand quality and point of difference
Brand affinity
Brand positioning
Brand culture
In looking at brand marketing metrics, a recent study of CMOs in 2021 found the following are the most important for determining ROI.
Revenue
Digital Marketing Performance
Lead Generation
Content Engagement
Lead Generation
Customer Engagement/Experience
Campaign Costs
As you can see, marketing metrics are important, but determining tangible benefits is paramount.
At LiquidMind (LiquidMindsite.com), we work with our brands to set a cohesive marketing strategy, activation plan, ongoing investment analysis, and brand equity development and growth determination.
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2024
Friday Mar 15, 2024
The Visionary Brand | Take Risks | How to Succeed Through Risk Taking
Friday Mar 15, 2024
Friday Mar 15, 2024
EPISODE 145
CHRONICLE: March 15th, 2024
Content from Bryan’s new Award Winning, Bestselling Book
The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World's Most Visionary Brands.
Readers Favorite Award Winner: Best, Non-fiction, Marketing book
Amazon Bestseller.
The Visionary Brand | Take Risks | How to Succeed through Risk Taking
"A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
Risk is a part of a Visionary brand’s DNA; it is who they are and what they do. They consistently create, authentically build and continually disrupt. Nothing great was ever achieved without first embracing Risk.
Commodity companies avoid Risk at all costs, and authentic, visionary brands embrace it. The risk culture creates loyalty throughout the entire brand, creating an aspirational culture of which their community wants to be a part and an inspirational environment for their team to stay loyal for the long term.
Fail fast, fail often…
In creating a culture that embraces Risk and knowing this is the path to generational success, the by-product is LOYALTY, the lifeblood of all brands. Loyalty is connected to customer lifetime value (CLV) and reduced team turnover. Having been part of these culture-driven, risk-taking brands, they acquired, retained, and maintained the best talent on the planet. They knew by creating and sustaining this culture, they would surpass any competitor and drive a passion deep into the bloodline of everyone inside the brand.
Clearly, with this type of culture, a balance has to be struck between disruption, commercial viability, and the brand’s foundational values. Always lead, always be ‘’best in class”. In striking this balance, in being the leader, does this product “drive the market,” or is it “driven by the market?” This is a critical question all visionary brands must ask: What is the difference between being an innovator and an imitator?
“Safe is Risky.” – Seth Godin
Now that we set the expectation of why risk-taking is so foundational to a brand's success, what are some other principles engrained into all Visionary brands?
Don’t Play it Safe | Always have a Vision of what you “want” to be, not what you “have” to be.
Experiment | Edison would not have invented the lightbulb without this mindset.
Break Things, Embrace Creative Destruction | Break the “status quo,” always ask “Why”?
Never Give Up | Edison would not have created anything without this principle.
Don’t’ Bloody the Water | Stay out of shark-infested waters; find your blue water through disruption.
Always “Think Outside the Box” | Find a new way and adaptable products or technologies.
Visionary brands find ways to disrupt the status quo. Building an innovation pipeline of products, processes, or services allows a brand to surf the supply and demand chain. These brands constantly look for ways to “revolutionize” and evolve.
The ability to anticipate what your consumers need is a visionary gift few possess and why so many companies cannot survive.
There is no guarantee of success. However, risk-taking, not risk avoidance, is the proven path to sustaining long-term growth.
Stay true to yourself, embrace Risk, and create the future!
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2024
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
SUBSCRIBE to the Visionary Chronicles Podcast!
Just click the FOLLOW button, and you're in!
SUBSCRIBE to the Visionary Chronicles Podcast, and get a FREE e-book edition of The Visionary Brand!
Go to the link below, select Review, and send a screenshot to bryan@liquidmindsite.com.
APPLE PODCAST
SPOTIFY
PODBEAN
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the past eleven weeks, over 1,784 brand leaders and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
Sign up for the Visionary Brand Course, and get a FREE hardcopy edition of The Visionary Brand and a “Be Visionary” coffee mug!
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at;
email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33
Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer
X @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
Thursday Mar 07, 2024
EPISODE 146
CHRONICLE: March 7th , 2024
AI Brand Marketing | 5 Areas Marketing Leaders Can Utilize Artificial Intelligence
" The Visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper and re-imagines the world.”– Malcolm Gladwell
Artificial Intelligence is quickly becoming a competitive weapon that all leaders must understand, define, and integrate into their brands. In particular, marketing leaders can leverage artificial intelligence (AI) in various areas to drive revenue through global market share gains and crush their competitors.
With all the seemingly relentless information and data, I am offering five key areas where Generative Artificial Intelligence can have an impact on marketing leaders.
Individualized Marketing Campaigns | AI enables marketing leaders to create highly customized marketing campaigns tailored to individual customer preferences, behaviors, and demographics. By analyzing vast amounts of data, AI-powered tools can segment audiences more effectively, identify relevant content and messaging, and deliver targeted campaigns across multiple channels, increasing engagement and conversion rates.
Campaign Analytics | Marketing leaders can use AI-driven campaign predictive analytics to forecast future market trends, customer behavior, and campaign performance. By analyzing historical data and identifying patterns and correlations, AI algorithms can provide valuable insights that help marketing leaders make more informed decisions and allocate resources more effectively, enabling them to stay ahead of competitors and capitalize on emerging opportunities.
Content Optimization | AI-powered content optimization tools can help marketing leaders improve the quality and relevance of their content to better resonate with target audiences. Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms can analyze content performance metrics, customer feedback, and social media trends to identify topics, formats, and messaging, more effectively driving engagement and conversion, enabling marketing leaders to optimize their content strategy and gain a competitive edge.
Customer Lifestyle Experience | AI technologies such as chatbots and virtual assistants can enhance the customer experience by providing personalized and responsive support throughout the Buyer Journey. Marketing leaders can leverage AI-powered conversational interfaces to engage customers in real time, answer questions, provide recommendations, and resolve issues efficiently, improving customer satisfaction and loyalty while gaining market share.
Marketing Automation | Through AI-powered marketing automation platforms, Marketing leaders can streamline and automate various marketing processes. From lead generation and nurturing to email marketing and campaign management, AI-driven automation tools can help marketing leaders optimize workflows, increase productivity, and deliver more consistent and targeted messaging across channels, enabling them to scale their marketing efforts and capture a larger market share.
By leveraging AI in these critical areas, marketing leaders can gain a competitive advantage, drive growth, and expand their market share in an increasingly competitive and data-driven landscape.
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2024
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
The Visionary Chronicles Podcast
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
The Visionary Files
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the past five weeks, over 1,500 brand brands and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at UCI’s BCIE along with their New Venture Program, an Innovation Advisor at the UCI’s Applied Innovation program at the Cove, a Mentor/Advisor to UCLA’s Price Center Venture Accelerator Program, and a Mentor/Advisor at the San Diego Sports Innovators Accelerator (SDSI) center.
LiquidMind
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at;
email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33
Instragram | @bryan_smeltzer
X | @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
8 Keys to Business Success | Key Areas to Succeeding in Your Business
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
Thursday Feb 29, 2024
EPISODE 147
CHRONICLE: February 28th, 2024
8 Keys to Business Success | Key Areas to Succeeding in Your Business
"Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.” – Winston Churchill
The ability to build a successful company/brand has several inherent traits. Each has proven itself throughout generations. Those who follow a path already created will find the road forward easier than those who choose to create a new one.
I have found, through having founded my brand and working side-by-side with executive teams from many global brands (Nike, Adidas, Puma. TaylorMade. etc.), each has followed these steps in one way or another. Following or eventually finding the path others have created was crucial for building a thriving business.
The following factors were integral pieces of the puzzle when looking at the path these brands followed.
The IDEA | Every successful brand has started with an IDEA. However, the ones who have created value, defined their POD and built a product roadmap are the ones who are thriving today.
The TEAM | Building a team with complementary skills can self-manage, and are proactively solving problems is a winning formula. Also, they provide continual feedback and encouragement and are HUMBLE by choice.
The PRODUCT | Every great, successful brand has had a great product. However, successful people have executed their product roadmap to ensure long-term viability. No ONE HIT wonders allowed!
The SALE | Ensures you have a plan, process, and story to tell that differentiates you from the competition.
The FULFILLMENT | Risk management vs. risk recognition. All successful brands ensure they can fulfill their PROMISE. They have built a logistics/operations platform that executes seamlessly.
The LUCK | Many successful brands were at the right place at the right time. They rode this wave and never stopped.
The PIVOT | Most have had to Pivot in one way or another at least once, but no more than two times.
The EXPERIENCE | Brand positioning, marketing, engagement, and fulfillment are all executed perfectly!
"Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.…"
Alexander Graham Bell
With digital e-comm and consumer attention spans shorter and expectations higher, you need to follow these principles others have followed successfully.
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2023
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
The Visionary Chronicles Podcast
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
The Visionary Files
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the past five weeks, over 1,500 brand brands and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at UCI’s BCIE along with their New Venture Program, an Innovation Advisor at the UCI’s Applied Innovation program at the Cove, a Mentor/Advisor to UCLA’s Price Center Venture Accelerator Program, and a Mentor/Advisor at the San Diego Sports Innovators Accelerator (SDSI) center.
LiquidMind
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at;
email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33
Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer
X | @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
#BuildingSuccess,#BuildYourBrand,#Success,#BusinessSuccess,#BrandCommunity, #BuildingACommunity,#BrandVision, #Vision, #creatingVision, #Visionaries, #disruption, #productstrategy, #BrandLifestyle, #Creators, #ElonMusk, #oakley, #jimjannard, #stevejobs, #theVisionarychroniclespodcast, #theVisionarychroniclespodcast, #theVisionarybrandbook, #brandtips, #brandingprinciples,
#theVisionarybrand
@ElonMusk,@GuyKawasaki,@TomPeters,@SethGodin
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Brand Leadership | 5 Things High Peformance Teams Do Consistently
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
Thursday Feb 22, 2024
EPISODE 144
CHRONICLE: February 22nd, 2024
Brand Leadership | 5 Things High-Performing Teams Do Consistently
"Great things in business are never done by one person. They're done by a team of people.” - Steve Jobs
Hiring, building, and nurturing high-performance teams has long been a holy grail for brands. Each team has unique needs, personalities, and individual triggers that drive passion in each team member. So how does a brand build a competent team that gets along with one another and consistently produces superior results…consistently, not just one-hit wonders?
First, when building a high-performance team, understand each team's and individuals' primary needs.
Autonomy | The ability to perform without hindrance.
Competence | Having the skill set to perform.
Relatedness | Being able to interact with other team members.
Then, there are the three levels of support and building effectiveness for the team.
Dependence | INDIVIDUAL, the baby, the newbie, is learning from others. It is crucial to have a process for onboarding.
Interdependence | TEAM, working with a group, being part of a team, and finding a solution together.
Independence | LEADER, Leadership level, finding ways to make others successful. Be humble and grateful, and do not take credit for others' successes.
So, what are the 5 Things that High Performing Teams do Consistently?
They are Real with each Other | They express personal and professional emotions and share with the team, building a more intimate bond.
They Share Praise | They are more likely to share praise with others vs. trying to take credit for themselves. Again, it's all about the team and no friction.
They Bond | They spend more time together on non-work-related items and discussions. So it's not all about work!
They are Strategic | Not only with their work but, more importantly, with their time. They are finding ways to get more done in a shorter period of time. They work together through interdependence and independence.
They Communicate Directly | They are more likely to communicate through Voice vs. Text or e-mails. Be honest, be Live.
Building, managing, and growing successful teams for your brand takes a commitment to process and action. The approach to getting team members up to speed and the effort to assure they are satisfied with what it takes to be a part of a successful team and brand!
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2024
Bryan Smeltzer
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
The Visionary Chronicles Podcast
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
The Visionary Files
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the three months, over 1,860 brand brands and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
LiquidMind
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at.
bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
@bryansmeltzer33
@bryan_smeltzer
@bryansmeltzer
linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
The Visionary Chronicles Podcast was ranked the #1 Global Visionary Podcast & Top 50 Marketing podcast by Feedspot in 2022 & 2023.
#BrandLeadership, #TeamLeadership, #VisionaryLeaders, #leadershipprinciples, #visionaryleadership, #visionaries, #Creators, #ElonMusk, #oakley, #jimjannard, #stevejobs, #thevisionarychroniclespodcast, #overcomingbarriers, #thevisionarychroniclespodcast, #thevisionarybrandbook, #brandtips, #brandingprinciples,#thevisionarybrand
@ElonMusk
@GuyKawasaki
@TomPeters
Monday Feb 12, 2024
The Visionary Brand | Successful Branding | The Brand Is The Product
Monday Feb 12, 2024
Monday Feb 12, 2024
EPISODE 142
CHRONICLE: February 12th , 2024
Content from Bryan’s new Award Winning, Bestselling Book
The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World's Most Visionary Brands
Readers Favorite Award Winner: Best, Non-fiction, Marketing book
Amazon Bestseller.
The Visionary Brand | Successful Branding | The Brand Is The Product
" Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception." – Carl Sagan
Generational, Visionary leaders committed to building a brand know how to build an authentic culture first and create aspirational products that match the brand positioning.
This strategy is easier said than done, and brands that have survived and then thrived over the years are the ones who have mastered the commitment to building a brand strategy and staying the course regardless of the circumstances.
The best analogy I can use is when you are caught in a storm and have a set course; just because it is storming does not mean you redirect entirely. Instead, you pivot, but eventually, you are set back on course. There is a significant difference between changing a course and redirecting a course. Change, and you lose Direction; stay the course, and keep your Soul.
Brands who have built a culture around premium positioning know they are selling a lifestyle centered around a product that enhances this lifestyle by making it more accessible, more convenient, or efficient.
Building a culture allows you to define “who you are?” and “what you do?”. Once this is anchored with a brand through its Culture, it creates a lifeblood throughout the entire Brand and a commitment to being authentic. The Culture is the company, and the Product is the Brand, each unique and needed to build a generational brand.
If you look at examples of iconic, generational brands, you will find that the Culture builds the team, and the product drives their vision. Consumers do not get excited for the next great toaster, they get excited through the next disruptive product from a brand that has created a lifestyle enhancement expectation around the next generation of their products. The brand advocates expect greatness, and the early adopters line up to purchase their products.
To continually meet this expectation, these brands must have a passionate, insanely great product team, an amazing marketing team, and a sales team armed with the latest product innovations they can surf for generations.
The key to a Brand’s success is ensuring the product matches the vision!
Matching a product to a brand's vision involves aligning the product's attributes, features, and values with the generational goals and DNA of the Brand.
Here are key steps a brand can take to ensure that its products are in harmony with its vision:
Define the Brand Vision | Clearly articulate the Brand's vision, mission, and values. This serves as the foundation for all product development decisions.
Understand Target Audience | Gain a deep understanding of the target audience's needs, preferences, and values. Identify how the product can fulfill or enhance the lives of your community in line with the Brand's vision.
Product Pipeline Development | Ensure that the product planning process aligns with the Brand's vision and goals. Consider how the product fits into the overall brand portfolio and supports the Brand's foundational vision.
Consistent Design and Packaging | Design the product, its packaging, and labeling in a way that reflects the Brand's visual identity and design principles. Consistent design elements contribute to a cohesive premium brand image.
Quality and Performance | Maintain high-quality standards for the product to uphold the Brand's reputation. Ensure that the product's performance meets or exceeds customer expectations, reinforcing positive associations with the Brand.
Marketing | Develop marketing campaigns emphasizing how the product aligns with the Brand's vision and values. Communicate the unique selling propositions that differentiate the product within the market.
Storytelling | Integrate the product into the Brand's overall narrative and storytelling. Showcase how the product contributes to realizing the Brand's vision and mission.
Iteration | Collect feedback on market trends. Use insights to iterate on the product, ensuring it remains relevant to the Brand's vision and responsive to evolving consumer needs.
Long-Term Planning | Consider the product's long-term implications for the Brand's vision. Plan for product extensions or updates that support the Brand's overall strategic direction.
By integrating the Brand's vision into every aspect of the product creation and marketing processes, a brand can create a more cohesive and meaningful connection between its products and its vision. This alignment contributes to building brand loyalty and resonating with consumers who share similar values.
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2024
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
SUBSCRIBE to the Visionary Chronicles Podcast.
Go to the link below, click the FOLLOW button, and you're in!
REVIEW & SUBSCRIBE to the Visionary Chronicles Podcast, and get a FREE e-book edition of The Visionary Brand!
Go to the link below, select Review, and send a screenshot to bryan@liquidmindsite.com
APPLE PODCAST
SPOTIFY
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the past eleven weeks, over 1,784 brand leaders and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
Sign up for the Visionary Brand Course, and get a FREE hardcopy edition of , The Visionary Brand, and a “Be Visionary” coffee mug!
FREE when you Sign UP for The Visionary Brand MasterCourse!
The Visionary Brand hardcover book.
"Be Visionary" inspirational coffee mug.
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at;
email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33
Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer
X | @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
Monday Feb 05, 2024
Monday Feb 05, 2024
EPISODE 143
CHRONICLE: February 5th, 2024
Generative Artificial Intelligence | How Can Visionary Brands Successfully Integrate AI
" Common sense is not so common.” – Voltaire
With all the madness around AI, having a clear, definitive plan in place is critical to long-term success; however, you must know the “Who?”, “What?”, “Why?, “When?” and “Where?” with your plan and execution. Before implementing, define the needs, determine resources, outline expectations, and determine the execution timeline.
Visionary brands can leverage Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) to enhance the brand lifecycle execution process from ideation and product creation, marketing execution, development, sourcing, and operations, and gain a competitive edge.
Here are some ways in which Generative AI can be utilized.
Product and Service Innovation | Use generative AI to brainstorm and generate ideas for new products and services. AI models can analyze market trends, consumer preferences, and industry data to suggest innovative concepts. This can accelerate the ideation process and lead to the development of more innovative products.
Content Creation | Deploy generative AI for content creation, including writing articles, generating marketing copy, or creating social media posts. Language models can assist in producing high-quality, engaging content, saving time and resources for the business.
Personalized Customer Experiences | Implement AI-driven personalization in customer interactions. Generative models can analyze customer data to create personalized recommendations, messages, and experiences, enhancing customer satisfaction and engagement.
Automated Customer Support | Integrate generative AI into customer support systems to provide automated responses to common queries. This improves customer service efficiency, allowing team members to focus on complex issues while AI handles routine inquiries.
Supply Chain Optimization | Use generative AI to optimize supply chain processes. Predictive modeling can help in demand forecasting, inventory management, and logistics optimization, ensuring a more efficient and cost-effective supply chain.
Decision Support | Leverage generative AI for decision support systems. These systems can analyze large datasets, market trends, and various factors to assist brands in making well-informed, data-driven decisions.
Design and Creativity | Apply generative AI in design processes for graphic design, product design, or architecture. AI can assist in generating creative ideas, designs, and prototypes, enhancing the overall creative process.
Learning and Development | Use generative AI for employee training and development. AI-driven systems can create customized training modules, simulate real-world scenarios, and provide personalized learning experiences based on individual employee needs.
Predictive Analytics | Implement generative AI for predictive analytics. These models can analyze historical data to predict future trends, market changes, and potential risks, enabling brands to adjust strategies proactively.
Human Resources | Utilize generative AI in recruitment processes for resume screening, candidate matching, and even conducting initial interviews. This can streamline the hiring process and efficiently identify the most suitable candidates.
Cybersecurity | Enhance cybersecurity measures by using generative AI to detect and respond to potential threats. AI can analyze patterns in network traffic, identify anomalies, and predict and prevent security breaches.
Simulation and Scenario Planning | Use generative AI for simulating and planning various business scenarios. This can help brands test the resilience of their strategies and make informed decisions in anticipation of different outcomes.
Generative AI is a powerful tool, however when implementing generative AI in business, it's crucial to consider ethical considerations, data privacy, and potential biases in AI models. Regular monitoring, feedback loops, and continuous improvement are essential to ensure the responsible and effective use of AI technologies.
With these tools, which are improving literally by the second, it is important to stay ahead of this curve, or you will lose your competitive advantage, and potentially your foundational vision along the way.
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2024
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the past five weeks, over 1,500 brand brands and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at UCI’s BCIE along with their New Venture Program, an Innovation Advisor at the UCI’s Applied Innovation program at the Cove, a Mentor/Advisor to UCLA’s Price Center Venture Accelerator Program, and a Mentor/Advisor at the San Diego Sports Innovators Accelerator (SDSI) center.
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at;
email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33
Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer
X | @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
#BrandGenerativeAI,#GenerativeAI,#artificialintelligence,#brandai, #VisionaryProducts,#Creators, #ElonMusk,#stevejobs, #TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast, #theVisionarychroniclespodcast, #theVisionarybrandbook, #BrandTips, #BrandingPrinciples,
#theVisionaryBrand,#TheVisionaryFiles
Monday Jan 29, 2024
Monday Jan 29, 2024
EPISODE 140
CHRONICLE: January 26th, 2024
Content from Bryan’s new Award Winning, Bestselling Book
The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World's Most Visionary Brands.
Readers Favorite Award Winner: Best, Non-fiction, Marketing book
Amazon Bestseller.
THE VISIONARY BRAND | Product Extinction | How to Eliminate Products & Gain Market Share
" Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception." – Carl Sagan
Once a visionary brand successfully executes a breakaway/drawdown strategy, it must build a bridge to maintain the product lifecycle. To sustain a consistent flow of products from your pipeline, you must bring some products to extinction, sometimes at the height of their popularity. Implementing this strategy is critical but risky, as you bet the company on the next generation of products. However, unless you risk something, you gain nothing.
As discussed earlier, the Sony Walkman was one of the most recognizable case studies of product lifecycle saturation. This was a breakaway product when first introduced. However, Sony still needed to fully embrace the drawdown and extinction mentality fully, instead deciding to let it ride for some thirty years with only minor revisions. This strategy proved successful for a time, but this is a rare case. The danger with deploying such a strategy is you can get ambushed by your competitors, and you inevitably become a follower, no longer a leader. Having the market perception of being an innovative leader in your category carries with it prestige and privilege.
Most companies would assume any brand deploying the breakaway strategy must have a new product in the pipeline that will change the norm, establish a new way of thinking, or redefine a process. This was not the case with Sony and the Walkman—revolutionary in its day, it had a nice run for some 20 years but eventually died slowly in its last 10. The clincher was when Apple introduced the iPod, at which point it was game over for the Walkman. Ironically, the Walkman inspired Steve to find a better way to listen to music that was not so cumbersome or limited in portability. In analyzing the Walkman lifecycle, Apple knew better than to repeat Sony's mistakes, incorporating extinction in their product pipeline and having the courage to pull products at the peak of their popularity to keep their community hungry for what’s coming next.
Building a consistent and sustainable product extinction lifecycle flow creates limited supply, increasing demand on both the back end (drawdown) and the front end (breakaway). This has driven many brands, such as Apple, Microsoft, Nike, Adidas, TaylorMade, and Microsoft, to become some of the most valuable. These iconic brands have stood the test of time by building an innovative pipeline of products or services supported by a breakaway culture. Each of these brands succeeds by creating and adapting over a series of product iterations, adopting technologies that drive customer demand, and manipulating supply cycles through planned product extinction.
Here are some critical points in adopting an Extinction Strategy and Gaining Valuable Market Share.
Build a Breakaway Product Pipeline | This is critical to sustainable innovation.
Identify your following Breakaway or Incremental Product | Upon the release of the current product generation, this is the Apple strategy; they already have a product being commercialized that will replace the current version.
Eliminate the Current Version at the Peak of the Early Adopter Phase | The Extinction creates an “Innovator” NET GEN NEED and a “Late Adopter” WANT.
Release the Next Version | Timing is critical, and product commercialization is vital to pull this off.
Rinse, Repeat, & Recycle | The cycle of executing this strategy will align all products along the Supply & Demand Curve. Rare for a Premium brand, and extremely powerful!
Building a product innovation pipeline that can sustain continual and more rapid product extinction is where successful visionary brands move beyond their competitors. By holding to this Vision rooted in these Extinction principles, you will also successfully build sustainable brand value for both your shareholders and customers.
Stay True, Stay Authentic, be Different, and be Great!
Enjoy the Journey!
Bryan Smeltzer, President
LiquidMind Inc.
#TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast
#TheVisionaryBrandBook
@LiquidMindsite.com
@BryanSmeltzer.com
© All rights reserved, Bryan Smeltzer, 2023
Bryan Smeltzer is a consumer products business executive and entrepreneur. He has held executive-level roles in business development, Product, and marketing with some of the world's most prestigious brands, including Oakley, TaylorMade, Adidas, K-Swiss, and Schutt Sports, among other international brands. He also founded a men’s apparel brand, successfully running a profitable business for ten years, eventually selling to a VC firm.
He also hosts a Podcast called The Visionary Chronicles, ranked as the #1 Visionary and Top 50 Marketing Podcasts by Feedspot for 2022 & 2023, and recently finished his first bestselling book, The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind the World’s Most Visionary Brands, and recently received the prestigious Readers Favorite Award for BEST Non-fiction, Marketing Genre book.
With the book's release, Bryan created The Visionary Brand MasterCourse. The Master Course site at The VisionaryFiles.com includes a Master Course with 18 Video Learning segments and almost 2 hours of Visionary lessons training. Over the past five weeks, over 1,500 brand leaders and Entrepreneurs have taken the Master Course! Unleash your potential as a brand leader and take the Master Course.
He is also a member of the Board of Advisors at UCI’s BCIE along with their New Venture Program, an Innovation Advisor at the UCI’s Applied Innovation program at the Cove, a Mentor/Advisor to UCLA’s Price Center Venture Accelerator Program, and a Mentor/Advisor at the San Diego Sports Innovators Accelerator (SDSI) center.
Bryan oversees LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm that partners with start-ups and establishes mid to large-cap consumer brands to empower businesses to think differently, be different, drive a passionate culture, and execute relentlessly.
You can contact or follow him at;
email | bryan@LiquidMindsite.com
Facebook | @bryansmeltzer33
Instragram | @bryan_smeltzer
X | @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIN | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
#ProductExtinction,#ProductInnovators,#ProductBreakaway,#BreakawayCulture, #InnovationCulture,#Innovation,#InnovatedontImitate,#ProductVision, #VisionaryProducts,#Creators, #ElonMusk,#stevejobs, #TheVisionaryChroniclesPodcast, #theVisionarychroniclespodcast, #theVisionarybrandbook, #BrandTips, #BrandingPrinciples,
#theVisionaryBrand,#TheVisionaryFiles
The Visionary Chronicles
Bryan Smeltzers Podcast on driving your brand forward, reinvigorating your passion while maintaining and sustaining your Vision for long-term revenue growth.
Discussions around disruptive strategies and executable market drivers provide a unique point of difference for you and your brand.
We discuss this along with other business strategy topics and pressing issues facing Entrepreneurs and Small Business Owners.
He is the author of The Visionary Brand, a book on how brands sustain and maintain their Vision over generations.
Bryan is president of LiquidMind Inc., a global brand strategy firm in Southern California.
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