In this episode, Todd Welch dives deep into the art of building a strong brand identity with Kitty Lai, Founder and Creative Director of Me Brand. Whether you’re a private label seller, wholesale seller, or growing a brand from the ground up, this episode is packed with essential insights for any Amazon seller. Kitty shares her 20+ years of branding experience, having worked with giants like Ted Baker, and explains why cohesive branding is the key to standing out on Amazon and beyond.
Listen
Watch
The Power of Branding in a Competitive Market
Kitty explains how strong branding helps Amazon sellers differentiate their products, attract loyal customers, and grow their businesses beyond just price competition. With the influx of low-cost overseas products, branding is more important than ever for long-term success.
Crafting a Unique Brand Identity
From selecting the right color schemes to designing memorable logos, Kitty provides detailed tips on how to create a brand identity that resonates with your target audience. Whether it’s a product brand or company-wide branding, these strategies ensure consistency across every touchpoint.
Social Media Marketing for Amazon Sellers
Kitty shares how to harness the power of social media to build brand recognition outside of Amazon. Learn about leveraging Instagram, TikTok, and other platforms to expand your reach, build community, and engage customers with compelling content.
Photography & Design Tips for Amazon Listings
Discover the importance of high-quality product photography and how it can drastically impact your listing’s performance. From lighting techniques to choosing the right backgrounds, Kitty’s expert advice will help your products shine on Amazon.
Resources From This Episode
- Kitty Lai’s Website: Me Brand Design
- Kitty on Instagram: @mebranddesign
- Anker Electronics: anker.com – Known for their quality accessories and customer-centric approach.
- Gymshark: row.gymshark.com – A case study in leveraging social media and influencer marketing to build a fitness brand.
- Corkcicle: corkcicle.com – Drinkware brand that built a strong retail presence through product innovation and a customer-first strategy.
- Design Inspiration: designspiration.com – A source for design inspiration.
- Site Inspire: siteinspire.com – Ideas for website and branding design.
- Pinterest: pinterest.com – Great for packaging and branding inspiration.
- Canva: canva.com – Easy-to-use tool for designing marketing materials.
- Hootsuite: hootsuite.com – Social media management tool.
- IFTTT: ifttt.com – Automate your social media and marketing tasks.
In Conclusion
Branding is no longer optional—it’s essential for standing out in a crowded Amazon marketplace. Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to refine your brand, Kitty Lai’s tips will guide you in building a memorable, trustworthy brand that customers will return to again and again.
Transcript
[00:00:00:00 – 00:00:20:29] INTRO
Welcome fellow entrepreneurs to the Amazon sellers school podcast, where we talk about Amazon and how you can use it to build an e commerce empire, a side hustle, and anything in between. And now your host, Todd Welch.
[00:00:21:06 – 00:00:57:08] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
What’s going on, everybody? Welcome to another episode of the Amazon Seller School podcast. I appreciate you guys joining us today. I’ve got Kitty Lai with me. She is the founder and creative director of Me Brands, and she has over two decades of building brands and Creative behind brands and what can really help you sell your products better not only on Amazon. But wherever you’re selling your products.
So Kitty, I appreciate you joining us.
[00:00:57:13 – 00:01:03:03] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Thank you so much for having me here today. I’m so excited to be sharing about branding and design.
[00:01:03:17– 00:01:59:02] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Absolutely. I’m really excited to dive into this because this is something that I’ve been doing more and more as I’ve gotten into brand partnerships. So, I’m not necessarily building my own brand, but I am helping brands build their brands.
So, understanding this information is, is critical when you’re helping brands to do that. But it’s also going to be really critical for any private label sellers out there that are building their brand, because we’ve got, More competition than ever on Amazon, you know, coming from overseas, whether it’s from China or wherever, and they’re probably undercutting us on price and branding and brand building is where we can really stand out in those crowded fields.
So, before we dive into that a little bit more, why don’t you tell me just a little bit more about your background, how you got into this, and then we can dive in. dive into your PowerPoint presentation.
[00:01:59:05 – 00:03:23:13] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah, I’ve been doing this from day dot since I was in a nappy really. No. So I went to university and I love packaging. I just love the design and stuff. I was good at art, did design and I specialize in graphic design. So after my degree, I came into London. So, the first thing, 21-year-old into London, graphic design is what I wanted to do. And I worked for some graphic agent, an agency for a year. And then I landed a really big role in Ted Baker which is a fashion global retail brand, actually.
And I worked my way up and I, for 10 years I was there looking after packaging, labeling, designs. This was in store marketing, all the collateral, anything with the name Ted Baker would come through me. I was, By the time I left, I was managing a team of eight designers. So, it was really important role for me to sort of get really creative with packaging and really be behind a brand.
So I was essentially the brand guardian. Then I moved on to other brands, such as TK Maxx. And then Kath Kiston was my other main role as well. We branded everything from the first day with the founder. nothing was consistent and that’s what drives me crazy when things aren’t consistent. So, I’ve been doing this with agencies and working behind big brands and, and expanding globally actually to different territories over twenties and working behind business. So, this is my passion. This is my love. I just want to make things look great. wherever you’re selling. So that is where I am with, With me brand.
[00:03:23:27– 00:03:39:22] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah, absolutely. And most things on Amazon do not have cohesive branding. It’s becoming a little bit more of a thing, but a majority of products on there don’t seem to care a whole lot about branding.
Would you agree?
[00:03:39:24– 00:04:15:09] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely. It drives me nuts. I mean, I love Amazon. I buy lots of from Amazon and I see the branding. no, there has to be a way to help people. yeah. And you have a lot of sellers creating products themselves, branding themselves, designing the logos themselves. So. It’s on a budget, you know, shooshing, shoestring budget.
And you know, it’s, it’s fine, but you know, when it comes to building a real brand and a successful brand, you have to take it back to the foundations and start from scratch and really take it seriously because you’re investing a lot of money into a brand and product that you’re going to be launching and expanding hopefully over a very long time.
[00:04:15:25– 00:04:54:13] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah, a hundred percent. And that’s what you really got to do nowadays. You know, it’s been a big thing with Amazon being, you know, a side hustle and just doing it in a few hours of spare time
and not treating it, you know
We’re kind of moving beyond those days. You can still do that and make, you know, 500 bucks, 1, 000 bucks if you wanted to on Amazon pretty easily. But if you want to build a big business or a big brand and sell a lot of products, you have to treat it like it’s a real business and do this branding. And everything else that goes along with that.
[00:04:54:14– 00:05:25:03] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely. It’s about investing money and time into a brand. It’s not just a size side hustle, you know, and I work with a lot of small sellers who are beginning and I work with more established sellers and there is a big difference sometimes. And I’m there to nurture consult with brands and saying, actually, you need to be thinking about this, this, and there’s, there are changes.
And it’s like, well, actually after it, after I’ve done the work, I think, yeah, we we’re, we’re seeing up this in sales. We, we understand what branding is now and I guide my clients through what, how important it is and what they need to do.
[00:05:25:19– 00:05:30:00] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Absolutely. And you are based in the UK, Correct?
[00:05:29:15 – 00:05:36:05] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
I am, yes. On the sunny coast.
I used to 20 years and, and I’ve decided to move down to the coast where I grew up.
[00:05:36:16– 00:05:57:09] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Very good. Yes. I love the accent. You got a little bit of a British accent. So that is awesome and yeah, you’ve worked on some really big British brands. So, people in the U S may not be as familiar with them. them, but we’ve got a decent Aussie audience in the UK as well.
So I’m sure they’re very familiar with those brands that you’ve worked on.
[00:05:57:20 – 00:05:59:05] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Fantastic.
[00:05:59:08– 00:06:04:26] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Now, do you, do you primarily work on brands in the UK or you work with everybody all over the globe?
[00:06:04:24– 00:06:14:02] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
I work globally. A lot of my clients are from the U S actually. So it was a mix of U S clients and UK and then beyond. So, I do work globally.
[00:06:14:16– 00:06:35:26] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Good, good. Very good. So well, let’s go ahead and dive into it and start showing people what they need to do to build their brand. So just for anybody who’s just listening on the podcast, we’re going to have some slides here. We’re going to do our best to describe what’s on the slides, but you may want to jump over to YouTube for this one and look at the visuals as well.
[00:06:35:27– 00:06:39:21] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
It’s a visual face I’m afraid, but I will accept that. I can explain as much as I can
[00:06:39:22– 00:06:41:16] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
well it’s branding, right? Branding is visual.
[00:06:41:10– 00:08:30:12] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
It’s branding. I’m a visual communicator, but I can also verbally communicate as well. So here goes. All right.
Okay. So what I’m going to do is take you through how to build a strong brand identity and help you understand the key strategies of creating a memorable brand that stands out in a crowded marketplace. Okay. So branding isn’t just for retail giants or unique startups. It’s essential for wholesale and arbitrage as well as private sellers too. So strong branding is extremely important and it goes beyond just labeling. It helps you differentiate from competitors and build lasting consumer relationships. But here’s why strong branding is so important.
It sets you apart from competitors even when selling similar products as well. So, it’s really important to be to stand out from the competition. It also builds customer loyalty as well. So, a crafted brand fosters trust and encourages repeat purchases. Also, visibility, It helps you stand out in the crowded market, attracting more attention and that’s essentially what you need on Amazon as well, because there’s so many products selling the same thing and great foundation as well. Investing in branding now sets. The stage for future growth and scalability. And I know that is a fact. So, if you are looking to really grow your brand, this is a really important part to focus on in your business and also incorporating effective branding practices that ensures your business is not just another option in the market, but being a memorable and trusted choice.
So it’s really important that the customers do value and buy from brands they trust.
[00:08:31:20– 00:08:52:20] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah. One thing to, to keep in mind too, is that we’re going to be talking a lot about product branding. But the same goes for your business branding in general as well. So, if you’re doing brand partnerships or consulting or wholesale, you’re building a brand around that as well, and not only the products that you’re selling.
[00:08:52:21– 00:13:15:19] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely. Like the company branding as well. It’s all connected. And obviously the things that I’ll go through shortly is the Is, is all relevant to product branding and company branding as well. So do you need to ask yourself, actually, are you standing out with a unique brand identity?
Okay. Because a strong brand identity is essential for making a lasting impression and it resonates with your target audience. So, when I talk about unique identity, I’m talking about the logo. That’s your brand signature. So, it needs to be unique and recognizable and consistent. Also, the color scheme, like you need to choose a palette that aligns with your brand’s value and use it consistently.
And I know a lot of brands, People that start their brands, they go with their favorite color or they think, Oh, that’s very nice. They see something they like and they just go with it. But there is a psychology behind color as well. So there’s, it’s not just picking something from, you know, out, out from the sky thinking that’s great.
Also typography, fonts that reflect your brand’s personality and ensure readability as well. So, it’s really important when the customer’s looking at your brand. They can read and they understand. And it actually looks like and feels like a whole identity put behind your actual brand or product.
And also one thing that I also do sort of push is the tone of voice as well for your brand. So the tone of your brand, the way you communicate, whether it’s friendly, professional, witty as well, it’s important. Like in marketing, when you write emails or on social media, there has to be a particular voice.
It can’t be inconsistent because I’ve seen that across brands and nothing’s, you know, when it’s not consistent, you confuse the customers as well. And that’s, you lose the trust with the customer as well.
Okay. So, brand name that’s a really important thing. actually. So if you’re a company and you’re selling other brands, I mean, you might want to think about that as well.
But also that should be reflected with the product. The product as well, or the brand name that you’re creating as well. So a successful brand name should be carefully considered. So I’ve sort of listed out a few things that actually you should be looking for when you’re creating a new brand, when you’re creating, trying to come up with a new brand name, it has to be easy to pronounce because if it’s not, you’re going to be in trouble.
You know, I’ve seen brands where they put weird names in and, and it just doesn’t flow off the tongue and that’s where you have to think, can you repeat it a couple of times, And, you know, is it easy to spell, you know, can people spell it as well? Like, you know, you want them to read it easily and make it memorable.
So if it’s short and snappy and it’s like, I know that, you know, it doesn’t have, you know, and it doesn’t have to be a three letter word all the time or whatever it could be. Something like, I quote, toys are us. I mean that you remember that because that’s something it’s memorable and it says what it is as well.
So, and there’s an emotional connection with the customer. They know it sells toys. I know they’re no longer, but you know but it says it reflects the product and service that it’s offering as well. Also is. Is the brand name cross cultural? There are mishaps where certain brands, actually luxury brands, they change their brand name just for that market because it might sound extremely rude or it could be something completely different in a different market as well.
So, you know, if it’s translated into Indian or Chinese, sometimes the translation does not compute with the people in that particular country on that location. Also being distinct and flexible as well. Can it be flexible as a name? You know, it, can it, what I mean is it distinct enough and flexibility?
Can it, if you’re going to extend your brand, can it extend to several little sub marks as well, sub brands within it as well. And, you know, it’s just thinking about that as well. And the competitive advantage of having a unique brand name as well. So being You know, that’s going to be, if someone’s going to remember it, if it’s easy to spell it, people can connect to you, you have that advantage over somebody on Amazon that that’s got the same name or a weird Chinese name, brand name that you do not remember.
It’s like, well, that doesn’t even make sense, you know, and, you know, trademark it as well. So, if it’s trademark, that’s, that also helps you in terms of having a unique brand name as well, because that’s important as you grow as a bigger brand as well. So,
[00:13:15:23– 00:13:19:05] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
I’m curious on that for the brand name.
[00:13:19:05– 00:13:19:15] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yes.
[00:13:21:12– 00:13:57:15] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Does it, do you have a preference over, you know, like making up words like Google or Rapala is a big fishing brand. And you know, those aren’t really real words until these companies created them versus you know, having a name that, you know, exists, words that exist already. So just to make something up, like for my company, if I was going to say online product optimization company or something like that, You know, and also longer versus shorter.
Is there, do you have preferences with that?
[00:13:57:18– 00:15:27:12] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
As long as it makes sense to the brand. I mean, if it’s way too wordy and if you’re going to make that into by domain, that’s going to be that word. You know, how do you chop that down into a domain as well? That’s, that’s. So it, it has to make sense to the brand.
And if it is something like that, and it actually makes sense, then there’s no reason why you can’t. one thing I also forgot about the, you know, the brand name, it could be a house of brands as well. So you could be Having, for example, Virgin, so they have things that Virgin Active, Virgin Leisure, Virgin Cruises, and you know, you could be sort of have a brand name that can house other brands underneath.
So if you are a wholesaler or, you know, an arbitrage, you could think about that as well. Come up, come up with something unique, but I will show you some case studies as well in where successful brands have done that as well. but yeah, having a company name and a, uh, It still has to be memorable at the end of the day, if it’s really boring and it’s like, well, that just sounds like the other person.
And there are so many names. If you go onto, you know, uh, U-S-P-T-O, you know, you, you see the same names over and over and it’s like, well, what’s the difference? And then you’re trying to compete with these people with the same names. If it can be unique and some, sometimes if it is, as long as it rolls off the tongue, you think it’s memorable?
Is it playful? You know what sort of brand you have? If, if, you know, it doesn’t really matter, as long as you can cover all those things. It’s memorable, it rolls off the tongue, it’s easy to pronounce, you know, and it reflects what your brand or your company are all about.
[00:15:28:13– 00:15:57:18] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah. Yeah. And there’s been that evolution, right?
If we go way back, you know, you’ve got like the East India Trading Company was the name of that company. And now you’ve got companies that are just shorting, shortening their names, like Kentucky Fried Chicken is now just KFC and everything’s getting shorter and shorter. And I just wonder if there’s ever going to be like a turnaround on that where things start getting longer and longer.
I don’t know.
[00:15:57:19– 00:21:44:04] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Let’s hope it’s not getting longer and longer. But yeah, no, yeah, But yeah, so if you have got a long name, then you create your brand identity to have a secondary sort of a Submark or a you know, a secondary mark like KFC that would be they’ll still use that you still You’re still sort of associated with Kentucky Fried Chicken.
They’ve these brands have been around for so long so long that, you know, you just know that KFC is Kentucky Fried Chicken and, you know, a lot of brands and, you know, Starbucks just uses the siren, you know, you don’t, they don’t even have to say Starbucks, you recognize it. And this is the, the, the point of having your brand so recognizable that they don’t even need to say, Oh, actually, you know, that’s a swoosh.
We know what that is. You know, we know what brand that is. And that’s where you want to be. So having things memorable, whether it’s, you know, Icon, but the name is very important still.
Yeah, okay. Yeah.
And you know that, but it’s a very good point. so it leads me onto telling your story because we, I’m sure all of you hear about telling the story, like what is your brand story?
And, you know, it’s, I’m going to show you, you know, why it’s, Why it’s important to understand why, why brand story is crucial for establishing a strong, memorable, memorable brand. Yeah. So, so creating a brand story, you know, it builds trust. Firstly, you have having a clear mission and vision and helps values that help establish credibility with your customers.
It boosts engagement with personal stories and emotional connections. You make the brand relatable and get engaging to the audience. Having a brand story also sets you apart as well. So a unique brand story makes you stand out from your competition. Not everyone has a brand story. And I, I speak to a lot of brands, what’s your story?
And it’s like, well, it was inspired by my daughter and whatever, you know, and it’s like a really, I mean, some, some of them are really compelling and really great, but sometimes they are just very boring. And so you need to sort of elaborate and dress up a bit. And there, there are reasons why people do things.
And everyone loves a good story. You know, you go to the movies, you want to, you love that story. You want to know what happens at the beginning and the middle, and there’s an end to the story. So, you know, really do that. But you know, it, you know, it also fosters loyalty. You know, when customers share your values, they’re more likely to stick around.
So they’ll really enjoy your brand if they understand what and who you’re all about. And also it guides marketing as well. It gives you a guide for telling the story in marketing that and in so many ways, you know, so, you know, discuss how to so a compelling story keeps your marketing efforts consistent and on point.
So, you know, it’s really important to encourage you know, your people in your, in your brand, who’s working for your brand to define, you know, All those things within a brand story. So, as I spoke about earlier. Many brand owners start with the passion for design and I know that for a fact, cause I, I have to fix a lot of logos for people and branding.
But you know, they, they, they have a passion for design, but they, it naturally leads them to designing a logo and. That’s a basic identity, but it’s not a brand. So just having a logo isn’t a brand. So, however, you know, as you grow and aim to expand, you know, the sellers often realize that their brand identity needs more depth than just the logo.
So to truly build a strong brand, it’s important to take a step back and revisit the foundation. So, you need to look at the mission, the vision and values. Because these elements are crucial in shaping how your brand is perceived and in guiding your growth as well. So as you grow team, these things are really important.
So if you’ve got a VA across the other side of the world, you’re hiring a designer and then you’re building a team. What are your, what are your missions? What is your vision and what are the values? You know, you have to know that internally before you actually go externally with your brand as well. So let me take you through what the brand mission is.
Okay.
So, a brand mission is a clear statement of what your brand does, who it serves, and the value it provides. So, you need to focus on your core purpose and the problem you solve for your customers. So, for example, if you’re a gift bag or box supplier your mission might be, our mission is to provide eco-friendly, stylish and affordable packaging solutions.
So, you know, it’s thinking about what they’re delivering, what the, what the problem is for your customers as well. And, you know, and if you were a wholesaler, for example, you might say, you offer exceptional products that meet our customer’s needs and deliver outstanding value, ensuring a seamless and satisfying shopping experience.
So you’re talking about the experience and that’s your mission as a wholesaler. Wholesale seller. That’s what I meant. Okay.
And then brand vision. So, the brand vision is a forward-looking statement about what your brand aspires to become. So that means consider your long-term goals and the impact you want to make for your brand.
So I’ll have another example again. So the vision might be our vision is to lead the global market in sustainable packaging. and if you were a wholesale seller, you might want to say to be a leading brand recognized for quality, reliability, and innovation, continuously growing and adapting to the evolving marketplace.
So, you know, don’t think small, think bigger as well. So, you know, you’re, you are still trying to appeal to your audience, whether you’re arbitrage seller, whether you’re a wholesale seller or a brand product, a private seller as well. So it’s really important to have a vision in place as a company. And the brand
[00:21:45:23– 00:22:03:18] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Aren’t they becoming even more of a big thing now with the younger generations as well.
They’re looking more and more for the brand vision and the values behind the brand to support them and want to use their products.
[00:22:03:24– 00:22:51:15] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah. And often the brands I’ve worked with, they don’t have them as well. So I always, I always start with a questionnaire. I ask them what they want and they really don’t know.
So then I kind of. Do it for them. I to clay all these all their information. I define it for them as well. And it’s really important to have that. And I think, Oh, actually, yeah, you’re right. We that’s what we and to be honest, they do kind of know what their vision and mission is, but they’ve not put it down on paper.
And it’s really important as you grow that that vision and mission, you keep looking back at it and you can adapt it as you grow as well. It doesn’t mean you can’t, you know, if you’re a small brand, but it’s important to have that from the get go as well. When you’re creating that brand, And if you don’t have one now, then you, it’s time to actually start thinking about that as well, because it will be very helpful.
[00:22:51:22 – 00:23:10:18] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
And make sure they’re, they’re real, right? Don’t just throw on there, you know, stop climate change, protect it. The Amazon save the way if you don’t, if you’re not really doing something about that, I think a lot of businesses take advantage of those things and just throw it out there and don’t actually do anything about it.
[00:23:10:23– 00:23:11:29] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely.
[00:23:11:05 – 00:23:17:04] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
But, you know, do things that you’re actually, or talk about things that you’re actually doing and actually believe in.
[00:23:16:28– 00:28:20:02] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
That’s right. Practice what you preach. Tech, you know, you have to believe in what you, what you are and what your brand is as well. So, it’s, yeah. And the brand, VA brand values.
So, they are the core principles and beliefs that guide your brand’s behavior. So, decision making, the interactions, and they define your brands. They define what your brand stands for and how it conducts itself. So, you know, you need to reflect on what matters the most to your brand.
What principles do you refuse to compromise on. you know, consider your brand’s culture, the ethics and the standards you want to uphold. So, your values should resonate with your audience and be evident in everything you do. So, an example would be commitment to quality, integrity in all dealings and a customer first approach that drives every decision we make.
So that is really important to have, you know, these things that, that. The mission, the vision and the values. Those are the main things to have before you even start thinking of creating a brand. So, creating brand guidelines, this is the fun part. So, you know, it there’s a lot of things to think about before you create a brand.
And I know a lot of people just go straight into the logo. That’s it, you know, but you know, there, there is. There are successful branding agencies and this is what they do day in day long. You know, they think about the brand really deeply and, and really immerse themselves in what the brand is. And I think it’s really important that brands should have guidelines.
I know some sellers already have like basic style guidelines, like the. The top typography, the font that you’re using, the colors and the logo as well. And they, they’re just really basic style guidelines, but there’s more to it as well. So when you’re creating. The actual grand guidelines, you need to sort of look at defining the core elements.
So, you need to start, as we mentioned, we start with the mission, the vision, the values, and guide all the decisions and communications going forward. But you need to also establish visual identity as well. So, use your logo, your color scheme, and typography consistently across all of them. All platforms and then standardize product listings.
So, make sure every product listing reflects your brand’s voice and visuals from the images to the copy and then unify packaging as well. So, align the packaging with your brand identity for a cohesive customer experience from the first glance to unboxing. Because if things aren’t consistent at all, you know, I mean, this is why we need the guidelines, you know, make sure everything is consistent and as well as aligning the communication.
So keep your brand’s voice consistent in the emails, the social media, and the customer interactions as well. And integrate that in the marketing materials as well. So, from the ads to the marketing. The brochures or listings, your packaging, ensure that all marketing materials adhere to your brand guidelines, reinforcing a consistent message.
So, you know, you can ensure that all the interactions feel consistent and professional as well. So, you know, and, and true to identity. to the identity that you’ve worked hard to create as well. So, putting these all-in places is really important from the start it’s, it’s wordy and it’s a lot to think about, but it’s, you know, once it’s there, it’s done, you know?
So then I look at brand consistency as well. And it’s about keeping your brand message consistent across all platforms and it’s really key as well. You know, to building the trust and recognition as well. So when your message stays the same, your audience knows exactly what to expect. where they find you or see you.
So, when it comes to consistent messaging, I know we have some visuals here, but I can still tell you about it. So yeah, visual consistency is just as crucial actually. Just as the brand message is consistent as well. So, whether it’s your product images, you’re packaging or promotional materials, having a cohesive look reinforces your brand and makes it instantly recognizable.
So simple tweaks like using the same color scheme or logo placement can make a real difference. And I mentioned style guides before, you know, brand guidelines and putting these all in places really sort of, if you have a sort of overview of your whole brand, it really makes sense. And you can see what’s out of place.
and, you know, I do that a lot with the clients as well to show them, this is an overview of everything, your website, your Amazon listing, what your email newsletters look like, and, you know, it’s really important to have that consistent messaging in whatever you do. And then it comes to the customer interaction as well.
So that’s my trick, right? Customer interaction. So, from customer service responses to the follow ups need to stay consistent in how you communicate and it reinforces your brand’s identity and reliability as well. So, it’s about making every interaction feel like it’s coming from the same place. I’ve already mentioned that tone of voice, that consistency as well.
So really think about, you know, it doesn’t matter what type of seller you are. You know, just don’t forget to interact with your customers wherever they are. You know, wherever they reach out to you.
[00:28:20:26– 00:28:55:13] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah. And this is something that we do for our, when we get a new brand partnership. One of the first things we do is put together a brand kit so that we can, you know, put together what their logo is, what colors, their color palette, topography, I’m looking at one over here on my screen.
And so, we have our graphic designer put that package together. So then whenever we’re doing stuff for that brand, we know exactly what their, their branding should look like.
[00:28:55:29 – 00:33:51:05] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely. It’s those are really great. What if you have that? And it just helps, you know, when you pass it on to a designer or, you know, you’re expanding a team as well.
So that’s, yeah, that is really good that they have it. So this takes me on to social media marketing. It’s really surprising how many brand owners neglect social media. You might be an Amazon seller, but you know, you, that’s only one marketplace, but how are you going to be seen? So, to build a strong brand, you need a multi-channel marketing approach and a strong online presence, you know, your audience on Amazon. You’ve also got an audience off Amazon as well. So, you need to really utilize that as well make the most of what you can with social media as well. Because no one knows you unless they walk through that Amazon door.
So. How do you choose the right platform? and you know, it’s difficult and I don’t recommend doing everything. It’s whatever suits your brand and where you think your particular demographic, your target audience will be on. So, whether it’s on TikTok, whether it’s on Instagram or Facebook or tick, you know, on Twitter. It’s really important to identify where your mark market is your target market is most active. So, you know, you need to match the strengths and well match the platform strengths as well. So, you know, it really needs to fit the brand content style as well. So again, I mentioned whether it’s on Instagram for visuals, you know, if you say, if you’re a kitchen brand, maybe you want to be on Instagram to create lots of recipes, lots of lovely imagery about food using your particular product as well.
So it’s being in the right place as well. So that, you know, select the platform that’s best for you. that you can consistently manage and create content for as well. So, it’s no point of doing everything under the sun because you won’t be able to manage it unless you have a team, which will be great. But, you know, just start small and then sort of really get a feel for it as well, because I think you can really utilize these channels to really shout about your brand and get noticed as well.
Also, it’s important to track performance as well and focus on platforms that drive the most traffic and engagement. So, you know, there are platforms that can evaluate these metrics as well. and also really push it. But, you know, if you have someone on a social media team, a social media manager, that’s really helpful because they can help you manage that and really make the most of it.
And again, you know, if you’re on the wrong platform, it’s about testing and adapting as well. So, Start with a few platforms, monitor the results and adjust your strategy based on what works best. You know, you might not have it right the first time around, but it’s also all about adapting and especially if you’re new to it as well.
So don’t stress too much, but it is good to be seen elsewhere as well.
Okay. So content strategy, that’s, that’s one of the things that most people do actually struggle with as well. when they’re doing it themselves. What content? And they just post random pictures. They don’t know what they’re doing, but there is a clear strategy and I’m going to tell you about that.
And these are things that I use in my own social media as well. So, create a strategy that aligns with your brand firstly, and that resonates with the brand. the audience you’re talking to, and because that will build the customer loyalty, they want to see more. And so, you need to focus on the, this type of strategy that I’m going to tell you right now.
So consistent brand voice. So, it’s all about maintaining that tone that reflects your brand’s personality across all content. So that’s the first thing that you have to understand. It has to be the same across everything. So, if you are on TikTok or on Instagram together, you know, make sure that the message is the same.
Don’t change it to something funny and then something really serious on another platform. It’s really important to be consistent. Highlight features and benefits with high quality visuals and engaging descriptions as well. Showcase how your products solve problems or improve lives. So video testimonials can be especially powerful as well for this as well.
So product showcases are our key. when, when you’re on social media, because your audience wants to see your products and they want to see how it’s used. Also, behind the scenes, you know, using contents behind the scenes, you know, share insights into your team or the product creation and just to humanize your brand a little.
And I know a lot of brand owners don’t like to be the face of the brand. They don’t want to show their face and they, they’re, Oh no, no, it’s, you know, so behind the scenes doesn’t mean you have to Be the person behind the camera on the social media. So, you know, it is like, like I said, product creation show people may be using the product or this is how it’s created or the design stage or something, or maybe the fact part of the factory that they’re making it but, you know, Things, you know, that you’re doing or somebody that’s using it behind the scenes. But you don’t have to show your face if you really don’t want to either, but it’s helpful.
People, people are nosy. They want to know what’s going on. and then also
[00:33:51:07– 00:34:15:00] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
I like that stuff. I’ve posted videos of our, we have a fishing rod that we make. And so we’ve posted videos from the factory of them being made and, you know, them testing them and yeah. Seeing at what point they break, you know, how much pressure they can take.
And people like that kind of stuff. They feel more part of the brand, like they’re involved in the creation of it.
[00:34:14:23– 00:36:07:00] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely. It’s being transparent. This is what the round is, this is how we’ve done it and people love that. You know, it’s just, you know, it’s, it’s just. It’s about testing the content as well.
And leverage your customer testimonials. So, using real reviews and testimonials to build trust and credibility. So that is one thing that people will come back. They liked and will buy your products as well through that trust. also educational content. So provide how to guides and tips that add value to your audience.
This positions your brand as helpful resource and builds trust with your audience as well as, well, we talked about, you know, videos and stuff. So, user generated content. So, encourage your customers to share experiences with your products on social media and reposting their content shows appreciation and builds community around your brand.
People love to see that. Be part of a brand and, and what better way to use UGC for your social media. and it comes back to storytelling again. So, craft narratives around your brand’s mission, vision, and values. So, it’s about sharing stories that resonate with your audience and align with their values.
And then finally it’s creating, you know, you need to create a content calendar, and look at analytics as well. So plan posts for consistency. So you might be planning three times a week. you know, get, get a content calendar for the next month, you know, and stories or whatever you want, but it’s important that you do map it out.
And then you can see, actually, there’s a pattern that can repeat, you know, you can rinse and repeat with a different type of content in it. But you know, you just need to refine your, your strategy and use analytics to see that because one post might work better than another post, you know, you know, so it’s really.
Depending on what type of content you use. So again, it’s, it’s trial and error with social media, but there’s proven strategies, so these, you know, these will work and it will help you guide you and it’s a good start to look at those to begin with.
[00:36:08:15– 00:36:22:15] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah. And you know, this would be a whole separate podcast, but, AI can be very helpful with coming up with ideas for these types of things as well and helping you build a content calendar.
[00:36:22:19 – 00:37:30:18] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely. And I’ve, I’ve created something like that as well. I asked them to do two weeks’ worth of content for the next two months, you know, and it’s like, you know, the AI can really help you with, with ideas as well for your brand.
So that’s really important, but that is another, another podcast. so community building, right? So social media is made for communities, so building community. So, it’s important to engage with followers and build things around your brand as well. So things like responding to comments, so engage quickly and authentically and address issues professionally.
That you often will get direct messages or emails. So it’s really important for your brand that you do respond to comments as well. And so, In your tone of voice, even if they’re being rude, even if they’re, you know, to you or about your brand, you have to remain consistent and sort of professional about it at all, at all times.
And also you could host giveaways as well. You know, as part of the community building, you can set clear goals and promote widely announce winners to boost further engagement as well. Who doesn’t love freebie or giveaway? So, you know, that was a great thing.
[00:37:30:09 – 00:37:57:20] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
I built an email list for our brand of about 13, 000 people by running giveaways with, with our product and then a bunch of other products that complimented it and works really well, you put together like a $150, $200 package and then run some ads on Facebook and other social media platforms and collect emails and you can build a very big email list quickly with that.
[00:37:57:21– 00:39:58:00] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
That’s right. Proof is in the pudding, Todd. Fantastic. yeah. And, you know, encouraging, user generated content. So use branded hashtags and feature user content and run contests to drive participation as well. So, you know, that’s all about the community building. But there’s another key strategy to building lasting brand is to actually collaborate with influencers.
So, you know, it’s, it’s really important to get. Scene as well. You want to sort of grow your brand, not just in social media that, you know, there were other channels like partnering up with influencers and who share your same brand value. So, it’s really important. We do that research first as well, not just go with anyone that’s cheap, but really.
Yeah. Take the time to sort of see whether you want to firstly collaborate with influences and whether it’s right for your brand as well, because their endorsement can expand your reach through their established follower base as well. So think about their community as well, not just yours, especially if you’re just starting out.
And it also adds credibility and trust as well for your brand. The content also is more authentic and engaging. So as influencers can create creatively integrate your brand into their lifestyles as well. So, you know, they might come up with some really, really cool stuff or different ways that you didn’t even think of how they could promote it as well.
So, it’s worth pursuing that and having, you know, sort of having a look at how you could partner with an influence as well. But it’s also important to craft a personalized pitch and offering value while clearly defining collaborating goals and deliverables with the actual influence as well. So, they want something out of it as well.
So, you know, we need to have that dialogue and see whether it works for you. And I know there are lots of as well. you know, there’s the Amazon influencer program. So, there are credible people on there. and you know, if it works for your brand, then maybe have a look at that and, you know, it will boost, you know, traction for your brand as well.
Maybe not for all, but it really depends on your product and who you actually partner with.
[00:39:59:17– 00:40:32:03] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
So I’m curious, uh, there’s a lot of these influencer connecting platforms and websites that have popped up where, you know, you sign in, you put your profile in there and what you want to get influencers for and then it connects you with influencers.
Do you recommend any of those that work well, or do you still prefer going kind of the direct route, finding people on Instagram, YouTube, et cetera, and reaching out to them directly and trying to connect that way?
[00:40:32:04 – 00:42:03:00] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
A bit of both, but some on Instagram, if they’ve got like tens of, well, if they’ve got a hundred thousand or a million followers, then don’t even ask them because they’re probably on a very, they’re probably on a very high pay package that they would want in return in terms of their videos and endorsements.
So, you know, I, I would probably look for people like tens of thousands, maybe 5, 000 people that maybe even starting out, you know, they will probably charge less because they’re still not that established, but you need to see who are following them and are they authentic followers as well. So you have to do a bit of research.
I can’t tell you where you should really look, but you know, there are people on YouTube, there are Instagram and on, you know, Instagram. And like you say, there are websites. I have looked myself actually, and it’s just. Finding that match for your brand, have the conversation with them and see, ask them, have they, we’ll see what they’ve done previously.
Actually, it’s really good to see how they actually present. You know, you might even not like the way they talk. It’s like, Oh, that doesn’t, that’s not like my brand. You know, you might, you know, so it’s really important. Do your research, see how they present other people’s brands. Have they done something similar?
and maybe ask them well If you were to promote my product, how would you do it? Maybe ask them a few ideas. I’m not obviously get them to tell you all the ideas, but maybe they might have some ideas, build that relationship first, have that conversation and see, and if it actually, if it works, then, you know, go for it.
But. Again, you know, do your due diligence and you know, you don’t want it to harm your brand than anything and so I think there are a lot of credible influencers out there as well So yeah.
[00:42:03:25 – 00:42:20:03] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah, for sure I’ve always gone the route of just reaching out to people directly, you know finding the people with a few thousand or tens of thousands of subscribers are reaching out and most of the time they’re willing to do a video just in exchange for the product.
[00:42:20:09 – 00:42:39:08] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah, absolutely. And that’s great. So, you know, and it’s weather and again, look at the metrics or the analytics. Has that given you an uplift in sales? If it hasn’t, then, you know, you need to review that. And maybe that person wasn’t, wasn’t, quite right. Or her reach wasn’t right as well. So again, go back to the drawing board and have a look and see.
[00:42:39:10– 00:43:07:06] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah. And you always want to look at their most recent posts as well and see how much traction they’re getting, how fast, because there’s a lot of fake influencers as well, right. That buy these subscribers and followers and stuff like that. So you gotta be careful of that as well. But if their posts consistently are getting, you know, hundreds or thousands of views and lots of likes and stuff.
Then it’s more likely that it’s legitimate.
[00:43:07:04– 00:48:05:14] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah. And, you know, yeah, and, and it’s more legit, legitimate influences will ask for a small fee as well. So, you know, it doesn’t have to be thousands, you know, somewhere in the hundreds. So, you know, you do have to sort of have that conversation as well.
Nothing’s for free. so design tips for Amazon listing. So, I, there was so much to talk about and I honed it down until one subject actually, cause there was just so, it’s just too much to take in, I think. so I’m going to look and focus just on product photography. So. So, so there’s lots of things when, for me as a designer, I have an eye for detail and as an art director as well, I do look out for certain things on product photography.
So when it comes to your listing obviously, you know, on Amazon, you need to use high resolution images to showcase your products detail quite clearly as well. But it’s all about angles as well. It’s not, I know the first image has to be on the white background and pretty much Quite standard. So I don’t need to talk about the first image, but it’s all the other ones that follow and you don’t want repeats of the same thing.
So it’s, it’s getting a bit more creative as well. So, I’ve sort of picked out a few things and it’s all, it’s all about creating a focal point for your products. So, I’ve talked about capturing actually multiple angles to give the customer a comprehensive view of your product. So it could be the side bit, maybe with the packaging on a different background, which I’ll come on to in a second, but simplicity.
Okay. It’s usually quite good. So, it can be on a simple background on a single cup, different type of color, but angles and focal points are really important and they create a bit more interest as well, whether it’s laying down on a table with products around it, you know graphics around it or having props as well.
So if you’ve got a particular product, maybe. put it in an environment where it lends itself to a prop like this. my example with the Manuka honey, it’s got the honey spoon thing. you know, that’s on the side as well. You know, maybe add in some background as well, but really Panning on a close up as well.
So it’s about angles, close ups, and simplicity, and using color. So don’t be afraid to use color as well, or just single out that one product. And so, you know, it’s really sort of looking at what you can do with that product photography. So I’m hoping that people are listening. I’m explaining it as well as I can.
And then, you know, we’ve, and that’s the, that’s the end of it. sort of thing for focal points. So, the next thing is actually, looking more about the backgrounds. So, these are very important as well. So, location. So, whether it’s outdoors, whether it’s on a location that suits your particular product, whether it’s Indoors as well.
So whether it’s in a kitchen or, or something with a product that, that lends itself that for that particular product, you really need to show it in situ on location. And as well as having lifestyle images, you people like seeing people, they want to put the human touch to that product, not just the jar or whatever it is, or, you know, or, you know, spatula, you know, we want to see people using the product.
So make sure you incorporate that into your listings, don’t just use random, stock images. I know a lot of people do, but try to incorporate your product into that image. You know, try to have a photographer take the photos for you, or if you want, if you’re quite talented, maybe do some of your photos yourself.
You could probably do a lot of the closeup ones, and I’m going to show you actually with the backdrops as well, that you can. Do it yourself, I’m not sure how qualified some people are, but you know, there is that option, you know, so look about backdrops. So if you don’t have a location,think about you could really sort of make up your own backdrops.
so these examples i’ve got is a fake wall with a wooden panel, and you know, if you’ve got a quite small small product that lends itself, maybe say it’s a shoe horn or something, you know, that could, you know, that could be sitting on the actual wood floor. You have the product, you just zoom in on it.
And that could be quite an interesting take rather than somewhere else that’s just completely random, you can have backdrops that are actually, bought as well. So buying backgrounds and things like that. I’m photoshopping it onto your product onto the backdrop as well. You can, there are a lot of talented, designers that can do that for you and visual artists as well that can put your products in.
So there’s no problem with doing that, and you know, you can get really creative if you are thinking of doing yourself, I generally would say, get a photographer to do it for you as well. But you know, it’s all. All about keeping your mind open and creative as well. So, you know, you might see something you really like.
So it’s really important. You tell the photographer that this is what the inspiration is. I would recommend have mood boards as well. When you speak to your photographer, not just leave it to them. Oh, come up with something for me because they don’t know what you’re thinking. You might have a particular vision, a particular backdrop.
if there’s something that you’re inspired by, show them because then they can work their vision to what you had in mind rather than leave it to them. They’ll figure it out. because often it doesn’t work out that well and they’re doing the fifth take or the sixth take and it’s, you know, you’ve wasted a lot of time and money and effort.
[00:48:06:02– 00:49:04:25] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah, and something that a lot of Amazon sellers will do is they will take an image like this lady in the kitchen and have a graphic designer place their product in there. And while that can be a really good way to do it. Not all graphic designers are created equal and a lot of them are very bad at doing it.
They can get it like 90, 95 percent of the way there, but a lot of times I’ve seen where the graphic designers put your product in there and it looks like the product is floating or the scale is not right. So, be careful with that. With the graphic designers and make sure that they really know what they’re doing Look at their portfolio and make sure that they have products That look really good because if you can tell that there’s something wrong. Your customer will be able to tell as well
[00:49:04:25 – 00:49:42:12] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah, and it’s great if your competitor has that kind of bad graphic on there So, you know leave it to them But yeah, absolutely you need to really watch out because not all graphic designers are visual artists as well And you know the sites They say they can do things often, you know, nine times out of ten, they just say they just, they can’t.
You know, I’m a, I’ve, I’ve been doing it for a very long time and I, I can, sometimes I struggle, you know, to make things look particularly real, but I can make things look Like they should be but you know, it takes a lot of skill and time. I’ve been doing it for 25 years So, you know really do sort of make sure that things do look correct and realistic
[00:49:42:14 – 00:50:19:07] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
and You’re right with the nine times out of ten because our graphic designer that we have now is really good But to find him we had to go through, you know over a hundred applications and then interview about 40 different people and have probably about 20 people do test projects.
And a majority of those were not very good. So out of a hundred, you know, we found a handful of people that were good at it and hired one of them. So you gotta be making sure you’re finding the good graphic designers that are able to do it well.
[00:50:19:02– 00:53:14:19] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely, and most. Graphic designers that are trained aren’t trained to do that sort of thing.
Actually, you know I’ve done work with a lot of photographers and I’ve done a lot of retouching, actually retouching skin and faces and things that, you know, putting, taking things out of the background, but, you know, it’s not all graphic designers are trained to do that. They are trained to make, you know, flat layouts, you know, packaging and other things.
But when you asking them to do something that is not really, they can do it because they’ve got the tools, but you know, you just need to, like you say, is to really sort of, make sure that you see their portfolio. so the next thing is actually lighting. Photography lighting, is the most important of all, ensure that you have proper lighting to highlight features and eliminate shadows, but natural light or soft box, soft box lighting often works best as well.
So I don’t really, you know, I wouldn’t recommend you, you know, Do it yourself. If you can have a photographer do it, that is even better when they can do pack shots and close up photography for you. But lighting, is really key as well. So if you get it wrong, it’s. It can be, it can kill the whole mood to that actual image.
So the pros to lighting is, you know, it enhances the product appeal. So it highlights product details, the colors and textures that can really make certain things pop out as well. So it’s really important that, you know, it does appeal to the, customer also builds trust. So clear images reduce returns by matching a customer’s expectations.
If they know they can see and you know, I can see the product clearly, you know, that will build the trust. Also it creates a professional image. So quality lighting makes the photo looked really polished. And it improves sales. So attractive images increase click throughs and conversion. So it’s really important.
If you have a budget for the photographer, use it. Try not to do it yourself. Sometimes there are things like you want to do behind the scenes or sometimes for social media, you can do close ups and do things with your phone. if you’re very creative, then it’s fine. But I would say if you’re not, then don’t attempt it yourself.
but you know, the cons to lighting, you know, the cost and setup, you know. requires expensive equipment and expertise. You might as well pay for it. Don’t give you, give yourself that nightmare and do it yourself. time consuming, you know, proper lighting setup can actually take slow down the process.
And there are ways of reflecting lights as well to take out some shadows from the other side. you know, so if you don’t know that, then it’s going to be hard. A photographer will know that, inconsistent results. So poor lighting knowledge can lead to mix match images. So you, you might take one shot, you know, first and then change it to another product.
and then it’s different lighting. Sometimes you have to adjust it as well. I’ve been on enough fashion shoots and product shoots that you have to adjust to the actual product. You can’t just use the same one light setting on a particular product. You do have to adjust. So again, that’s, getting a bit technical, but you know, it’s important when you have those, your listings, you do have good lighting for anything.
Outdoor lighting, natural light is good. Okay. Yeah.
[00:53:14:14 – 00:53:38:14] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
For sure. And you know, a really good graphic designer can help a lot. As long as you have a really high resolution. Photo. So if you have, you know, your maximum resolution set for your products, a really good graphic designer can help a lot when it comes to the lighting as well.
They can work a lot of wonders with that.
[00:53:38:15 – 00:56:12:29] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah, they can definitely help you with that. So that, yeah, definitely work with them. so. The next slide is about monitor and adapting brand strategies. o it, so to ensure your brand remains effective and competitive, it’s crucial to consistently monitor performance and adapt your strategy.
So it’s about analyzing the performance. of your brand. So set goals. So before diving into analytics, define clear objectives for your branding and social media efforts. Also use analytic tools. So, track key metrics like engagement rates, click free rates and conversion rates as well. You can use tools like Google analytics or Amazon brand analytics or other kind of key metrics as well.
also compare your performance against industry standards. Industry benchmarks or past performance to identify trends and areas for improvement. So there’s always going to be continuous improvement. Don’t get complacent. Don’t get stagnant. You know, make sure you have regular reviews to assess what’s working or not and adjust your strategies accordingly as well.
It’s important that you stay flexible. As well, adapt to new trends, adapt to new trends and, you know, data insights as well, if you have to. And it’s important to also collect feedback from customers to better understand their needs and perceptions. Cause you know, you might’ve got it wrong a little bit, you know, and sometimes you have to listen to what the customer needs and this information, use that information to refine your approach.
So I’m going to take you through some case studies as well. so, I’m going to talk about Anker actually. So Anker is known for its high quality electronic accessories, starting as a small brand selling through wholesale channels and expanded, they’ve expanded rapidly. I remember actually when they first started out, not that long ago, actually.
I remember that old logo and my husband buys a lot of Anker products, you know, you know, but they’ve gone so big and such a short amount of time, but you know, they’re successful. Factors are based on their focus on quality. So their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction sets them apart from their competitors.
They’re strong branding. Also, they developed a recognizable brand identity with a distinctive logo and consistent color scheme. Also, they are quite effective online. Their presence online is quite effective. So the leverage Amazon and other e commerce platforms to build a strong online reputation.
They’re also. Have a customer centric approach. So they focus on customer feedback to improve products and enhance the user experience.
[00:56:13:18 – 00:56:29:17] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yeah, they’re also in a market that where there is a lot of junk on Amazon that is Pretty much garbage and fails on your rather quickly. And they made high quality products with a reputable or recognizable, built a recognizable brand.
[00:56:29:18– 01:01:15:27] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
That’s right. I mean, you know, like they said, they started small. So it’s, you know, and through wholesale channels as well. So it’s not like you can’t be a wholesale seller and build a brand from that. So, you know, that’s really, Interesting and key as well. So Gymshark is another one. So they began small online, as an online store that they, they were selling fitness apparel and they quickly grew into a global, globally recognized brand, and that was based on the success of social media marketing.
So they utilize influencer marketing and strong social media presence to build brand awareness. Also their direct to consumer model as well. It shifted from wholesale. To DTC, you know, and allowing for better control over that brand image. So as I got bigger, they thought, actually, we’re going to hone it in.
We’re going to take control now. also the it’s about community building, is one of their successes as well. So fostering a strong community around fitness and creating loyalty and brand advocacy as well. So it’s really important again, that social media marketing really helped them build a brand.
and, you know, really sort of become more global. And also the innovative designs as well. So as they’ve grown bigger, they’ve got a bigger budget. So they focus really high on quality and stylish designs that appeal to the fitness enthusiasts. And there are a lot of them out there. so yeah, so they, they have really gone, done really well for themselves as well.
And then finally, Corkcicle, they are known for innovative drink, wear and callers. They leverage both wholesale and direct to consumer channels for growth. So their success factors, was based on product innovation. So they created unique products with a focus on functionality and style that brand differentiation as well.
They established a strong brand identity through distinctive design and packaging. And also their retail strategy. They decided to build partnerships with major retailers and expand its presence. Specialty stores as well. So not just online, they wanted to expand in the retail space. Also the customer engagement, they focused on creating a memorable customer experience, both online and in store as well.
So with those, it’s really important to know that they’ve gone from. Wholesale and a small branding and they’ve built this big brand. So wherever you are in your stage, you can be like them as well. As long as you invest in your brand and, and, you know, look at what, what your brand identity is about, what the brand mission is.
Build all those things that I’ve talked about just, just previously. And really sort of try and build a more serious brand because you can be there. You know, a lot of them just start with one product or like the wholesale sellers, they start with several products and yet they’ve taken it in as their own brand and now they’re selling their own brand as well.
So it’s really good to see that growth. Okay, so quick recap, you know, so as mentioned, branding is crucial, to help you set yourself apart, you know, as well as, you know, wholesale and arbitrage sellers, it builds brand loyalty. Also, I talked about the brand identity development. So defining your brand’s identity and story and ensuring consistency with brand guidelines.
Also the brand consistency, keep messaging and visuals uniform across all platforms and customer interactions. We talked about social media marketing. So it’s about choosing the right platform that works for your brand and is aligned with your brand. and, and engaging with your audience with the content as well.
Also Amazon listing design, using high quality images and enhancing the content makes your listing stand out. We all know that. And then again, also Constantly monitor and adapt your strategy as well. So regularly analyzing and refining your brand and marketing efforts as well is really important as you grow.
these are some resources that. are there for inspiration. These are the ones that I use for myself. So design inspiration. com you there’s, you know, if you look on there, they, they have a lots of inspiration by color. You can filter it by certain things. again, sites, but site inspired. com I have are huge as well.
So if you want to hone in on just packaging a color. And for a particular category, there’s lots of things you can filter out and just get inspiration, whether it’s packaging, design, marketing, images. that’s a really great site to go to. Pinterest. com is one of my go tos as well for packaging. I love looking at it.
I get, I go down a rabbit hole on Pinterest. I think most people will do as well. And then Canva, you know, you can create your own, listings and images and certain things. Graphs, simple graphics on Canva and you know, uh, graphic designers can use that. I do use that on some things, not on everything. but Hootsuite and iftt.
com are, tools that you can use to, automate, automate your, the different apps and devices as well. So you can have all your social media all on one platform. So, you know, these are the things that I use for inspiration. And that is me. So for listening. and you know, you can follow me or connect with me at any time.
[01:01:17:04 – 01:03:00:21] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Absolutely. Perfect. Yeah. I mean, it’s like I said in the beginning, it’s just, it’s so important, especially in the world, I think that we’re in now. You know, you’re, you’re always going to have the cheap stuff that’s out there on, you know, Temu and Shein, especially right now, tons of just cheap junk. You know, I say cheap junk, I probably shouldn’t say that, but just cheap, unbranded stuff.
You know, it’s probably going to break sooner rather than later, or the clothes is going to tear, low quality stuff, I guess we can call it. And so, we’re in a sea of that stuff right now. And it’s the same thing on Amazon. They’re supposedly going to be building a platform for that same kind of stuff. And as we go kind of into a recessionary time and people are looking for inexpensive things just to get by.
That segment is going to grow, but if you’re at the same time focused on building your brand, having a consistent brand, and there’s always going to be people looking for that. I know that I do. When I’m on Amazon, I’m trying to weed through and find brand names that I’ve either seen before, or I can tell that they’re more reputable than others.
And try to purchase those items and I know I’m not the only person and eventually, you know The economy is going to go back up people are going to be going back to the brands that they know and love and can recognize as well and it’s going to go a long way to help compete with those, you know direct from the factories in China products that don’t have any kind of branding on them.
[01:03:00:26 – 01:03:39:05] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Absolutely.
I mean, you don’t want to be known for the cheap brand, you know, keep going back to the cheap, you know, it’s about the quality. The customers want things to last. They don’t want it to break in two seconds, like a phone lead. You’re going to go to Anker cause you know, it’s going to last. And you know, you might try it once, but then you think, Oh, I wish I’d just save that 2 and gone and bought the 20 lead instead.
You know, so. So it’s, it’s about the perception of your brand. So don’t go cheap. You know, you, you have integrity and you know, if you’re trying to grow your brand, and be serious about it, then, you know, really think about what you’re investing in and you don’t want to attract those customers because they’re just there for the cheap.
They’re, they won’t come back though. They won’t be loyal.
[01:03:39:20 – 01:04:24:17] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
And if you’re, if you’re based in the UK or the USA or Canada or Germany or something like that, I mean, you, you have to go brand and growing a brand and a reputation because you can’t compete on cheap. There’s always going to be somebody who’s going to be willing to be cheaper.
And so you don’t want to get in that game. You want to be the premium product or at least the. You know a little higher priced product that people can turn to but you got to make sure your product is quality as well Right, you can have a perfect brand and look beautiful. But if your product breaks, that’s no good either So you gotta have both a high quality product and a high quality brand.
[01:04:24:20 – 01:04:53:18] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah, it’s about standing out from your competition If you can do it differently and pique their interest it’s like well, why are they? Bit more expensive and oh, they have a different color and it’s all this. And the story again, you know, it’s like creating all that thing around building your brand. And that’s, it’s huge.
You, you know, these cheap products don’t have a brand. They just have a cheap product. That’s all they have. So, think about that when you know, you are growing your brand and you know, that’s what we’re here for, to educate and, and, you know, making sure that you are successful in building your brand.
[01:04:54:27 – 01:05:03:04] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Yep.
Absolutely. And I know you mentioned it already, but again where’s the best place for someone to reach out to you if they want to get your help in building their brand?
[01:05:03:05 – 01:05:22:29] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Okay. So I’m on, well, if you go to me brand design. com, that’s my website, or you can Just find me on Instagram at mebranddesign one word. and I’ll be there. so yeah, you can find me there. or just type in kitty live brand and you’ll find me on most social channels actually.
[01:05:24: 11 – 01:05:28:17] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
All right. Awesome. Kitty. Well, this has been fantastic. I appreciate you coming on the show.
[01:05:28:17 – 01:05:34:29] KITTY LAI | CREATIVE DIRECTOR AND FOUNDER OF ME BRAND
Yeah. Thank you so much. I’m sorry. It’s gone over time as well. So, but yeah, no, it’s been great.
Thank you.
[01:05:35:00 – 01:05:35:07] TODD WELCH | CEO AND FOUNDER OF WELCH PRODUCTS LLC
Good information. I appreciate it. Have a great one.
[01:05:28:17 – 01:05:34:29] OUTRO
