Industry Spotlight: Marketing Expert Gives Advice to Market Your Brand Successfully

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Besek Photography

Principal/Senior Consultant Barb Biess started B2 Consulting to use marketing and communication tools to maximize integrated marketing activities. She’s had over 15 years of experience in this field and is not looking to slow down anytime soon. We were lucky enough to snap an interview with her, and she gave us the inside scoop on how to market your brand without hiring out to do it.

DGG: Tell us about yourself, Barb.  

Barb Biess: I grew up in Dearborn, graduated from Fordson High School and commuted to college at The University of Michigan-Dearborn. By time I was done adding up all my college credits after four years, I’d actually earned two degrees — one in marketing management from the B-School and one in Art History from the liberal arts college. Throughout my career, I’ve held leadership and management-level positions at KPMG, the Michigan Association of CPAs, Harley Ellis Devereaux, one of the area’s largest architectural-engineering firms, and Sun Microsystems Computer Company. I’ve also worked as a stylist and personal shopper for the upscale, New York-designed Carlisle-PerSe Collection.

My loves, in order: My husband Bob and my hound Jake; and of course, fashion, tennis and food. 

DGG: Tell us about B2 Consulting.

BB: It was a huge leap for me to start my own business after leaving corporate America, but after I tossed off those shackles, I never looked back. A friend of mine encouraged me to start my own freelance marketing agency and since then, I’ve had the pleasure of coaching business owners, leaders and executives in developing and executing high-impact, multi-faceted marketing solutions. No two days are alike; every day I get to put my talents in project management, creative writing, strategizing and developing marketing plans, and more, to work for a broad range of companies. I also love technology and I'm a social media junkie.

DGG: What would you say are the three golden rules of marketing?

BB: 1) Know your customer — Who is she? What is he looking for? Help them understand the WIIFM, or ‘what’s in it for me?’  

2) Know yourself and your business — What need can you fill? What makes your product desirable?

3) Tell your story clearly and concisely — if you can explain your unique appeal, customers will want to buy in!

DGG: For small businesses and designers starting out, what would you say would be the most important thing they could do to market themselves when they don't have the money to hire out? 

BB: You don’t need a lot of money to get the word out about you and your offering. Talking and networking is probably the best low-/no-cost way to market yourself. And have a great business card — that’s the one thing I advise you invest in right off the bat. When you chat with people at all those networking events you’ll be attending (hint, hint), you’ll want to hand out a memorable business card — a standout card gets remembered! Follow up with everyone interested in learning more about you and your business too — email or call — keep the conversation going! You should also spend some time volunteering for an arts or fashion organization (like the Detroit Garment Group!) so you can rub elbows with peers and target customers. You never know who you’ll meet that will help you solve a problem or connect you to someone influential. Networking works! 

B2 Consulting Marketing Samples  

DGG: What platform do you think is the most important when marketing a company?

BB: If you’re like me, your nose is glued to your computer and mobile devices most of the day, so it stands to reason an online presence is probably a priority. Smart use of social media — posting great photos of your work — gets people excited about what you offer. If you choose to use online marketing, you need to be consistent with messaging and branding, from your website and blog to your social channels like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. And, the great thing about marketing online is you don’t need a print budget. You can usually manage your own social channels too. 

Now, all that being said, in my experience, I’ve found that marketing a business is best done using a variety of platforms from digital (website, blogs & social channels), to print (look books, brochures), public relations (press releases, editorial coverage) and advertising (print & digital). This type of approach increases your exposure — the more places customers ’see’ you, the better your chances of being discovered. 

DGG: What are the most common mistakes you see companies make when attempting to market themselves?

BB: Not kidding — have someone proofread your copy — your website, your blog, anything in writing. I just cringe when I see spelling mistakes and bad grammar. Everyone knows someone that’s a decent writer. Ask for some help. You’ll be taken more seriously if your content is well written and proofread.

DGG: Is it beneficial for a company to invest marketing dollars for in print when starting out?

BB: I can’t say it enough. Get good business cards. They’re the best-printed piece you can have in your hip pocket. Seriously. Invest in a great design and have it printed by a reputable company. You won’t regret it. Aside from a business card, fashion businesses should have a well-designed look book to present to editors, buyers, showrooms and customers. Design your look book as a printable PDF — that way you can email it, use it on your mobile devices, and print it for meetings. Keep a copy of your look book handy at all times. Like that business card, it’ll be a workhorse of a marketing tool.

DGG: As someone in the fashion industry, what would you say is the best way to market the company/brand?

BB: Talk to people. Tell them you’re so excited to share what you’re working on, and then launch into your ‘elevator pitch’ — the 30- to 60-second commercial about you and your business. 

DGG: How would one market themselves when going to a networking event?

BB: Load your purse or pocket with your business cards. Rehearse your elevator pitch to perfection. Dress to impress. Get ready to shake hands and tell your story. Be excited to share what you’re working on. Your enthusiasm is contagious! If you’re excited about what you do, people you meet will be too. And so it will begin...

DGG: Describe your style.

BB: Fresh and edgy with a modern twist. And, as my friends say: “Put together from head to toe."

DGG: How do you take your coffee?

BB: You mean chocolate. I take my chocolate dark.

DGG: Online or print?

BB: Online.

DGG: Dior ads or Chanel ads?

BB: Dior, darling.

On The Town: DGG got Launched! with the She Is Project

Launched! A Women’s Entrepreneur & Branding Summit was described at two parts business, and one part party - and that was exactly what went down on Saturday. This was a full day of interactive experiences that educated, motivated and inspired all attendees to light a fire underneath passions and ignite careers. It is also the brainchild of DGG board member Carlotta Tutt Holloway, founder of the She Is Project, and we couldn’t have been more excited to attend. It’s hard to give a rundown of the day because so much happened, but we’ll try with all of our might to recap in hopes that you get a serious case of FOMO and will make sure to attend next year’s event. 

Launched! started at noon with ongoing activities happening throughout the day, including DJ entertainment, YouTube training, 10 Second pitch training, headshots, a beauty lounge and a social lounge in the main room. The Social Lounge was set up with beautiful furniture from Sit On It Detroit, complete with a selfie stick, that was used extensively throughout the day. Another day-long activity was the Fem-Preneur Marketplace and Tasting Room that happened down the hall, and it was full of local talent.

Local entrepreneurs featured in the marketplace included Super Business Girl, Salika’s Handcrafted Jewelry, Green Bliss Environmental Home Store, Dr. Ray Natural Tees and more. It was an array of women from the age of 11 and up selling t shirts, jewelry, candles and environmentally-friendly items. A major takeaway from the market place were the young entrepreneurs in the room. Look out for the eleven-year-old entrepreneur of Dr. Ray natural Tees and twelve-year-old entrepreneur of Super Business Girl – they were very inspiring. But that’s another blog post. Stay tuned.

While the above activities were happening, mini workshops were held to educate women how to grow their money, buying safe hair products and how to master your business and personal brands. The crème de la crème of the day, however, had to be the Panel Chat, featuring five experts in the business of entrepreneurship. The experts include April Boyle, Executive Director of Build Institute and Co-Owner of Gold Cash Gold; Mia Ray, of Confessions of a Glamaholic; Carla Walker-Miller, President and CEO of Walker Miller Energy Services; Christen Rochon, media personality; and Pam Perry, PR Coach and Social Media Strategist. They gave great advice and got attendees excited about putting their passion to work.

While all of the workshops, panels and booths were stimulating, looking around to see all of the women in the room coming together to learn and connect with each other was hands down the most inspiring thing about that day. If you weren't able to attend Launched! this year, I would definitely suggest marking your calendars for next year's event, as it is something that should not be missed. Cheers, Carlotta!

A Letter From DGG’s President: Want To Become a Household Name? Start With This Simple Plan

By Karen Buscemi

If you are a serious fashion designer (or fashion photographer, wardrobe stylist, etc.) with intentions to one day have a well-known brand, yet the only people currently aware you have a product or service are your parents and close circle of friends, you’ve got a lot of work ahead of you.

While Rome wasn’t built in a day – and neither is your fashion brand – you can build your audience daily by applying these four simple strategies:

1. Get a Professional Business Card
Even in this digital world, business cards are still exchanged all day every day. If you want to be viewed as a professional, if you want to be remembered, if you want people to have easy access to your phone number, email and website (because you have a functioning, easy to view website, right?) you need a business card. A professional business card. Not one you printed out on perforated card stock from Office Depot. Business cards are quite inexpensive and there are tons of graphic designers/firms to whip up a beauty of a business card, plus online options that provide hard to mess up templates for the DIY-er. Make sure the font is large enough to be read by all the aging eyes out there (I may be a little sensitive about that one), the design is simple and clean, and you have proofread EVERYTHING. No typos are ever allowed on your marketing materials.

2. Create a Social Media Presence
Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all crucial to building your brand. But just creating a Facebook page or Twitter handle or Instagram account isn’t enough. You have to populate it. With stuff. Good stuff. Stuff that makes readers want to read your stuff. And it shouldn’t be all about your dog. Or your daily meal. People want to see what you are creating. And your creative process. And what inspires you. And what’s important to you (keep your political views and anything else controversial off your professional pages, please). You must update regularly. That doesn’t have to mean every day. But at least three times a week. It takes a long time to grow your social media presence, but if you stick with it, it will indeed grow. Be sure to follow others, and like and comment positively on their posts (but not in a stalker-ish way). One personal gripe here: List clearly what it is that you do/make and how to reach you on your social media pages. A cutesy or vague statement that leaves editors, buyers and customers confused is a very bad idea.

3. Network, Network, Network
I don’t particularly love networking, but I can tell you this: Every time I go to an event, I ALWAYS meet at least one person who can help my organization in some way. Every. Single. Time. So I mingle, talk and share. And I don’t make it one-sided, either. I listen to what others have to say and actively try to help them, too, if I am able. Take your schmancy new business cards, clean yourself up nice and get out there. If you don’t have an elevator pitch about your company, now is the time to create one. All you need is one to two sentences that clearly and easily defines what you are doing and why. Memorize it and share it with everyone you meet.

4. Volunteer or Join a Committee
It’s easy to stay within the confines of our comfort zones (Game of Thrones marathon, anyone?), but if you want people to learn about what you do and potentially become your next customers, you’ve got to spread your wings outside your job, friends, family and smart phone and insert yourself into groups and events that align with your talents and abilities. In addition to giving back to your community – which is just a darn good feeling – you’ll also get your brand out there. You can get your company name on programs, websites, signage, social media and more. There are all sorts of opportunities that nonprofits will provide in return for your time and energy. And of course the group you are working with will become familiar with your brand during the course of your time working together. It’s a win-win.