Ignite Your Brand: Beyond Logos to Loyalty

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Welcome back to the business ignite podcast, where we light the fire

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for business growth and marketing success.

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Your hosts, Ethan Walker, Samantha Reed,

bring you the latest trends, expert

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insights, and actionable strategies

to fuel your business journey.

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Let's ignite your potential.

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Samantha Reed: Welcome back

everyone to the Deep Dive.

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You know how much we love digging

into the stuff that really makes a

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difference in business and today?

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It's all about branding.

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Ethan Walker: Branding, huh?

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Everyone thinks they know what it is.

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Samantha Reed: Right?

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And we're going to figure out

what it really is together.

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We're diving deep with an

article from 95 Visual.

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They're the branding gurus who

call themselves, get this, the map

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that leads to more customer action.

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Ethan Walker: Love that.

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I'm ready to see where this map leads.

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Samantha Reed: Me too, because

this deep dive is all about why

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you are a walking, talking brand,

whether you realize it or not.

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Ethan Walker: Okay, that got my attention.

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You got me.

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I'm hooked.

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Samantha Reed: The article jumps right

in and tackles this misconception we all

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have, thinking a brand is just a logo.

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Ethan Walker: Oh, I've

definitely been guilty of that.

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Samantha Reed: Haven't we all?

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But 95 Visual sets us straight.

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They say logos are like

faces in a crowd, right?

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They help us recognize someone, but

they don't tell us who they are.

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Your brand is that whole personality,

that gut feeling people get when

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they see your face out in the world.

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Ethan Walker: It's like you can

recognize someone's face, but you

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don't really know them until you've

interacted with them, you know?

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Samantha Reed: Exactly.

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And that's what we're talking about here.

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It's not just a visual thing,

it's this whole feeling you get.

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So think about a brand you

love, one you're crazy loyal to.

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It's more than just their logo

or even their product, isn't it?

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Ethan Walker: It's the

whole experience, for sure.

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Samantha Reed: Right.

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It's like, for me, When I see that Apple

logo, I immediately think, sleek, easy

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to use, maybe a little aspirational even.

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See

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Ethan Walker: that, that right there,

that's the magic of a strong brand.

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Yeah.

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That immediate, I know

what to expect feeling.

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Samantha Reed: And the

article doesn't just say, hey,

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strong brands are important.

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It gives us four solid benefits.

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And these aren't just

for the big dogs either.

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Whether you're running your own show,

freelancing, or just thinking about

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your career, This stuff matters.

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Ethan Walker: A lot.

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It's the secret sauce, for sure.

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And what I really like is

how 95 visual connects these

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benefits back to the real world.

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Like, what does this actually look like

for businesses and for us as people?

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Samantha Reed: Totally.

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They bring it down to earth.

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Ethan Walker: So should we

break down these four benefits?

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Starting with, recognition, recognition.

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Seems kind of obvious, right?

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Samantha Reed: It's more than just

knowing a logo when you see it.

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Ethan Walker: True, true.

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Samantha Reed: It's about

instant association, like

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you see that logo and boom.

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Ethan Walker: A

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Samantha Reed: wave of

thoughts, expectation.

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The

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Ethan Walker: brand hurricane.

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Samantha Reed: Yeah, kind of like

when a song comes on the radio and

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throws you right back to high school.

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Oh, don't even.

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Every time.

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Except, hopefully, less

awkward than high school.

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Ethan Walker: It's definitely

less awkward, hopefully.

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Yeah.

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But it's that feeling, you know,

brings up all these associations.

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Think about a brand like,

oh, I don't know, Tesla.

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Samantha Reed: Okay, Tesla.

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For me, I think sleek, futuristic.

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And then I think, did they

really name it after that Tesla?

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Ethan Walker: Right.

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But see, you have a reaction.

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Whether it's good, bad, or

just, you have an opinion.

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Samantha Reed: Yeah.

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Ethan Walker: And that, that's

what shapes our choices.

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Way more than we realize.

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Samantha Reed: Makes total sense

because I know I'm way more likely

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to go with a brand I already have a

vibe for, even if it's subconscious.

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It's familiar.

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Okay, so what's benefit number two?

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Ethan Walker: Employee inspiration.

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This is where a strong brand

goes beyond just the customers.

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It's like a rallying cry for the

people who make the brand happen.

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Oh,

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Samantha Reed: because who wants to just

pump out widgets for some company, right?

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But feeling like you're part of

something bigger, something with

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meaning, that's got to be motivating.

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Ethan Walker: It's huge.

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The article talks about how that

shared sense of purpose, that

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we're in this together feeling,

it creates more engaged employees.

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People actually want to come

to work and do their best.

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Samantha Reed: And happier, more

invested employees lead to better

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work, which helps the bottom line.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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Exactly.

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Inspired employees equal inspired work.

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Which means a healthier business overall.

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It's a win win.

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Samantha Reed: It's like that whole

treat your employees right and they'll

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treat your customers right thing.

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But here it's about weaving the brand's

values into the entire company culture.

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Ethan Walker: 100%.

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Samantha Reed: Okay.

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On to benefit number three.

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Trust.

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I feel like this one's big.

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Ethan Walker: It's massive.

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And 95 Visual really hits home with this

idea of trust being built over time.

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Samantha Reed: It's not something

that just happens overnight.

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Ethan Walker: No.

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It's like drop by drop.

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Like building a friendship.

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One broken promise can totally

shatter years of trust.

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Samantha Reed: Ugh, tell me about it.

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I once ordered shoes online, they

showed up three sizes too small,

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they fixed it and everything, but

I've got to admit, I've never quite

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trusted them the same way again.

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Ethan Walker: See, and that's

why brands that really prioritize

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consistency, that deliver on their

promises even when things go wrong.

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Those are the brands that

build that unshakable trust.

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Samantha Reed: The ones we go back

to, even if they're not the cheapest

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option, because we know what to expect.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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That, I know what I'm getting, feeling,

that peace of mind, is priceless.

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Samantha Reed: It's like choosing a

familiar meal at your favorite restaurant.

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Yeah, you could try something

new, but sometimes you just want

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that guaranteed good experience.

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Ethan Walker: Comfort food for your soul.

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And that trust, that naturally

leads us to our fourth and final

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benefit, attracting new customers.

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Samantha Reed: See, it

all comes back around.

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You build a brand people can

rely on and they start singing

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your praises from the rooftops.

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Ethan Walker: It's true.

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And let me tell you, that is way

more powerful than any billboard

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or social media campaign.

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There's nothing better than

authentic word of mouth marketing.

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Samantha Reed: It's like that old

Reese's peanut butter cup commercial.

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You got your brand love in

my everyday conversations.

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Ethan Walker: Yes.

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And that organic growth fueled by

real people sharing real experiences.

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That's gold for any brand.

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Speaking of 95 visual keeps

coming back to Apple in this

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article and with good reason.

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They're kind of a branding

powerhouse, wouldn't you say?

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Samantha Reed: Oh, for sure.

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I feel like they've somehow made

their products feel less like gadgets

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and more like part of your identity.

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But how did they do that?

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What is it about Apple?

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They've somehow managed to make their

products feel less like gadgets and

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more like part of your identity.

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But how did they do that?

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Ethan Walker: Apple, they're

all about their core brand.

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Right.

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Innovation, sleek design, easy

to use, they nail it every time.

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Every single product, every ad,

every time you walk into one of

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their stores is the same message.

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And most importantly,

they actually deliver.

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Samantha Reed: They don't

just talk, they back it up.

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That's gotta be why people will stand in

line for hours to get the newest iPhone,

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even if their old one works just fine.

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It's more than just a phone at that point.

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Ethan Walker: It's that feeling,

you know, you're part of

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something cool, something new.

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Apple's got that anticipation

down to a science.

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Samantha Reed: They've created a brand

that people want to be seen with.

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And everyone wants that, right?

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That's got to be the dream

for any company, that level of

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customer loyalty where people are

practically brand ambassadors.

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Ethan Walker: It all goes back to trust.

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Consistency.

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Delivering what you promise.

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We've been talking about these big

companies, but it got me thinking

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about something 95 Visual said.

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What about our own personal brands?

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Samantha Reed: Whoa, okay,

getting a little meta here.

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You're saying I'm not just

a podcast host, I'm a brand.

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Ethan Walker: You are.

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You're a brand.

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We all are.

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Whether we realize it or not, you know.

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Think about it.

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What pops into your head

when people hear your name?

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What are you known for?

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Samantha Reed: Okay, this is making

me rethink my whole answering

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work emails in my pajamas thing.

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Ethan Walker: Listen, it's

not about being perfect.

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Just being aware.

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Remember how we were saying

Apple has those core values?

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Well, we all have things about us, skills,

experiences, that make us stand out.

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Samantha Reed: So I should probably

swap out this old t shirt for something

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a little more podcast host then.

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Ethan Walker: Maybe.

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But really, it's about figuring

out what those things are.

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Are you the creative one?

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The problem solver?

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What makes you, you?

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Samantha Reed: It's not about

pretending to be someone else.

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It's about being genuine and

letting those strengths shine.

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Ethan Walker: Exactly.

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And remember all those things

we were talking about, like

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being consistent, communicating

clearly, and following through on

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what you say you're going to do.

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Those matter for our

own personal brands too.

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Samantha Reed: Wow, we went from

logos to customer loyalty to

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building our own brands today.

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If I'm taking away one thing, it's that

branding isn't just about marketing.

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It's bigger than that.

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It's about the entire experience.

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Ethan Walker: Well said.

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It's a journey.

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We're always learning and getting better.

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And I think that's a good

place to leave it for today.

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Samantha Reed: It is.

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So to everyone listening, think

about your own personal brand.

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What makes you unique?

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What do you want to be known for?

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It's worth thinking about.

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And hey, maybe this

sparks your own deep dive.

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That's it for us this time.

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Catch you on the next deep dive.

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Speaker 2: Thanks for tuning

into the Business Ignite podcast,

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where we fuel your business

growth and marketing success.

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If you enjoyed today's episode,

be sure to rate and review us.

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It does help others find the show.

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Don't forget to follow us on social

media at Business Ignite podcast and

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share this episode with a friend.

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Keep the fire burning and remember,

your success is just one strategy away.

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Until next time, stay ignited.