Speaker 1: 0:31

I'm A Renee Cooper and I do marketing and branding strategy. What I do mainly for my clients is identity pieces. So we start out with imaging, and formerly I worked in film and television a while ago and we started out with imaging, and so that's pretty much where I started from, because that's probably the thing that's closest to my heart. I love taking a person from good to great, and so we start with the imaging first, and then we start talking about their business and how we can really corner a market for them in their discipline and what makes them a great edge. So for me it always starts with imaging and then really starting to build a story around their brand and how we're going to continue it over time.

Speaker 1: 1:36

Yeah, no, that's great.

Speaker 2: 1:38

I'd like to know a little bit of a background. You say you are in TV. Yes, I would like to know how you went from working in that industry to the industry of branding and marketing and how that transition was and how you got to where you are today.

Speaker 1: 1:50

Interesting. So formerly I am a fashion designer. Oh, okay, and I started out in fashion design and after college a lot of other people went and worked in design houses. I decided that I was going to start my own firm and so that's what I did and I started out with clients. But then I started having the opportunity of dressing celebrities, television hosts, and that's how I got into entertainment. I started working with films, for well, in the film world they call it more wardrobing, so you may be dressing a character and then moving forward, it gave me the opportunity to start addressing TV hosts and that kind of thing.

Speaker 1: 2:40

So in the 90s I did BET, I did CBS, I addressed a lot of news anchors, television hosts, that kind of thing, and then that led me into working with specific clients. So a lot of times I would be involved in like the next season. They would put a lot of energy and effort into what is the show going to look like, what is our host going to look like, what kind of image are we projecting, who is our audience. And so I would be brought into a lot of those meetings to help with the imaging and the look of the talent. And after that I spent some time in New York and I started working in PR. And it was a great correlation because initially PR would come to us, you know, when I worked on the television side and worked directly with the talent, so it was very familiar to me.

Speaker 1: 3:42

But when I started working in PR, I was like this is really the next level for me, because it's about telling a story, putting it together, finding out yeah, yeah, we have marketing collateral that we put together but really how we're gonna build that brand, how we're gonna tell this story to an audience, a community, and sometimes we would have the talent be the spokesperson or an ambassador for a product, that kind of thing. Yeah, and I just loved it because it allows me to pull in all of my former experiences and I said you know what? I think I really need to do this for myself, to have an actual voice at the table that is making decisions. So that was important to me is making decisions. So that was important to me. And I just started working for people that I already knew, that I was already helping, and I said you know what? This is my business and I need you as a client, right, I'm right here, yeah.

Speaker 1: 4:49

And it just became word of mouth and it's just grown from there. So at this juncture we're just really structuring so that we can scale and grow and, yeah, bring in other people as well.

Speaker 2: 5:04

Yeah, no, thank you for sharing that. I think that's so cool that you worked at BET.

Speaker 1: 5:07

I remember watching that when I was younger and like I would flip on the channel and I'm like BET awards, all that.

Speaker 2: 5:12

That's pretty cool.

Speaker 1: 5:13

It's a lot. It was a great time, yeah, great time, very nice.

Speaker 2: 5:18

I would like to know, as far as marketing, what you are doing in order to get your name out there. Are you online? Are you posting videos? Are?

Speaker 1: 5:30

you putting informational things out there? You know, initially I had not Because, as I mentioned before, I had a lot of word of mouth clients and I was very busy there In this season. I am starting to be my own client and to get the message out, and social media is a really big part of that. Certainly, our IG page has to explode and so we're doing a lot of rebranding. We've changed the colors and things like that. So I'm very excited about that and I'm like I get to be my own client. So that's pretty subjective, because you have to sit on both sides of the table and really hone in on what clients we want. Next, what industries we want to really work with. I really love small businesses and seeing them go from where they are and as they begin to expand. I think that's amazing, and I actually work with a lot of ministries.

Speaker 2: 6:29

Okay, talk to me about that.

Speaker 1: 6:30

That's interesting, it's a whole new world because, well, I guess I would say, traditionally most ministries, they're focused on the main thing, which is their goal for Sundays and Bible studies and so forth. But in this dispensation now, and how things have transitioned post-pandemic and how things have transitioned post-pandemic, having identity in the social media space, in the online space, is extremely important, and so having the pastor as a client is very interesting, different, yeah, to say the least. It is definitely an interesting client because they tend to go to. Well, god didn't show me that. Well, god did show me that.

Speaker 1: 7:20

I think this is the direction we need to go in, so it's definitely a change for them. Yeah, having to consider media, having to consider marketing in addition to their message yes, or marketing in addition to their message. But I think, if they allow me to do what I do well, they see the results moving forward. I think one of the biggest things with ministry in terms of client base, for marketing and branding is making sure that you're reaching a next generation, making sure you have legacy, making sure that you are doing succession planning, and what does that look like? Are younger people interested in coming to what you have to offer? And, if not, are you willing to make adjustments so that they can? Yes, so it's a big challenge.

Speaker 2: 8:19

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 8:19

Definitely.

Speaker 2: 8:20

But you're like I'm right here, I'll take it on.

Speaker 1: 8:22

Yeah, I'll figure it out. I know how to do this Exactly. Yeah, right, exactly.

Speaker 2: 8:25

And give more experience, Like that's something you weren't familiar with before and now. I would like to ask what your approach has been to marketing and branding evolved over time. How has it evolved?

Speaker 1: 8:43

Yeah, well, I would say, initially a lot of the focus was on advertising. Yeah, so I would say 10, 15 years ago, you really had to have a lot of advertising dollars. Are you going to be in this publication? How are we going to pitch a story to the local newspaper? How in the world are we going to get you on television? How in the world are we going to get you on television?

Speaker 1: 9:14

So having the podcast industry really start to be on fire now it's really a good caveat so that we can get a client in front of an audience in a way that they're not spending five and six figures on budgeting for their marketing. So I think that's the biggest change. Social media, of course, is a great opportunity to reach a massive audience globally, at the reach of your fingertips, right, unbelievable. So I think that's the most unprecedented thing that is available from a marketing perspective and moving away from too much a lot of advertising, some things you just can't get around, but for the most part, you can do really well in some other spaces outside of you know spending. Let's take those advertising dollars and put it into marketing or put it into your branding, that kind of thing.

Speaker 2: 10:21

Yeah, no, I love it. And for maybe listeners out there who maybe aren't aware, could you maybe share some of the differences, I guess, between marketing and branding, because maybe they confuse that a lot, and having a clear definition of what the differences are Exactly?

Speaker 1: 10:35

It's so funny because we laugh a lot and say you know, 10 years ago nobody knew what branding was. Nobody ever knew that term, and it's a very familiar term within the PR and marketing industries. But my opinion and the way I explain it to my clients is the marketing is pretty much your logo, maybe any kind of collateral that you may be handing off to people to remember who you are A business card, exactly. A lot of times we do presentation kits, depending on who they are. You know marketing kits and that kind of thing.

Speaker 1: 11:20

But branding it just tells a story. It's who you are, it's how I get to know you, it's how I identify with you and it's how you show up in your space. And yeah, but you have to do this now, because six months down the road you have to have that consistency and then 12 months down the road it still needs to be consistent. So let's put you in the center and let's build some threads around who you are, what it is that you offer, what it is that you do, how you show up in your industry, in your community, and how you can become consistent and be the expert there. That's right In that space.

Speaker 2: 12:20

Love it. No, thank you for sharing that. Appreciate it. And then let's see how do you go about defining a target audience for a brand. How do you go?

Speaker 1: 12:30

about defining a target audience for a brand. Wow, so I'm trying to think of a good example.

Speaker 2: 12:39

Yeah, take your time.

Speaker 1: 12:41

Of a client. Finding the target audience is interesting. I have a client that is a yoga instructor amazing yoga instructor and specifically one of the disciplines is the Bikram style hot yoga, and so that's a different style of yoga and the focus is a little different. The asanas are really about breathing and stretching and being in connection there and, interestingly enough, everything is so mishmash. I'm like all of the people that you know they don't want to do this work, but the people that want to do the work, you're not connected to them. Oh my gosh, and it's just. It's very interesting.

Speaker 1: 13:35

So one of the things that we're working on is coming up with an actual studio space and an online space where people can start to work from home or their own space, as opposed to coming in the studio, coming to class. That's a big commitment on a consistent basis, and one of the things about having a great yoga practice is doing it every day, and so that's been a big challenge. How to connect that so that it becomes a brand is. We have found very different spaces to put her in and to offer like a five-minute exercise, give them one or two asanas, give them one great breathing technique that they can use at their desk. And what was very interesting is we found that as we began to connect with HR directors in corporations, they have a real big push on health and wellness, post-pandemic, as people have come back to work or they're hybrid back to work or they're hybrid. People have a lot of stresses. No-transcript you would never think. Yoga and corporation.

Speaker 1: 15:02

Yeah, hr department yeah you'd never think, yoga and work, but somehow it made sense to them and so creating a space where we have an online piece. They're able to do it at their desk, so they can take that 20 minute break and they can log in on their intranet and pull up. And there she is with a 20-minute breathing technique. Yep, get up from your desk, stretch a little, get in your desk, turn around, and it is just amazing.

Speaker 2: 15:40

I love that.

Speaker 1: 15:42

It was just like we just kept brainstorming, mm, just like we just kept brainstorming and just kept brainstorming, I said let's just throw crazy things at the wall.

Speaker 2: 15:51

See what sticks.

Speaker 1: 15:52

And the thing is is that it's really a great market for her and the checks are great. Yay, the checks are great for her because it's like you're 20 minutes You're in front of your computer and on her end she has a different setup camera, some lights and that kind of thing. But she has her little makeshift studio in her own space and she's coming on live in front of 200, 300 computers.

Speaker 2: 16:26

Wow, that's a lot.

Speaker 1: 16:27

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 16:28

And look, she's able to do that, maybe that wasn't possible before in person with 200 people.

Speaker 1: 16:32

Exactly.

Speaker 2: 16:33

That's incredible.

Speaker 1: 16:34

Exactly so. Innovation, I believe, is key, and I think one of the greatest things that has happened to the marketing space period is the ability to be virtual, the ability to, of course, have social media, but there's so many other outlets that I think virtual is almost as big as the social media opportunity. So I feel like the sky has no limit.

Speaker 2: 17:10

Oh my goodness, the sky has no limit. That's exciting for entrepreneurs business owners, clients to know.

Speaker 1: 17:17

Exactly Whatever industry a person may be in. Just take the limits off. Just rethink how could people take the thing that I offer the service or the product and how can they use it in a more innovative way, and that is something that will create longevity. And then you start to build a story around it and build opportunity for people to be involved.

Speaker 2: 17:50

Absolutely. I love that. Where do you see?

Speaker 1: 17:55

yourself in the next five years as a person with your business, to say that I've expanded and that I've bought other people in, to begin to, of course, work with our company, but also to think further in a five-year span, in a 10-year span, that you're going to branch off. And are you maybe an affiliate where we are having someone in Phoenix, arizona, versus Raleigh, north Carolina, versus you know the I don't know Dubai as well?

Speaker 2: 18:37

Oh, my goodness Wow.

Speaker 1: 18:40

I love that is really becoming big and being able to have footing in the US and assisting clients that want to do import. Export is another direction as well, so those two merge together. I think one of the things that I worked with another PR firm and I remember very clearly the CEO she started her business at her dining room table and she just grew to having a $52 million a year company and one of the things that was big with her is that you're not here to stay. Big with her is that you're not here to stay, and she was very adamant about, at a certain point, it's time for you to go out on your own. Oh, my goodness, yeah, and so I love that concept. The first and probably so far the last CEO that I've met that was concerned about the growth of our employees, that they would also become entrepreneurs.

Speaker 2: 19:47

That's amazing, Like looking outside of yourself and seeing for the rest of your team right. That growth mindset for everybody.

Speaker 1: 19:53

Yeah, and she was very keen on I see something in you and pulling you in and bringing you to the table, and that, for me, has stuck for sure.

Speaker 2: 20:06

Thanks for sharing that. I love it. Is there anything maybe that I am not touching on or have not touched on, that you would like to share with our listeners while I have you here. It could be in regards to yourself or your business, your industry. You have a book coming out. I do Talk to us about that.

Speaker 1: 20:24

The book is well, actually, we have a couple of books coming out. One book is the book that's coming out. It's end of November. It is called Miss CEO how to create, execute and obtain the life you want, and I just felt that women specifically of course, not excluding men, but mainly women balance a lot, number one, and they have innate gifts and talents and they're probably doing a job or working somewhere that's totally opposite of what they normally do or what they would want to do, and so we have so many great examples of women entrepreneurs who started businesses from their home, like the former CEO that I worked with, and there's so many other examples and I feel that sometimes they just don't have the precepts and the concepts to make it happen.

Speaker 1: 21:27

And it doesn't have to be a major big corporation. That's overwhelming when you think about it. If you feel like, well, I'm just a little person and I'm a great cupcake baker, okay, well, we can probably get your cupcakes somewhere every morning at a local coffee shop and having someone have your cupcake. Or let's start taking your cupcakes to the corporate lunch and they continue to order from you until it becomes a business. And you know, days of old, that's how Martha Stewart started.

Speaker 2: 22:00

Yeah.

Speaker 1: 22:01

She was a great host and entertainer. She was a great cook and she just started catering out of the fact that some caterer didn't show up and someone had been to her house for dinner and said hey, can you make? Can you put something together? I got 30 people and and now we know her as Martha Stewart.

Speaker 2: 22:24

Look at that, yeah, I love it. When is the book coming out? So Miss.

Speaker 1: 22:27

CEO will be coming out Black Friday. Oh yeah, I'm excited.

Speaker 2: 22:33

Yeah, you should be. That's incredible. I'm excited. So it's, miss CEO. Where can people find it and buy it?

Speaker 1: 22:38

We will be able to find it on Amazon, of course, and, of course, on my website is strongstrategycscom.

Speaker 2: 22:47

Love it Well. Thank you so much for being on the podcast. We really appreciate you sharing your story, your journey.

Speaker 1: 22:53

Thank you.

Speaker 2: 22:54

And we can't wait for your book. It'll be available on Amazon.

Speaker 1: 22:56

Yes, I'm excited about it, awesome. Thank you so much Thank you for having me Absolutely.