Author: Franz Malten Buemann

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A few months ago, we launched a tool that can help you automate YouTube channel discovery and contact information extraction. During this time, we received a lot of help and feedback from you guys, and it was the main factor that allowed us to improve Prospety. We just launched functionality for Instagram profile discovery, and we are again looking for early adopters. This new functionality provides multiple methods to discover and extract data of influencers, followers, and followed profiles. Our features will allow you to: – Discover over 1M of Instagram influencers with advanced search and retrieve their contacts. – Extract standard and contact information from your lists of Instagram profiles. – Extract data of followers and followed profiles. – Pay per profile with email or per scraped profile. No upfront commitments. – Receive your data in no time and an efficient manner. Early adopters will receive 500 free credits, access to the private community group, and premium support. They will be able to request features, provide valuable feedback, and shape the product roadmap. If you are interested or have any questions – do not hesitate and let me know. Feel free to contact me via DM or leave a comment. To apply to the program – visit https://prospety.com/early-adopter-program/ or contact me via DM. submitted by /u/prospety [link] [comments]

Just as an architect draws out a building plan before they start building, you need to develop a brand strategy for your business.
Strategic branding helps you set yourself apart from your competition and build customer loyalty.
In this article, you’ll learn all about the branding methods and essential elements of a branding strategy you need to grow a brand that’ll stand the test of time.

(We’ll get into that more in a bit.)
A well-defined and executed brand strategy affects all aspects of a business and is directly connected to consumer needs, emotions, and competitive environments.
First, let’s clear up the biggest misconception about brand strategy: Your brand is not solely your product, your logo, your website, or your name.
Your brand is all of that and more — it’s the stuff that feels intangible. Your brand is that hard-to-pin-down feeling that separates powerhouse brands from forgettable brands.
To objectively understand a subjective matter that many marketers consider more of an art and less of a science, we’ve broken down seven essential components of a comprehensive brand strategy that will help keep your company relevant for decades.

The elements of a brand strategy include:

1. Purpose
While understanding what your business promises is necessary when defining your brand positioning, knowing why you wake up every day and go to work carries more weight. In other words, your purpose is more specific in that it serves as a differentiator between you and your competitors.
How can you define your business’ purpose? According to Business Strategy Insider, purpose can be viewed in two ways:

Functional: This concept focuses on the evaluations of success in terms of immediate and commercial reasons—i.e., the purpose of the business is to make money.
Intentional: This concept focuses on success as it relates to the ability to make money and do good in the world.

While making money is essential to almost every business, we admire brands that emphasize their willingness to achieve more than just profitability, like IKEA:
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IKEA’s vision isn’t just to sell furniture but rather to “create a better everyday life.” This approach appeals to potential customers, demonstrating their commitment to providing value beyond the point of sale.
Key Takeaway
When defining your business’ purpose, keep this example in mind. While making money is a priority, operating under that notion alone does little to set your brand apart from others in your industry.
Our advice? Dig a little deeper. If you need inspiration, check out the brands you admire, and see how they frame their mission and vision statements.
2. Consistency
The key to consistency is to avoid talking about things that don’t relate to or enhance your brand.
Added a new photo to your business’s Facebook Page? What does it mean for your company? Does it align with your message, or was it just something funny that would, quite frankly, confuse your audience?
To give your brand a platform to stand on, you need to ensure your messaging is cohesive. Ultimately, consistency contributes to brand recognition, which fuels customer loyalty. (No pressure, right?)
To see a great example of consistency, let’s look at Coca-Cola. As a result of its commitment to consistency, every element of the brand’s marketing works harmoniously together. This has helped it become one of the most recognizable brands in the world.
Even on the surface of its social media accounts, for example, the seamlessness of its brand is very apparent across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn:

Key Takeaway
To avoid leaving potential customers struggling to put the disconnected pieces of your business together, consider the benefits of creating a style guide. A style guide can encompass everything from the tone of voice you’ll use to the color scheme you’ll employ to the way you’ll position certain products or services.
By taking the time to define and agree upon these considerations, your brand will benefit as a whole.
3. Emotion
Customers aren’t always rational.
How else do you explain the person who paid thousands of dollars more for a Harley rather than buying another cheaper, equally well-made bike? There was an emotional voice in there somewhere, whispering: “Buy a Harley.”
But why?
Harley Davidson uses emotional branding by creating a community around its brand. It began HOG—Harley Owners Group—to connect their customers with their brand (and each other).

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By providing customers with an opportunity to feel like they’re part of a larger group that’s more tight-knit than just a bunch of motorcycle riders, Harley Davidson is able to position themselves as an obvious choice for someone looking to purchase a bike.
Why? People have an innate desire to build relationships. Research from psychologists Roy Baumeister and Mark Leary best describes this need in their “belongingness hypothesis,” which states: “People have a basic psychological need to feel closely connected to others, and that caring, affectionate bonds from close relationships are a major part of human behavior.”
Not to mention, belongingness—the need for love, affection, and being part of groups—falls directly in the middle of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which aims to categorize different human needs.
Key Takeaway
The lesson to be learned? Find a way to connect with your customers on a deeper, more emotional level. Do you give them peace of mind? Make them feel like part of the family? Do you make life easier? Use emotional triggers like these to strengthen your relationship and foster loyalty.
4. Flexibility
In this fast-changing world, marketers must remain flexible to stay relevant. On the plus side, this frees you to be creative with your campaigns.
You may be thinking, “Wait a minute, how am I supposed to remain consistent while also being flexible?”
Good question. While consistency aims to set the standard for your brand, flexibility enables you to make adjustments that build interest and distinguish your approach from your competition.
A great example of this type of strategic balance comes from Old Spice. These days, Old Spice is one of the best examples of successful marketing across the board. However, up until recently, wearing Old Spice was pretty much an unspoken requirement for dads everywhere. Today, it’s one of the most popular brands for men of all ages.
The secret? Flexibility.
Aware that it needed to do something to secure its place in the market, Old Spice teamed up with Wieden+Kennedy to position its brand for a new customer base.

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Between new commercials, a new website, new packaging, and new product names, Old Spice managed to attract the attention of a new, younger generation by making strategic enhancements to its already strong brand.
Key Takeaway
If your old tactics aren’t working anymore, don’t be afraid to change. Just because it worked in the past doesn’t mean it’s working now.
Take the opportunity to engage your followers in fresh, new ways. Are there some out-of-the-box partnerships your brand can make? Are there attributes about your product you never highlighted? Use those to connect with new customers and remind your old ones why they love you.
5. Employee Involvement
As we mentioned before, achieving a sense of consistency is vital if you wish to build brand recognition. And while a style guide can help you achieve a cohesive digital experience, it’s equally essential for your employees to be well-versed in communicating with customers and representing the brand.
If your brand is playful and bubbly through Twitter engagements, it won’t make sense if a customer called in and was connected with a grumpy, monotone representative, right?
To avoid this type of mismatched experience, take note of Zappos’ approach.
If you’ve ever been on the line with a customer service representative from Zappos, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, check out this SlideShare which details some of its most inspiring customer support stories.
Key Takeaway
By holding all Zappos employees to its core values and helping other companies implement the same approach, Zappos has built a strong reputation for solid, helpful, and human customer service.
6. Loyalty
If you already have people that love you, your company, and your brand, don’t just sit there — reward them for that love.
These customers have gone out of their way to write about you, tell their friends about you, and act as your brand ambassadors.
Cultivating loyalty from these people early on will yield more returning customers — and more profit for your business.
Sometimes, just a thank you is all that’s needed. Other times, it’s better to go above and beyond. Write them a personalized letter. Send them some special swag. Ask them to write a review and feature them prominently on your website. (Or all of the above!)
When we reached 15,000 customers here at HubSpot, we wanted to say thank you in a big way while remaining true to our brand … so we dropped 15,000 orange ping pong balls from our fourth-floor balcony and spelled out thank you in big metallic balloons:

And while it may have seemed a little out of the ordinary to some folks, the gesture made perfect sense for those who know our brand.
Key Takeaway
Loyalty is a critical part of every brand strategy, especially to support your sales organization. Highlighting a positive relationship between you and your existing customers sets the tone for what potential customers can expect if they choose to do business with you.
7. Competitive Awareness
Take the competition as a challenge to improve your own strategy and create greater value in your overall brand. You are in the same business and going after the same customers, right? So watch what they do.
Do some of their tactics succeed? Do some fail? Tailor your brand positioning based on their experience to better your company.
Keeping tabs on your competitor’s social mentions for HubSpot customers is easy using the Social Monitoring App. Check out this article to learn more about setting up custom social streams.
Key Takeaway
While staying in tune with your competitor’s strategies is essential if you want to enhance your brand, don’t let them dictate every move you make.
Sure, you probably sell a similar product or service as many other companies, but you’re in business because your brand is unique. By harping on every move your competitor makes, you lose that differentiation.

Let’s discuss each branding method.
1. Attitude Branding
This form of branding refers to a feeling or attitude that customers associate with your brand.
Nike is a brand that has perfected this type of branding. With the ‘Just Do It’ slogan, Nike promotes a lifestyle that customers can enjoy by wearing this brand of products. With such a slogan, Nike promotes the idea that all customers are athletes when they’re wearing Nike products.
2. Individual Branding
This type of branding is when a product or service gets a unique identity, perhaps in a different brand name to attract new customers in the market.
Unilever is an excellent example of a brand that uses individual branding. The company has three divisions, each creating some of the best-known brands in its niche.

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3. Product Branding
Product branding is perhaps the most popular type of branding. Here, the brand associates a logo, name, color, and design with a product to create a unique identity for the product.
It’s one of the best branding methods because it gives life to products and increases uniqueness.
A great example is Apple’s MacBook offerings. The ‘Air,’ ‘Pro,’ and ‘Mac’ branding conveys unique messages and reinforces the quality of the product offering.
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4. Co-Branding
In co-branding, also known as a brand partnership, different brands contribute their identity to create a fused brand.
The advantage of this method is that it combines market strength, increases customer bases and perceived value.
One of the most popular co-branding examples is the Nike and Micheal Jordan collaboration. This collaboration has made Air Jordans some of the most sought-after and most recognizable footwear around the globe.
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This type of branding is usually used by brands that prefer to let products speak for themselves.
5. Minimalist Branding
Mastercard is an excellent example of a brand that uses minimalist branding. We might not know what the red and yellow circles mean, but you’ll know that it belongs to MasterCard.

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6. Brand Extension
This unique branding method is when a company uses one of its popular or established brand names on a new product. The idea behind this method is to use the already existing brand equity to boost the latest product. Companies that use it hope customers will be more receptive to the new offering because of the brand extension.
The Importance of Strategic Branding
Managing a brand is hard work, and it’s more challenging when you’re in an oversaturated market where every brand looks the same.
One of the crucial steps to growing in an oversaturated market is highlighting what makes your brand unique — which is what strategic branding is all about.
With strategic branding, you future-proof your brand and develop it in a way that differentiates you from others. By communicating uniqueness to customers, you strengthen your selling power, brand value, and customer loyalty.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

One of the most valuable functions in Google Sheets is the “IF” functions.
Imagine you want to be able to quickly scan your spreadsheet and answer some key questions. This function will help you do that.

Let’s jump into how it works and see some real-life examples.
What does the if function do in Google Sheets?
In Google Sheets, the if function allows you to check a condition and return a specific value if it’s TRUE.
For instance, say you have three columns in a spreadsheet: channel, target, and profit. You want to know which channels hit a profit higher than the target.
You can use the IF function to do so – the formula logic would look like this: If the target is higher than the profit, it will return “YES.” If not, it will return a “NO.” You can then track that data in another column titled “Goal Met.”
How to Use If Function in Google Sheets
When using the if function in Google Sheets, you must use the following syntax:
IF(logical_expression, value_if_true,value_if_false)
Let’s break down what each one means:

Logical expression refers to the condition you’re checking in the function.
Value if true is the value the function will return if the logical expression is true.
Value if false is the value the function will return if the logical expression is false.

To do this, you’ll need to use the following logical expression symbols:

> to denote greater than
>= to denote equal or greater than
< to denote greater than
<= to denote equal or less than
<> to denote not equal
= to denote equal

Let’s see a real-life example.

Here, we have a spreadsheet with data on how each marketing channel performed. Each channel had a target revenue next to the actual profit. The last column, “goal reached” will be used to quickly answer which channels met the goal.

Select the cell in which the formula will be applied.
Write out the formula following this syntax:
Drag the mouse to apply the formula to relevant cells.

Scared you’ll forget it? Don’t worry. Google Sheets has an autofill feature that will show you the formula as you type it out.

In this case, the formula will be: =if (C2 > B2, “YES” , “NO”). To break that down further, the formula states if the profit from the email channel is higher than the targeted profit, then write “YES.” If it’s lower, then write “NO.”

Keep in mind that the value if true can be whatever you choose. However, in this example, the simple option was choosing the words “YES” or “NO.”
Because the formula includes words, you must use apostrophes so that Google Sheets reads the formula correctly.
If/Then vs. If/And vs. If/Or Functions
In the simplest terms, with “If-Then” you’re checking that one condition is met. In the example above, it was that one value would be higher than the other. Based on that data, the return value would be “YES” or “NO.”
With “If And,” you’re checking multiple conditions for a “TRUE” value. They all have to be “TRUE” for the return value to be “TRUE.”
“If Or” is the exact opposite to “If and.” It also checks multiple conditions but if any one is true, it will return a “TRUE” value.
Here’s a real-world example:

If then – I am going to the store. If you go to the store, the statement is true.
If and – I am going to the store and filling up my tank. You must go to the store and fill up your tank for the statement to be true. Otherwise, it will be false.
If or – I am going to the store and filling up my tank. You could complete either task and the statement will be true. The only time it will be false if you complete neither one.

How to Use If Function with Multiple Conditions
Say you’re running a survey and you want to easily categorize your respondents into two age buckets. You could write a formula that states if respondents are 25 or younger, they’ll be in group “A”. If they’re 26 or older, they’ll be in group B.
This creates multiple conditions under which the value can be written. The formula checks the first condition, if it doesn’t apply, it moves on to the next to find the appropriate value.
Let’s see this in action.

Using the example above, your formula would be as follows:
= IF(A2 < = 25, “A”, IF(A2 >= 25, “B”))

Nested If Function in Google Sheets
In Google Sheets, “nesting” simply refers to placing the “if” function within its own formula to test multiple conditions and return different results based on those tests.
The formula syntax is as follows:
=IF(first_statement,value_if_true,IF(second_statement,value_if_true,value_if_false))
It’s as easy as that.
So, here’s another function you can use to speed up your process when using Google Sheets.

You’re sitting across from a hiring manager, or even worse, a group of people interviewing you for a role, and the dreaded question comes up…
“What are your weaknesses?”
You spend what seems like an eternity battling inside your own head, “Do I tell them I’m occasionally late or that I take things too personally?” before settling on a response that makes you groan: “I just care too much and I work too hard.”

While that question isn’t likely to be left off the interview checklist anytime soon, you know it’s likely coming and can spend some time in self-reflection before your next interview, so you can answer it truthfully and respectfully. Its sister question, “What are your strengths” is coming as well, so it’s best to be prepared ahead of time.
What are strengths and weaknesses?
Strengths are a set of skills or character traits you possess that assist you in carrying out your duties in a productive and efficient manner and make you an excellent candidate for a job. Weaknesses are characteristics or shortcomings that when left unchecked, may hamper your ability to do your job well.
It can be difficult to toot your own horn during an interview. Even more challenging, is finding a balance between being honest about some of your shortcomings, without turning the hiring manager off to the idea of hiring you.
Take some time before each interview (and ideally before you apply) to determine what your strengths are and weaknesses are. This is best done in the beginning as self-reflection, however, you may at some point want to enlist the help of people close to you. This can be asking friends, family, or someone you’ve worked with in the past for feedback.
You can create a list of your strengths and weaknesses, and, when it’s time to apply for a job, tailor your responses to its specific qualifications. You can also spend some time researching the company itself, understanding its culture, and determining which of your strengths would be most highly valued.
Thankfully, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel when it comes to your strengths and weaknesses. There are a number of common (and relatable) characteristics that you can share with potential employers.
Strengths and Weaknesses List
Don’t know where to start? Take a look at these strengths and weaknesses examples, and determine which best describes you. Keep in mind that this is a list of “soft skills” which can pertain to any industry and role. Depending on what position you’re applying for, you may also need to share your knowledge of specific software programs and on-the-job experience.
Strengths

Accuracy
Attentive
Clarity
Conciseness
Creativity
Determination
Discipline
Dedication
Empathetic
Enthusiasm
Flexibility
Great listener
Honesty
Hard-working
Innovative
Negotiation Skills
Optimistic
Organization Skills
Patient
Quick learner
Respectful
Trustworthy
Time-management
Team player
Versatility

Weaknesses

Blunt and brazen communicator which can turn some people off
Extremely critical of self
Need time to adjust to change
Perfectionist (which sometimes make it hard to delegate responsibilities)
Procrastinator
Slow to develop rapport with coworkers or subordinates
Shy in new situations
Stressed under pressure
Too sensitive to the needs of others which sometimes allows others to manipulate you

Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses
While there are many similarities, leadership strengths and weaknesses cover a wide range of skills. Consider the different responsibilities you will have as a leader, mainly motivating and managing employees on a daily basis, rather than being responsible for just your own work. Consider some of these common strengths and weaknesses examples for leaders and managers.
Leadership Strengths

Passionate about their work.
Able to understand the needs and emotions of others.
Excellent self-management skills.
Top-notch communication skills (including listening).
Able to motivate and inspire others to do their best work.
Comfortable making decisions quickly.
Willing to be held accountable for their decisions and their actions.

Leadership Weakness

Taking feedback personally.
Too focused on the end goal that employees’ needs go unheard.
Overly concerned with being liked.
Unable to delegate responsibility which leads to burnout.
Disrespectful attitude towards employees.
Poor communication skills.
Afraid of making the wrong decision, which leads to making no decisions at all.

If you see yourself in any of these weakness examples, it may be time to seek mentorship or training, and do some soul searching to determine why you lack in these areas.
How to Share Your Strengths and Weaknesses During a Job Interview
Now that you’ve reviewed many popular characteristics and decided which ones best reflect who you are, it’s time to dig deeper. Ask yourself a very important question… “Why?”
Potential employers don’t want a list of fancy words, they want to get to know you by understanding how these characteristics have served you in your previous work experience. For example, instead of saying, “I have excellent negotiation skills,” say, “I’ve used my excellent negotiation skills to work with new and existing vendors to cut our raw material costs by 52%.”
Paint them a picture of your skills in action and tell them a (true) story they’ll remember well past the last interviewee has left the building. When telling a story, remember to include:

What “life” looked like before the inciting incident.
The problem you faced.
Different attempts you made to fix the problem.
What eventually worked.
How life looks after the incident.

This doesn’t have to be an epic novel, just a quick description of what was going on and how you had the strengths to persevere.
Of course for some, you may be reaching for a new role with new responsibilities. If you know you possess the strengths they are looking for, but haven’t had the opportunity to use them in your current job, be honest. You could say, “I haven’t been able to use this skill in my previous employment, however, I look forward to using it more if you decide to hire me.”
You also have the option of sharing a story from your personal life in which you used this skill. Just make sure to keep it professional, appropriate, and relevant to your desired position.
When it comes to communicating your weaknesses, potential employers want to know that you recognize your shortcomings and are actively working to become a better version of yourself. You’ll want to be honest and forthcoming while creating context around your weaknesses and showing:

How you are working to improve in this area.
How this weakness will not impact your performance in the proposed job.

Like we discussed earlier, you’ll also want to avoid stating a humble brag rather than a weakness. “I’m just so fast at my job that it makes others feel intimidated around me and so it’s difficult for me to connect.” This is false modesty and you won’t be doing yourself any favors.
So there you are, face-to-face with an interviewer and being asked, “What are your strengths and weaknesses?” Rather than panic, know that you’ve taken the time necessary to provide a solid answer (with supporting evidence) to this question.