The Visionary Chronicles

Leadership Trust | How to Build Trust in Yourself & Your Team through Difficulties

CHRONICLE: May 16th, 2024
EPISODE 155
 
Leadership Trust | How to Build Trust in Yourself & Your Team through Difficulties
 
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." – Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)
 
Everyone faces adversity. Having Faith and building Trust is at the core of many of the greatest generational, visionary leaders. Being or becoming a Visionary leader can be a lonely Journey. This Journey will provide many valleys and mountain experiences. In The Visionary Chronicles, I wanted to give a platform for professional success and personal support.
As an Entrepreneur or a Visionary leader, you take on the roles of the Visionary, a passionate believer, and ongoing support provider. Each role takes a toll on you professionally and personally, during good times and, most importantly, during difficult times. These are the days when the Journey becomes the hardest, and few can navigate successfully. Those who build Trust create a legacy, and those who do not lose Integrity, Trust, and the Passion for executing the Vision.
Most podcasts discuss leadership styles or principles, but few discuss the long-term benefit of building Trust for themselves and with their team.
Building Trust with yourself and team becomes even more crucial for effective leadership during difficult times.
 
Transparent Communication | Be open and honest about the team's challenges and potential organizational impact. Share information transparently, including successes and setbacks, to maintain Trust and credibility.
 
Proactive Listening | Take the time to listen to team members' concerns, ideas, and feedback. Demonstrate empathy and understanding, validating their feelings and experiences.
 
Lead with Integrity | Model integrity and ethical behavior in all actions and decisions.
Stay true to your values and principles, even in adversity, to build Trust and respect.
 
Provide Clarity and Direction | Offer clear direction and guidance to the team, outlining priorities and expectations during challenging times. Communicate a compelling vision for the future to inspire confidence and commitment.
 
Empower and Support | Empower team members by delegating authority and providing them with the resources and support they need to succeed. Offer encouragement and reassurance, showing confidence in their abilities to overcome challenges.
 
Celebrate ALL Wins | Acknowledge and celebrate small victories and milestones, no matter how insignificant they seem. This boosts morale and reinforces a sense of progress and accomplishment, even in difficult times.
 
Maintain Stability and Consistency | Provide stability and consistency in leadership during turbulent times. Avoid making sudden changes or knee-jerk reactions that could undermine Trust and confidence.
 
Build Resilience | Foster a culture of resilience by emphasizing adaptability, perseverance, and a growth mindset. Encourage team members to learn from setbacks and challenges, using them as personal and professional development opportunities.
 
Demonstrate Faith and Optimism | Express Faith and optimism in the team's ability to overcome obstacles and emerge stronger from adversity. Share stories of past successes and remind the team of their collective strength and ongoing resilience.
 
Lead with Vulnerability and Authenticity | During challenging periods, leaders should be transparent about the situation and their doubts or uncertainties. Admitting they don't have all the answers and being open about struggles builds Trust through authenticity. This authenticity can foster deeper connections and Trust among team members.
 
Communicate Frequently and Honestly | Trust is built through clear, consistent communication. Leaders should provide regular updates, even when the news is uncompromising. Being upfront about setbacks and changes preserves trustworthiness.
 
Remain Steady and Resilient | When things get complicated, Teams look to leaders as pillars of strength and perseverance. Remaining calm, focused, and resilient in the face of obstacles cultivates Trust in the leader's ability to navigate the crisis.
 
Uphold Foundational Principles | Sticking to your foundational principles, especially when tough choices arise, demonstrates integrity that nurtures self-trust and team trust. Leaders must "walk the talk" consistently.
 
Remain Accountable | Take responsibility for mistakes, follow through on commitments, and hold the team accountable, too. Practicing accountability nurtures trustworthiness.
 
By implementing these strategies, leaders can foster trust between themselves and their team, even during the most challenging times, laying the foundation for continued collaboration, innovation, and success.
By integrating these principles into their daily life and leadership practices, business leaders can create a positive and impactful work environment where Faith, integrity, and compassion are central to organizational culture and success.Top of Form
 
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
 

The Visionary Brand | The FUEL | How to Create A Visionary Marketing Strategy

EPISODE 152
CHRONICLE: May 7th, 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 | The FUEL  | How to Create A Visionary Marketing Strategy
 
" In a crowded marketplace, fitting in is a failure. In a busy marketplace, not standing out is the same as being invisible.” –  Seth Godin
 
The FUEL drives great brands to market aspirational products, create and grow an authentic culture, and further solidify their premium positioning.
The synergy realized through the power triad flow (Product, Marketing, and sales) concludes in a successful product launch and broad acceptance by your core consumer. The FUEL you inject into the brand takes the form of visionary marketing across all levels of your brand communications and consumer engagements, both visually and verbally. Ignite it inside your brand; you will feel it across your entire organization and community. The motivation and enthusiasm for your brand’s foundational principles keep your customers coming back and your team passionately driving your future.
FUEL, the marketing strategy that drives your brand, has become one of the most important components to successfully gaining market share and building brand equity. While the continual progression of digital marketing engagement across advertising platforms (social, digital, sponsorships, etc.) has increased, the timeframe in which you can impact your customer has steadily decreased. This provides a challenging backdrop for brands looking to move out of the noise and into their own quiet space. They need to find a way to connect quickly through aspirational messaging with authentic products.
Fuel runs out if you don’t top it off now and then. Your destiny is yours, so you must ensure it is carefully managed. This comes in the form of consistently reiterating your commitment to your ongoing foundational principles—why you exist. Visionary brands constantly inject this way into their brand in all areas, both inside and outside the company.
ABT | Always Be Thinking, find a quiet space to realize new ideas, generate concepts and engage with forces outside the four walls.
ABL | Always Be Learning, with evolution of AI, most brands were caught off guard, always be in front with your vision, or you will be left behind.
ABD | Always Be Different, always find ways to differentiate yourself from your competition, find your Open Water.
ABR | Always Be Real, always be authentic in all you do, nobody has ever lasted being something they are not.
Jim Jannard, the Visionary founder of Oakley, always made a point of “re-energizing” the team, never letting us forget what we stood for as a brand. He would give inspirational speeches that built a passion for the brand and pride in being a part of its ongoing success. By injecting this brand inspiration into Oakley through visual (posters, videos, sponsorships) and verbal communications daily, Jim provided a great working experience and fostered pride in what we achieved. Again, as with any messaging, this was reinforced with more than just words; there was also plenty of visual messaging throughout HQ that served as a continual reminder of the dedication of the brand and the founder himself.
The Bloodline | Disruptive by Design | The Injection
Oakley was a brand that embraced disruption, not just with products but in everything we did each day. Whether in products, processes, marketing, engagement, or just being different from the rest, we succeeded where others failed, and this fuel drove us to achieve global market share, a dominating product category share, and revenue in excess of $1 billion.
Having visionary leaders who inspire the masses from the top down drives a passion for the brand and loyalty to its foundation. The brand leader supplies the fuel.
And just what does it look like to add that fuel to your brand? How does a visionary brand define, create, and grow through its messaging and positioning? Regardless of the product, visionary brands can inject inspirational and aspirational lifestyle messaging for their consumers, creating a strong connection point in their daily lives. This connection point eventually turns into your community, where your customers’ loyalty to your brand starts. In our new dynamic, digital age this may be where the relationship starts, but can usually end there as well. If you break trust, confuse your messaging, or disconnect with your core, this is a slow leak that can quickly become a gaping hole, flushing all the great work out with it.
The idea of inspiring your consumers to achieve more through your products or technology is where visionary brands build a dedicated consumer following. In this age of digital destruction for brick-and-mortar retail, creating, engaging with, and activating a base of followers (in other words, the ability to fuel your community) is integral to long-term success and viability. Inspire your customers to follow an aspirational lifestyle with your brand and no other company will be able to replicate it.
“The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do.” – Kobe Bryant
You will find that many diversified brands have aspirations as a cornerstone to their ongoing success: Nike, adidas, Ralph Lauren, and more. However, you cannot be a premium brand unless you have defined your aspirational positioning and can consistently deliver this message and value proposition to your target consumer. Fortunately, this can come about organically through staying true to your foundational principles and living up to them authentically through your brand’s culture—if you know who you are, there’s no need to fake it.
In creating their inspirational marketing campaign, “Just Do It,” Nike inspired the masses. The intent behind the campaign was to inspire individuals to achieve aspirational goals, with the product being the mechanism to assist them in achieving the goal. This was a brilliant campaign, as it was the first of its kind to drive messaging beyond product to a desired lifestyle. This would turn out to be a generational campaign. It was timeless and not specific to a sport, gender, or race. “Just Do It” was a campaign to get people active, engaged, and off the couch.
This is how you add Fuel to drive a brand—not through products but through messaging to your loyal community to let them know that the brand is here to help them achieve their goals. Brand, product, positioning, and engagement are key pieces of the puzzle to achieving visionary marketing, and together, they add to your brand’s fuel.
 
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
 

AI Marketing Automation | How to Integrate AI into your Marketing Strategy

EPISODE 153
 
CHRONICLE: May 1st, 2024
 
 
AI Marketing Automation | How to Integrate AI into your Marketing Strategy
“AI is a tool. The choice about how it gets deployed is ours.” – Oren Etzioni
 
Visionary brands deploy Artificial intelligence and automation to reshape their marketing strategies in today's digital landscape fundamentally. By harnessing the power of machine learning algorithms and advanced analytics, brands can now deliver unprecedented levels of personalization and relevance to their customers.
AI systems can analyze vast amounts of data, from browsing behaviors and purchase histories to demographics and contextual signals, to gain deep insights into individual preferences and journeys. With these insights, brands can adapt content, offers, and experiences with laser-sharp precision, resulting in improved engagement, loyalty, and conversions. Increasing conversion, and loyalty, customer lifetime value.
Also, AI-driven predictive models empower brands to proactively anticipate customer needs and interests, enabling precise demo targeting, engagement and message timing for maximum impact. This predictive capability extends to marketing with dynamic creative campaigns. AI can automatically generate and test countless variations of ad creatives, copy, and visuals, identifying the top-performing assets for specific audience segments in real time.
Conversational marketing, managed by natural language processing (NLP) technology, is another area where AI revolutionizes brand-customer interactions. Chatbots and virtual assistants can engage in personalized conversations, provide recommendations, and even complete transactions, offering seamless, round-the-clock support and engagement at scale.
With AI, automation streamlines numerous marketing processes, from social media management and programmatic ad buying to email campaigns and lead nurturing. This increased efficiency allows marketing teams to focus on higher-value, strategic tasks while AI handles labor-intensive, data-driven operations.
As voice assistants gain traction, brands also leverage AI to optimize voice search strategies, create voice apps and skills, and deliver audio content and voice-based shopping experiences, catering to the shift towards conversational interfaces.
While the potential of AI and automation in marketing is immense, brands must strike a balance between leveraging these technologies and maintaining human oversight for strategic decision-making. However, the ability to operate with enhanced speed, relevance, and efficiency while providing AI-powered, data-driven customer experiences at scale is rapidly becoming a competitive necessity in today's dynamic marketing landscape.
AI and automation are transforming marketing in several key ways:
Personalization at Scale | AI algorithms can analyze vast amounts of customer data (browsing behavior, purchase history, demographics, etc.) to deliver highly personalized content, product recommendations, and advertising tailored to each individual's preferences and journey.
Predictive Analytics | Machine learning models can identify patterns in customer data to predict future behavior, interests, and likelihood to purchase. This allows marketers to target campaigns more effectively.
Conversational AI | Chatbots and virtual assistants powered by natural language processing can handle customer inquiries, provide personalized recommendations, and even make sales, providing 24/7 customer service.
Dynamic Pricing and Promotions | AI systems can automatically adjust pricing and promotions in real-time based on supply, demand, competition, and consumer behavior patterns.
Content Creation and Curation | AI can assist in generating content tailored to user interests, as well as curating content from various sources based on relevance.
Marketing Automation | AI automates labor-intensive tasks like lead scoring, email marketing campaigns, social media posting, and ad bidding/placement across channels.
Customer Segmentation | Machine learning clusters customers based on multiple attributes, allowing more granular audience targeting.
Optimizing Spend | Predictive models can optimize marketing spending across channels for maximum ROI based on past performance data.
The key benefits are scalable personalization, increased efficiency through automation, enhanced customer experiences, and data-driven decision-making. However, challenges exist around data quality, algorithm bias, privacy concerns, and humans keeping control over automated systems.
 
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
 

Visionary Branding | How to Build a Brand Vision

EPISODE 151
 
CHRONICLE: April 24th, 2024
 
Visionary Branding | How to Build a Brand Vision
“THINK DIFFERENT” – Steve Jobs
Think Different, simple, but sophisticated, just like Steve wanted it to be. Not all brand Visions can be as sophisticated, yet having a Vision is critical to your success as a company. Establishing a Vision is one of, if not the most important, things you will do when starting your company. It sets the tone, the culture, the long-term goals, and what you want to accomplish. This is a lot to accomplish, but it must be succinct, and bringing it down to a few simple words will be your most challenging task.
Along with Steve’s Vision, think of other brands, BMW and “The Ultimate Driving Machine.”
Setting a Vision for your brand is crucial in defining its purpose, direction, and long-term goals. A well-crafted Vision statement helps guide your company's decisions, actions, and strategies. Here's an 11-point step-by-step guide on how to set a Vision for your brand:
Understand Your Brand's Purpose | Start by clarifying why your brand exists beyond profit-making. What product does it Create, and what problem does it solve? What value does it bring to your customers' LIFE? Your brand's purpose is the foundation upon which your Vision will be built.
Define Your Long-Term Goals | Consider where your brand will be in the next 5, 10, or 20 years. What do you hope to achieve? Consider market share, revenue, geographic expansion, or customer base growth metrics.
Analyze the Market and Competition | Understand the landscape in which your brand operates. Analyze your competitors' strengths and weaknesses. Identify gaps in the market that your brand can address uniquely.
Consider Your Brand's Values | What foundational principles guide your brand's actions? Consider values like innovation, disruption, brand sustainability, integrity, or customer-centricity. Your Vision should align with these core values.
Involve Key Team Members | Engage key team members with “out of the box” thinking in the Vision-setting process. Their insights can provide valuable perspectives and ensure alignment.
Craft a Clear and Inspiring Vision Statement | A Vision statement should be concise, memorable, and inspiring. It should capture what your brand aims to achieve in the long run. Use language that brings emotion and paints a clear picture of the future.
Make It Ambitious and Realistic | Your Vision should be ambitious enough to motivate and excite but also grounded in reality. Striking a balance between aspiration and feasibility is critical.
Ensure Alignment with Mission and Strategy | Your Vision should be aligned with your brand's mission (why you exist) and your strategic plan (how you'll get there). These elements work together to provide a clear roadmap.
Communicate Internally and Externally | Share your Vision with your team consistently to get buy-in and commitment. When your employees understand and believe in the Vision, they are more likely to work towards it. Communicate the Vision externally to customers, partners, and investors to build a shared understanding.
Review and Update Periodically | Your brand's Vision should not be set in stone. Market conditions and business dynamics change over time. Regularly review and adjust your Vision to stay relevant and aligned with the evolving landscape.
Lead by Example | embody the values and principles outlined in the Vision as a leader. Your actions and decisions should demonstrate your commitment to achieving the brand's long-term goals.
Remember that a well-crafted Vision is not just a statement on paper; it's a guiding force that influences your brand's culture, strategies, and actions. It should resonate with everyone associated with the brand and inspire them to work together toward a common purpose.
 
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

The Visionary Brand | Creating A Brand Ecosystem | How to Create Brand Stickiness

 
EPISODE 149
CHRONICLE: April 11th, 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 | Creating A Brand  Ecosystem | How to Create Brand Stickiness
"Brand is just a perception, and perception will match reality over time. Sometimes it will be ahead, other times it will be behind. But brand is simply a collective impression some have about a product.” –  Elon Musk
 
What is STICKINESS?
How about a definition?
The quality of sticking to a surface.
The resistance of a liquid to shear forces.
Quality products or websites where the results are people staying with a company or their site for long periods.
Stickiness is a term utilized by brands looking to create an ecosystem. At the core of their vision is creating a product or service that serves as a “hub” to the tentacles called an ecosystem.
These tentacles are what Apple has built over time, allowing it to continue building out additional services or interconnected products that serve a specific purpose for maximizing the use of its suite of products or services. It is a brilliant strategy but extremely hard to achieve sustainably over generations.
The platform is built first on a product that provides immediate and desirable value. This “core” product becomes the centerpiece for creating loyalty to the brand through a customer's realized value through use. Once the core has been developed, the tentacles can be bolted on, each an additive value to the core. I say “additive value” by design, as many brands that have failed to build a true ecosystem do not account for community or customer value. Instead, they look at increment income. Value degrades if the add-on is too expensive relative to value, is not a seamless integration, or is overly cumbersome, and the user experience (UX) is unfavorable.
Creating stickiness through developing a product or service ecosystem involves building a comprehensive and interconnected set of products, services, and experiences that cater to the needs and preferences of a brand’s community and customers.
Having worked with global brands through LiquidMind, where some have “stickiness,” and others are looking to create this, the following are some strategies we deploy with these brands relative to where they are in this Journey:
Interconnected Products and Services | Brands develop a range of products and services that complement each other and create a seamless user experience. For example, a technology company might offer a suite of devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, laptops) that work together seamlessly, along with cloud services for data synchronization.
Cross-Platform Integration | Brands integrate their products and services across multiple platforms to provide a consistent user experience. This could involve ensuring compatibility between mobile apps, web services, and physical products, allowing users to transition effortlessly between different platforms or services.
Ecosystem Lock-In | Brands incentivize customers to stay within their ecosystem by offering exclusive features, content, or discounts. For example, a streaming service might provide original content only available to subscribers, encouraging users to remain loyal to the platform.
Data Sharing and Personalization | Brands collect data on user preferences and behaviors across their ecosystem to personalize the user experience. By leveraging insights from user data, brands can offer tailored recommendations, content, and services that enhance stickiness and customer satisfaction.
Community and Social Engagement | Brands foster a sense of community and social engagement within their ecosystem by providing forums, social media platforms, and other channels for users to connect. By building a community around their products and services, brands encourage user loyalty and advocacy.
Continuous Innovation | Brands innovate and iterate on their products and services to keep users engaged and excited. This could involve releasing regular updates, introducing new features, or expanding into new product categories to meet evolving customer needs.
Partnerships and Integrations | Brands form partnerships and integrations with other companies and platforms to extend the reach and functionality of their ecosystem. This could involve integrating with popular third-party services or collaborating with complementary brands to offer bundled products or services.
Overall, creating stickiness through a product ecosystem requires a combination of seamless integration, personalized experiences, community engagement, and continuous innovation to keep users engaged and loyal over the long term.
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

The DNA of A Visionary Leader | How To Become Visionary

 
EPISODE 150
CHRONICLE: April 5th, 2024
 
The DNA of A Visionary Leader | How to Become Visionary
“The Visionary starts with a clean sheet of paper and re-imagines the world.” – Malcolm Gladwell
 
With the release of The Visionary Brand, The Success Formula Behind The World’s Most Visionary Brands, I often asked, “What is the makeup of a Visionary Leader?”. The question is often asked, and the answer is seldom achieved.
In today’s Podcast, I felt it would be beneficial to discuss the makeup or DNA of Visionary Leaders and some traits that hold leaders back from becoming visionary.
The DNA makeup of a generational visionary leader is a combination of inherent traits, learned skills, and experiences that enable them to inspire and guide others toward a compelling vision of the future. While there isn't a single formula that defines every visionary leader, there are several characteristics commonly associated with them:
Clear Vision | Visionary leaders have a clear and compelling vision of the future that inspires and motivates others. They can articulate this vision in a way that resonates with people and provides direction for their actions.
Innovative Thinking |  Visionary leaders are often creative thinkers willing to challenge the status quo and explore new ideas and approaches. They are fearless in taking risks and experimenting with unconventional solutions to complex problems.
Strategic Thinking | Visionary leaders have a strategic mindset and can see the big picture while understanding the details. They can develop long-term plans and strategies to achieve their vision, and they are adept at adapting to changing circumstances.
Empathy and Emotional Intelligence |  Visionary leaders understand the needs, motivations, and emotions of others. They are empathetic listeners who can connect with people personally and build strong relationships based on trust and mutual respect.
Courage and Resilience | Visionary leaders demonstrate courage and resilience in facing challenges and setbacks. They are not deterred by failure or criticism but instead use setbacks as opportunities for growth and learning.
Charisma and Influence |  Visionary leaders often possess charisma and the ability to inspire and influence others through their words and actions. They have a magnetic presence that draws people to them and makes them effective communicators and persuaders.
Adaptability and Learning Agility | Visionary leaders are adaptable and open to learning new skills and perspectives. They are willing to change course if necessary and continuously seek opportunities for growth and development.
Ethical and Values-Driven | Visionary leaders operate with integrity and are guided by strong ethical values. They prioritize the greater good over personal gain and strive to positively impact the world.
While not every visionary leader will possess all of these traits to the same degree, they typically exhibit a combination of these qualities that enable them to effectively lead and inspire others toward a shared vision of the future.
 
The following are some common traits that hold leaders back from becoming Visionary.
 
These traits often hinder their ability to think innovatively, set a compelling vision, and inspire others to follow. Some of these traits include:
Short-Term Focus | Leaders overly focused on short-term results or immediate challenges may struggle to think strategically and envision the future. They may prioritize quick fixes over long-term solutions, preventing them from developing a visionary outlook.
Resistance to Change | Leaders who are resistant to change or overly attached to the status quo may struggle to embrace new ideas and innovations. They may be reluctant to challenge existing norms or explore alternative approaches, limiting their ability to envision a different future.
Micromanagement | Leaders who micromanage their teams and need control may stifle creativity and innovation. They may struggle to delegate tasks or empower others to take ownership of projects, hindering the emergence of new ideas and perspectives.
Lack of Empathy | Leaders who lack empathy or emotional intelligence may struggle to understand the needs and motivations of others. They may have difficulty connecting with their team members personally and inspiring them to work toward a shared vision.
Fear of Failure |  Leaders who are afraid of failure or overly risk-averse may avoid taking bold initiatives or pursuing ambitious goals. They may prioritize safety and stability over innovation and experimentation, limiting their ability to envision and pursue visionary ideas.
Narrow-Mindedness | Leaders who are narrow-minded or closed off to diverse perspectives may struggle to think creatively and envision alternative futures. They may resist input from others or dismiss ideas that challenge their beliefs, limiting their ability to develop a visionary outlook.
Ego and Arrogance | Leaders who are driven by ego or arrogance may prioritize their interests and agendas over the needs of their team or organization. They may be more concerned with maintaining their status and power than setting a compelling vision and inspiring others to achieve it.
Lack of Strategic Thinking | Leaders who lack strategic thinking skills may struggle to develop a clear and coherent vision for the future. They may focus on day-to-day operations or tactical issues without considering the broader context or long-term implications, hindering their ability to become visionary leaders.
By recognizing and addressing these traits, leaders can cultivate a more visionary mindset and unlock their potential to inspire others and drive meaningful change.
 
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.
 
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
 Instagram | @bryan_smeltzer
 X | @bryansmeltzer
LinkedIn |  linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/
 
 

Brand Marketing Metrics | Creating a Strategy for Success

 
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
 
 

The Visionary Brand | Take Risks | How to Succeed Through Risk Taking

 
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.
 
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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.
 
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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
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LinkedIn | linkedin.com/in/bryansmeltzer/