This podcast episode of "Up in Your Family Business" features host Todd Rimer interviewing Cheyenne Toombs, a brand strategist at Element212. The conversation focuses on the shift from merely selling products and services to building meaningful brand connections, particularly for family-owned businesses.
Todd introduces Cheyenne as a brand strategist who serves as the main point of contact between clients and the internal team at Element212. Her role encompasses strategy development, account management, and client advocacy. She's responsible for ensuring clients' vision, values, and goals are translated into effective brand and marketing efforts.
Before diving into the main topic, Todd asks Cheyenne about her personal background. Cheyenne shares that she graduated from Anderson University with a degree in Communication Arts and later earned a master's degree in business. Her hobbies include gardening (inherited from her mother), outdoor activities like kayaking and biking. She also mentions her upcoming wedding in September to her fiancé Wyatt, whom she met through mutual friends after initially "friend-zoning" him.
The main discussion centers on the evolution from simply selling to truly connecting with customers. Cheyenne emphasizes that authenticity is crucial in today's marketing landscape, with 86% of consumers considering it a key factor when deciding which brands to support. She defines brand voice as what sets a company apart from competitors beyond just offering discounts or promotions.
The conversation explores how post-COVID, there's been a significant drop in trust for traditional advertising, with only 14% of people trusting ads. Cheyenne notes that COVID created a shift in consumer values, with more people wanting to support local and family-owned businesses. She discusses how traditional marketing tactics like SEO and digital advertising are no longer sufficient on their own, especially with 40% of internet users now using ad blockers.
Cheyenne shares strategies for effective brand storytelling, emphasizing that 92% of consumers prefer ads that feel like stories. She recommends having business owners or recognizable faces from the company appear in marketing materials and featuring real customers rather than paid actors. She also discusses the importance of customer testimonials in building trust.
The conversation touches on the challenges of digital advertising platforms like Google, where smaller businesses often struggle to compete with larger companies that have bigger budgets. Cheyenne advises that businesses should focus on their foundation—their purpose, values, and what makes them unique—and then find authentic ways to share that story across various platforms.
Throughout the interview, Todd interjects with statistics and asks Cheyenne for her professional insights on various aspects of branding and marketing. The podcast concludes with Cheyenne offering two key takeaways: (1) find your foundation, including your voice, message, and why you created your brand, and (2) connect with your consumers through storytelling in ways that set you apart.
Introduction to the Podcast and Guest Cheyenne Toomes 00:00:04
Todd Reimer introduces the "Up in Your Family Business" podcast, which focuses on helping family business owners gain insights, solve challenges, and build lasting legacies. He introduces his guest, Cheyenne Toomes, a brand strategist at Element 212 who has been with the company for about eight years. Todd describes Cheyenne's role as a hybrid of strategist, account manager, and client advocate who ensures clients' vision and values are translated into effective brand and marketing efforts.
Getting to Know Cheyenne: Personal Background and Upcoming Wedding 00:03:21
Cheyenne shares her educational background, including her Communication Arts degree from Anderson University and later a master's in business. She discusses her hobbies, which include gardening (inherited from her mother), outdoor activities like kayaking, swimming, and biking. Todd is surprised to learn about her gardening interest. Cheyenne reveals she's getting married in September to her fiancé Wyatt, whom she met through mutual friends after initially "friend-zoning" him. They chose a Friday wedding date for practical reasons including venue availability and cost savings.
Shifting from Selling to Connecting: The Importance of Brand Voice 00:11:39
The conversation shifts to the main topic: moving from just selling to truly connecting with customers. Cheyenne discusses the importance of authenticity in branding, noting that 86% of consumers consider authenticity a key factor when deciding which brands to support. She defines brand voice as what sets a company apart from competitors, going beyond discounts to communicate unique value. Cheyenne emphasizes that discovering your brand voice requires looking at what made you start your business and collaborating with others to uncover what makes your brand truly unique.
Post-COVID Changes in Consumer Trust and Marketing 00:16:24
Todd mentions that post-COVID, trust in traditional advertising has dropped significantly, with only 14% of people saying they trust ads. Cheyenne discusses how the marketing landscape has changed, noting the oversaturation of ads across platforms. She explains that COVID created a shift in consumer values, with more people wanting to support local and family-owned businesses that struggled during shutdowns. Cheyenne believes this shift toward valuing personal connections with businesses will continue, though convenience will always remain important.
The Limitations of Traditional Marketing Tactics 00:26:00
Todd notes that over 40% of internet users now have ad blockers, making traditional digital advertising less effective. Cheyenne explains why tactics like SEO and digital advertising are no longer enough on their own. She points out that these are just entry points in the buyer's journey but don't build longevity. The conversation turns to challenges with Google advertising, where smaller businesses struggle to compete with larger companies that have bigger budgets and multiple locations, creating a larger digital footprint.
The Power of Storytelling in Brand Marketing 00:47:06
Todd shares that 92% of consumers prefer ads that feel like a story and asks Cheyenne about effective storytelling in branding. Cheyenne identifies two critical components: having business owners or recognizable faces from the company appear in marketing materials, and featuring real people that consumers can relate to rather than models or paid actors. Todd agrees, noting how his perception changes when he sees "paid actors" disclaimers in ads. They discuss the renewed importance of customer testimonials in building trust.
Balancing Tradition with Digital Innovation 01:06:28
Todd asks how family businesses can balance honoring their legacy with the need to evolve digitally. Cheyenne emphasizes focusing on the foundation—the company's message and reason for existing—rather than getting caught up in changing platforms. She acknowledges the "fear factor" many traditional business owners face when adapting to new marketing methods but encourages them not to focus on the messaging platform but on the message itself. Todd adds that as marketing evolves, strategists and consultants will become even more valuable in helping businesses navigate changes.
Practical Advice for Family Business Leaders 01:19:12
As they wrap up, Cheyenne offers advice for family business leaders feeling overwhelmed by marketing options. She recommends ensuring that everyone in leadership is aligned with and living the same messaging, values, and purpose-driven foundation. She also suggests finding partners who can help navigate marketing challenges while supporting the brand's passion. When asked about getting customer feedback, Cheyenne recommends offering incentives for surveys and potentially using multiple methods simultaneously. Her final takeaways are to find your foundation (voice, message, why) and connect with consumers through authentic storytelling.
Closing Thoughts and Dad Joke Segment 01:14:52
The podcast includes a lighthearted "dad joke" segment where Todd shares marketing-related jokes. Todd concludes by thanking Cheyenne for her insights and emphasizing the timely relevance of their conversation about authentic brand connection in an evolving marketing landscape. He encourages listeners to revisit this episode as its content will remain relevant in the coming years. Todd closes with information on where to find more episodes of the podcast.
Todd mentioned he should have Cheyenne take care of the plants in their office instead of doing it himself. 00:04:55
Cheyenne suggested businesses should research and ask their customers questions to understand how they connect with the brand. 01:22:04
Cheyenne recommended businesses find a good partner to help navigate marketing challenges while supporting their brand's passion. 01:20:06
Todd suggested listeners should save this podcast episode to revisit later as the content will remain relevant in the future. 01:29:22
Cheyenne advised businesses to focus on their foundation (voice, message, why) and then connect with consumers through storytelling. 01:27:09
Cheyenne recommended businesses should look beyond digital advertising and SEO to find multiple ways to get their message across. 01:29:22
