Slingshot Your Business Strategy

One of my favorite quotes from Sticky Branding (the book) is “If you don’t blow your own horn, nobody will.”

‍I forget to take my own advice. This blog is a place where we explore ideas and best practices on all things strategy and branding, and what it means to grow a Sticky Brand. But I don’t talk all that much about Sticky Branding (the business) and what we do.

Last week we launched a new website. It’s a big shift for us — both in positioning and approach — with a heavy dose of video content.

Strategy Took on More Purpose

2020 was a year of transformation. Our work took on a whole new level of meaning when the pandemic hit. Before covid, we looked at branding through an aspirational lens:

• How to grow the business to the “next level.”
• How to grow a Sticky Brand.

When the crisis hit the stakes rose dramatically:

• How to avoid layoffs.
• How to protect the business.
• How to take advantage of new market opportunities.

I wrote about the shift in strategy and mindset from the start. This was some of the most purpose-driven work of my career, and it has permeated everything that we do at Sticky Branding. With process and focus — the Slingshot Strategy — you can transform your business to achieve remarkable results quickly.

How the Slingshot Strategy Works

The Slingshot Strategy is a proven, step-by-step branding and marketing process to drive sales in three stages:

• Create brand messaging that provokes your customers to buy.
• Develop marketing strategies to generate sales ready leads.
• Position and differentiate your brand as the leader in your category.

It’s more than marketing, the Slingshot Strategy focuses on strategy execution:

• Weekly Huddle: Strategy is a process, not an event. In weekly, one hour strategy sessions we develop your strategy and put it into action.
• Slingshot Planner: A strategic planning tool to organize, prioritize, and hold your team accountable to drive results.
• Scorecard: Monitor your strategy and performance in real-time. Using lead and lag measures we adapt the strategy to achieve your objectives.
• Strategy Coaching: Work with dedicated Strategy Coaches that know your business, and guide your team every step of the way.

How to Measure Brand Performance

How do you know if your brand and strategy are working? Sales! In the mid-market, the easiest and most effective way to measure brand performance is with sales metrics. We use the 3Vs:

• Volume: The demand for your products and services. Do customers beat a path to your door?
• Velocity: The speed a customer travels through the buying process. Can you close sales quickly and efficiently?
• Value: The ability to sell at a premium and avoid discounting. Do customers choose your brand first, even if it’s not the cheapest?

The power of a strong brand is sales. If your brand isn't moving the sales needle, that’s a clear sign you need the Slingshot Strategy.

Let’s Talk Strategy

Check out the Approach page for more videos on the Slingshot Strategy and our approach to strategy. If you’d like to go deeper, let’s book a demo. I’ll be happy to show you the tools and process, and what your business can achieve.