WOMM Podcast Featuring Kevin Neilson

Kevin Neilson, co-founder of Gravitate One, recently joined Snoball’s WOMM podcast to share valuable insights on enhancing a company’s marketing strategy. The conversation offered actionable advice for businesses looking to elevate their branding and refine their customer acquisition strategy.

Podcast Highlights

Kevin delivers practical advice across various facets of marketing, emphasizing the need for thoughtful logo design, a professional online presence, and a concentrated referral strategy.

Ditch complicated logos

At the beginning of the podcast, Kevin delves into the world of logos and branding. According to Kevin, starting with a serious consideration of your logo is crucial. He says, "Take your logo seriously. Like, take some time, think about it, make sure that you just don't throw something up."

One way to gauge if your logo is too complicated is by asking yourself how it would look on a hat or a shirt. Kevin explains this concept by saying, “One thing I always think of when I see a logo is can I stitch this on the side of a bag? Could I be able to put this on a shirt? If the answer is no, then it's too complicated. So branding starts and stops with logos.” 

In Kevin's perspective, effective branding commences and concludes with a well-designed and versatile logo that can be easily integrated into various contexts, particularly on wearable items.

Make marketing a financial priority

Invest in your website

Kevin sheds light on a common issue within the business landscape — the tendency of companies to settle for inexpensive and unprofessional websites. Delving deeper into this concern, he emphasizes the pivotal role of a professional appearance for a website.

Furthermore, Kevin underscores the need for a visually appealing and polished website, stating, "Start spending the time to say my website needs to look as professional as humanly possible... You have to woo your visitors in the first five or ten seconds."

Despite allocating substantial budgets to product or service development, some companies opt to cut corners when it comes to marketing efforts, potentially jeopardizing their overall success. Kevin passionately advocates for strategic investments in website aesthetics. 

He urges businesses to allocate the necessary resources to ensure their online presence not only reflects professionalism but also effectively captivates their audience. He finishes this discussion by saying, “Invest what you need to invest to make sure the site looks good.” 

Invest in your social media presence

Kevin also sheds light on the significant role of social media in a comprehensive marketing strategy. He strongly advises businesses to "start doing social… set up a strategy, set up a budget, and start doing it and see if it works," says Kevin.

He acknowledges the different nature of social media compared to search engines, highlighting that social media operates higher up on the sales funnel. However, he underlines the considerable exposure and return on investment that can be gained through social media marketing.

Kevin compares social media to Google, suggesting that businesses should approach it with a dual perspective, considering both the organic and paid aspects. He emphasizes the need for thought, strategy, and planning to ensure that social media efforts contribute positively to the overall marketing strategy.

Kevin advocates for businesses to "start looking at [social media] as a legitimate marketing avenue because you can. It's one of the best marketing avenues that you can take." Simultaneously, he cautions against the misconception that handling social media is a simple task, urging companies to "stop just thinking that someone internally can do it because they post a lot about their vacations. It requires thought. It requires strategy."

Your customers are a referral goldmine 

Kevin underscores the importance of proactively seeking feedback from clients, encouraging businesses to go beyond mere performance metrics. According to him, a crucial step is to initiate a dialogue with clients by asking questions like, "How are things going?" This approach provides valuable insights into how clients gauge success and offers an opportunity to identify areas for improvement within the business.

In addition to seeking feedback, Kevin places a strong emphasis on authenticity and openness in client interactions. He advises businesses to be candid and transparent with clients, believing that this approach fosters trust and contributes to positive word of mouth. Kevin asserts, "Just be candid and open to clients. And I think that is going to get that word of mouth moving."

Kevin addresses a prevalent misconception—the reluctance to express genuine interest in client referrals. He advocates for a shift in mindset, urging businesses to abandon the notion of being overly self-assured. Instead, he suggests businesses should communicate openly with clients, expressing a sincere desire for referrals.

Kevin's advice is clear: "Stop acting like you are the most amazing thing that's ever happened... Stop acting like you don't care if they send someone. Just let them know…I love working with you right now. I'd love to work with people that are similar." This authentic approach, according to Kevin, not only strengthens client relationships but also enhances the likelihood of positive referrals.

About Kevin and Gravitate One

Kevin Neilson, co-founder of Gravitate One, is a seasoned digital marketing professional with a passion for family, golf, cars, and technology. Born in California but a Utah resident most of his life, Kevin's marketing journey began at eBay in 2005, where he assisted e-commerce businesses. 

In 2008, he co-founded Gravitate One, now a thriving boutique digital marketing agency known for its relationship-focused approach. Kevin's commitment to client success and a results-driven strategy has shaped the agency's nearly 16-year journey, helping businesses navigate the dynamic digital marketing landscape.

Follow Kevin Neilson on LinkedIn here.