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Howdy to all! 

Today…

Is national Jess Day! IT’S MY BIRTHDAY!

And as I embark on my 39th 21st trip around the sun, I’ve decided to bite off more in this life and along with building our marketing agency Open Late Collective, I am also working on incubating a new BRAND! 🪩

Now I don’t want to let the cat out of the bag just yet on what it is (more to come on this later), but I do want to share some stories with you all about how I have been exploring brand building in the last few weeks…

This week’s Sunday Postcard is brought to you by

BUILDING A BRAND HEART FIRST

First off, I'm a marketer, but at my core, I'm a Customer Experience girly. My approach to marketing a product or business is and will always be to put the customer's journey and emotions at the forefront.

Emotional connections are key to building loyalty and standing out in a crowded market. Research shows that emotionally connected customers are 52% more valuable and that over half of all purchasing decisions are driven by emotion. So yeah, IMO I think it is a big deal to connect with a consumer rather than just throwing ads up and hoping for the best.

Emotional branding creates lasting relationships, turning customers into loyal advocates and driving sustainable growth. ← WE WANT THIS

Emotional branding offers numerous benefits, starting with stronger customer loyalty and increased lifetime value. By creating deep connections, customers become more loyal and likely to make repeat purchases, boosting profitability. Additionally, emotional branding helps differentiate your brand in a crowded market, making it more memorable and distinct. This differentiation leads to improved customer advocacy, as emotionally connected customers are more likely to promote your brand through word-of-mouth and social media. ← WE ALSO WANT THIS

Of course I am exploring product market fit and positioning, but within that ‘positioning’ piece, I am exploring two key strategies first to build this emotional branding:

1. Storytelling: As I think about building a brand, or even our agency, I am utilizing storytelling as a technique in all content creation. Crafting compelling narratives that resonate with the audience’s values and emotions leads to investment in the business. Stories that highlight real-life experiences, challenges, and triumphs create a deeper connection with the audience by reflecting their own lives and aspirations.

Additionally, building in public—sharing the process, progress, and even setbacks with your audience—fosters transparency and trust. This approach humanizes the brand, showing that behind the polished exterior are real people working hard and learning along the way. It invites the audience to become part of the journey, creating a sense of community and shared purpose. This transparency, combined with effective storytelling, enhances content creation, making it more engaging and relatable, ultimately driving deeper emotional connections and loyalty to the brand.

An incredible example of utilizing storytelling and emotional brand building would be Poorboy Coffee. OHHH WEEEE, pls check them out if you haven’t already 😮‍💨

2. Visuals and Design: My favorite place to start and be is designing visual branding. I am a visual branding ****. I did go to art school after all, so I am here for good branding and good graphics always. Good branding sets the tone for the entirety of the brand. Utilizing visuals to evoke emotions and create a memorable brand identity is clutch.

Colors, imagery, and design elements should align with the brand's values and the emotions you want to evoke in your audience. For instance, using warm colors and inviting images can create feelings of comfort and trust, while bold, dynamic visuals can evoke excitement and energy. The psychology behind color theory in branding highlights that different colors can trigger specific emotional responses, making it essential to choose a palette that reinforces the desired perception and connection with the audience.

A good example of using this theory behind color theory and evoking emotions would be taking a look at Matheson Food Company:

1. Red: This color is known to stimulate appetite and increase heart rate, making it a powerful choice for food-related branding. Red can evoke feelings of excitement, passion, and urgency, which can lead to increased cravings and a sense of immediacy. This is why many fast-food chains and restaurants use red in their logos and interior design.

2. Yellow: Yellow is associated with happiness, warmth, and cheerfulness. It can also stimulate the appetite by creating a sense of comfort and optimism. Yellow is attention-grabbing and can evoke a sense of energy and positivity, which can enhance the overall dining experience.

Together, red and yellow create a compelling combination that can attract customers, stimulate their appetite, and enhance their overall dining experience, making these colors a popular choice in the food industry.

And that’s that on key strategies (for now) that I am exploring as I build both Open Late Collective and this new brand! 🤫

See ya next week. Same time and place?

Happy Jess Day! Toodles!
- Jess

UPCOMING EVENTS

1. Who wants to hang in Dallas with us and Morgan Wallen?
   FRIDAY JULY 26 // MORGAN WALLEN EXEC SUITE
   Time: 4:30PM CST
   Location: Dallas, TX
   RSVP HERE
   

2. Dillon and I are plotting and planning a very FUN AF Midcoast Presents: Casino Night for Shoptalk Fall in Chicago on October 14, 2024! 

   
   We are still in planning mode, but if you are interested in being on the list for when RSVPs are open, SIGN UP HERE.
   

3. Dillon, Nicole and I are plotting and planning SheInnovates 2!!!
   Sheinnovates is an all women’s summit for those in ecommerce. Location will be Brooklyn, NYC on November 14, 2024.
   
   If you are interested in being on the list for when RSVPs are open, SIGN UP HERE.
   

4. Laura and I are hosting episode 2 of Afterhours LIVE via Linkedin on July 22nd at 5:30PM CST.
   
   We will be breaking down another brand from consumer insights, brand strategy, marketing strategies and the customer experience! SIGN UP HERE
   

BEST PIECE OF CONTENT I’VE SEEN THIS WEEK…

THIS WEEK’S DOPE JOBS

This week’s Dope Jobs is brought you by Dimond Connect by Carson Dimond. Dimond Connect is doing the good work out there by connecting top talent to dope ecommerce companies looking for talent. I HIGHLY suggest working with them if you are either looking for talent OR seeking a new jobby job.

Additionally, here are a couple of jobs that I have come across in my internet perusing this week…

Poppi is hiring an Influencer Marketing Manager - Gaming.

Vimeo is hiring for an Enterprise Customer Experience Manager.

Thrive Causemetics is looking for a Director of CX.

Good luck to all! ILY

👐 BONUS CONTENT 👐

Laura and I’s After Hours LIVE episode on Youtube.
Join us July 22nd at 5:30PM CST for Episode 2, SIGN UP HERE
👇👇👇👇👇

As a BDAY surprise, I released TWO bonus episodes of The Juice With Jess on YouTube!

1️⃣ I sat down with Destiny Rhinehart & Kelly Driscoll of Homecourt at Retention’s Retox Retreat in Malibu to chat all things customer experience, retention and growth.
VIBES WERE HIGH!

2️⃣ Kyle Standaert of Retention sat down with me to rip on all things retention in the health and wellness space. We also jammed on why experiential marketing works so well with wellness brands.

A WORD ON THIS WEEK’S SPONSOR

This week’s edition is brought to you by New Edition Consulting. The homies have been helping me build content, including bringing this newsie back to life.

New Edition Consulting is a boutique content marketing agency that partners with DTC thought leaders, brands and tech providers looking to launch, maintain and grow valuable, relevant, and consistent streams of content.

They are the GOAT. Cannot recommend them enough!

Interested in co-hosting an event or sponsoring a future newsletter?