Alicia Branham: Balancing Authenticity and Strategy in Small Business Marketing

About Alicia Branham: Meet Alicia Branham, the marketing powerhouse with a story beyond business savvy. Her journey reflects adaptability and determination, traits cultivated during her formative years when her parents uprooted her to Uruguay. With over 25 years as a Creative and Marketing Director in the Commercial & Industrial PVF and HVAC markets, Alicia is renowned as the “secret sauce” for transformative business growth. Her clients achieve prestigious accolades and industry recognition under her expert guidance, including magazine covers and Rep of the Year awards.   In this episode, Dean Newlund and Alicia Branham discuss:Challenges small businesses face in marketing and brandingThe role of authenticity in personal and professional brandingHow mental health affects leadership and brand alignmentThe importance of consistency for building a strong marketing presenceUsing AI and technology to enhance small business marketing   Key Takeaways:Regularly posting on social media, even if engagement is low initially, signals reliability to both algorithms and followers, which can significantly impact visibility.Using AI, like ChatGPT, can streamline content creation and offer small businesses cost-effective solutions for marketing strategy development.For businesses to grow effectively, it's often crucial to hire a marketing strategist who can align brand messaging with sales and growth objectives.Leaders who are open about personal challenges and mental health can foster a culture of authenticity, which resonates with clients and employees alike.   "It is okay to go in a direction and realize it doesn't fit you and maybe it doesn't align with you anymore. And it's completely fine to switch. It's completely fine to pick up and switch chairs and move. It is 100 percent okay to do that.” — Alicia Branham   Connect with Alicia Branham:   Website: https://www.aliciabranham.com/ & https://www.getbran.com/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicia-branham-3a24a310/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_real_aliciabranham/ Supply House Times: https://www.supplyht.com/authors/2238-alicia-branham     See Dean’s TedTalk “Why Business Needs Intuition” here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EEq9IYvgV7I   Connect with Dean: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgqRK8GC8jBIFYPmECUCMkw Website: https://www.mfileadership.com/ The Mission Statement E-Newsletter: https://www.mfileadership.com/blog/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/deannewlund/ X (Twitter): https://twitter.com/deannewlund Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MissionFacilitators/ Email: dean.newlund@mfileadership.com Phone: 1-800-926-7370   Show notes by Podcastologist: Hanz Jimuel Alvarez Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.