Whether you are launching a new product, expanding into a new market, or trying to improve awareness of your company and brand, it is a good idea to take a step back and reflect on what worthwhile marketing actually does for your clients; 

it is about clearly communicating the inherent value of your product or service.

Effective marketing looks different for each client. At VIA, we often begin our marketing efforts by distilling value into something unique that our clients can harness to their advantage. This is defined as the 

We focus our marketing efforts on amplifying this value on behalf of our clients and reaching as broad or targeted of an audience as necessary to achieve their goals. We consider marketing to be value amplification, and it guides the work we do for our partners.

“Marketing is crucial in bridging the gap between a product or service's inherent value and how that value is perceived in the market.”

To begin amplifying value, agencies and clients must first understand and agree on what they bring to the table (AKA what they offer their customers).

Marketing is crucial in bridging the gap between a product or service's inherent value and how that value is perceived in the market. It's about helping the audience to see the product or service in the same light as the business.

For example, for our client who sells industrial supplies and bases their business here in Louisville, KY, its location offers value that most customers may not realize…

Customers likely won’t care that their company is headquartered in the Bluegrass. What they will care about is their warehouse, which is just 15 minutes away from 

one of the largest air cargo hubs in the world

, and which sees roughly 400 UPS flights per day! This enables fast, same-day shipping on valuable resources to keep their clients’ operations running.

We can communicate this value with ad copy like, 

“Near one of the largest cargo hubs, we can quickly ship parts across the US!”

How Effective Marketing Enhances Different Forms of Value

We work with various clients across industries and sectors who provide differing forms of value depending on their organization. Understanding what type of value our clients offer is vital in helping them sell their goods and services.

For some clients, the value they offer is straightforward: 

. This often relates to physical goods, like a vehicle with excellent fuel economy, but can also apply to services, such as software that saves up to 10 hours a month in administrative work. Effective marketing highlights these defined and measurable benefits.

 such as trust and reputation. For instance, clients expect timely delivery of the right product. While less tangible, marketing these feelings of certainty and confidence can enhance customer loyalty.

Some organizations need to highlight their 

, which can be more abstract than intangible value. For instance, an organization hosting an annual holiday event provides not only tangible benefits but also creates positive memories for friends and family. Marketing this relational value can emphasize relationships, experiences, and community connections, which can significantly boost brand advocacy.

As there are different types of value to convey in your marketing, selecting the proper channels to communicate your value is an essential decision in your marketing plan.

Tangible value is often the easiest to communicate and can be leveraged through tactics like display, paid search, and social media. These mediums offer great reach but little real estate to sell a complex story.

Conveying more complex ideas, such as intangible and relational values, typically requires extra room to tell a story effectively. Email, organic social posts, or paid social media campaigns provide marketers with that ability.

Content marketing, however, is a proven technique for telling a more complex story and communicating non-tangible values with customers. It can take many forms, such as blog articles, case studies, branded videos, testimonials, etc.

Experiential marketing can create lasting impacts and encourage advocacy. It includes various mediums such as events, educational opportunities like webinars and training courses, and merchandise such as branded apparel that customers wear publicly, turning them into micro-brand ambassadors.

Choosing the right channel for your message is as crucial as defining your value. VIA helps clients identify their unique value(s) and select effective marketing channels for amplification.

Effective marketing goes beyond promoting products and services; it helps convey a brand's value. By clearly communicating a business's unique proposition, it aligns brand strengths with customer needs.

Successful marketing uncovers and amplifies value rather than creating it. By focusing on strengths and utilizing the right strategies, organizations can achieve meaningful growth and connect their vision with customer realities, driving success.

To learn how we can define and amplify your value, contact us today!

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Marketing Strategy

How Marketing Amplifies Value: A Strategic Approach to Growth

Welcome to our 14th Annual Holiday Gift Guide for Web & Design Geeks!

Each year, our team puts together our top, hand-picked gifts to help you explore new ideas for everyone on your holiday list. Our gift ideas include everything from experiences to tangible, practical, (sometimes) affordable, and sentimental gifts.

Happy holiday season to you and yours!

- The VIA Team

I can almost hear you saying, "Scott, we have AI now. We don't need markers." But I must respectfully disagree. Do yourself a favor. Rediscover the kid who loves to color.

Coloured Graphic Pen Collection: Set of 16

Brush & Fineline Pens

I love this sketchbook. The size is just perfect, fitting snugly between me and my laptop on my desk. The paper quality is exceptional, and the subtle dot pattern makes it ideal for sketching designs and storyboarding. It even comes with a beautiful slipcase that looks great when archived on a shelf. Go get you one!

The Perfect Sketchbook

Natalie Andrewson's  plays with lines, colors, and subjects that speak to my soul. Whimsical, affordable and — because they're printed on a Riso machine — each is one-of-a-kind. Your friends will think you’re so cool.

Riso Print Art

This about sums up my feelings on exactly when the internet took a wrong turn. Also, all this website's merchandise is hysterical.

from DaShareZone

Bring Back RSS Readers and Blogs

I have this irrational fear that if I pour my fizzy water out of a can that it will lose it's fizziness, but I also have an irrational fear that I'll cut my lip open on an aluminum can. This lil guy solves both problems. And your beer tastes less like aluminum. 

The Draft Top Lift – Topless Can Opener

Ridiculous? Useful? You Decide!

If you liked The Overstory, this book is its equal at worst. Powers' ability to tell a sprawling story and link it both to our central humanity, the earth, and technology is captivating. Possibly my favorite book of 2024 so far.

"Four lives are drawn together in a sweeping, panoramic new novel from Richard Powers, showcasing the Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Overstory at the height of his skills. Twelve-year-old Evie Beaulieu sinks to the bottom of a swimming pool in Montreal strapped to one of the world’s first aqualungs. Ina Aroita grows up on naval bases across the Pacific with art as her only home. Two polar opposites at an elite Chicago high school bond over a three-thousand-year-old board game; Rafi Young will get lost in literature, while Todd Keane’s work will lead to a startling AI breakthrough."

Playground by Richard Powers on Goodreads

Playground by Richard Powers

I've always wanted a Theremin, but the pro options always made one seem too expensive for an instrument that I would almost certainly not include in my music recordings. Enter the STYLOPHONE THEREMIN! A fun little box that's ridiculous and engaging at the same time. Recreate all your haunted house soundtracks for a little over $100!

Note: Currently sold out, but join their waiting list if you want one. Srsly fun!

A fun sound toy for all ages!

Stylophone Theremin

I must represent the great PNW. And who doesn't need soap? My friend Priscilla left a life of TV production behind and moved to Whidbey Island where they grow their own herbs and flowers and practice natural dying techniques. They have gift boxes of soaps, bath fizzes, and oils if you really want to impress your mom. 

WATO Soap

Make troubleshooting feel like a quest! A friend got me my first video game record a few years back and I laughed because who needs physical video game music? Me. I do. It sounds so cool and looks so rad spinning and I get to say things like, "actually, the plural of vinyl is vinyl"

Proof That You're Cool: Video Game Vinyl

Revered as a lyricist when he was among the living, MF DOOM has recently ascended to "iconic" status with new hip hop fans after his untimely passing in 2020.

His fascination with superheroes and food lends itself to amazing tributes like this 20th Anniversary pressing of his legendary 2004 album "MM..FOOD" and a Super7 produced cereal bowl and action figure. (https://gasdrawls.com/products/mm-food-super7-figure-cereal-bowl)

If you've got a hip hop head among your friends and family, this limited edition set is what you need.

"Watch cartoons 'til noon and then I'd switch to Ralph McDaniels
I was, makin up a miracle flow, over a cereal bowl
And a pause beat from my stereo"

20th Anniversary Edition: Deluxe Vinyl + 7 Inch

 Album + Action Figure, Cereal Bowl

MF DOOM "MM..FOOD" 20th Anniversary

John Derian is a designer, collector and curator of old things. In 2016 he published an incredibly inspiring and just a little creepy picture book called The John Derian Picture Book. If "inspiring and just a little creepy" is your aesthetic, then this is your new favorite book. This is my wife's whole being - so she's bought one to flip through, and the other to cut up and use as fodder for her incredible gallery wall compositions. We now buy it for all of our spooky slash crafty friends. (But wait there's more! On October 15th, he released Book II.)

The John Derian Picture Books

I like to know what makes things tick. I also love a good timepiece. Best of both worlds. This company sends you a kit packed with high quality watch components and instructions to build your own watch.

Watchmaking Kit: Stealth Skeleton Tool Watch

DIY Watch Making Kit

... But sometimes I'm lazy. For those days, Swatch me. I'm always checking out their new designs. Fun looks, great quality and pretty affordable. I have a couple, but I'll take another, please & thanks. 

... But sometimes I'm lazy.

Swatch

Fun story. In high school, I won a printmaking scholarship and got to show my work at the St. James Art Fair. I met Mary Lou Hess when she came over to my booth and talked to me for a long time about printmaking, her journey, my work and life. She wound up giving me a business card and a print of hers and we stayed in touch for a while. I'd love to think that when I'm older, this is something I would do. The mentorship for me as a young artist meant a lot. Would love to hang up another piece of hers.

Mary Lou Hess Print

Can you buy this somewhere? Not sure ... But nothing like a good, homemade gift, right? I saw this online and thought it was kind of silly and funny but also ... genius? I'm a big fan of form meeting function in the middle, and this is a perfect example. My dog slops water EVERYWHERE when he drinks. Why not do what I often forget to do - Water the plants? 

Dog Bowl / Planter

I can relate to the urge to disappear into a crowd, and respect Waldo's boundaries on that one. But trying to spot our great dane amidst a sea of pups at the PAW-fee Shop, PUP-up Carnival, and Museum of ARF? I can't ask for anything cuter.

Where Did My Dog Go Custom Search & Find

*Shriek!* Brace yourself, there's been...a murder. And it's up to you to solve the crime, piece by piece. Elegance meets a touch of the macabre in these mysterious and absorbing puzzles. Begin by reading the story of the incident. Then, guided by the narrative rather than a visual reference, complete the jigsaw. The finished image provides all the clues you need to decipher whodunit. Choose your adventure:

If I can't puzzle with Hercule Poirot over crème de menthe down the Nile, then I'll accept this as the next best thing.

Murder Mystery Jigsaw Puzzle

If you're ready for your daily dose of 'news that makes me want to throw things', inmates are charged 5 cents per minute to read ebooks in prison, including texts that are public domain and free. The Appalachian Prison Book Project is providing an alternative by donating requested paperback books to inmates throughout Appalachia - and the holidays are a perfect time to give the gift of reading. Check out their requested books, including a wishlist from our local indie bookstore, Carmichael's. 

Appalachian Prison Book Project

Puzzling with cats is a risky endeavor, especially when you need to take a break. This Puzzle board provide a great surface for your puzzle and can keep it safe when you need to step away!

Portable Jigsaw Puzzle Board with Four Sorting Trays

...for Up to 1000 Pieces

Scrabble is mine and my wife's favorite game to play together. Upgrade you Scrabble experience with this custom board from L.L. Bean. Includes a raised grid and plastic playing surface keeps tiles in place, a sand timer to keep the game moving, and can be personalized to make it a treasured keepsake!

L.L.Bean Deluxe Scrabble

The Stormlight Archive is a high fantasy novel series written by author Brandon Sanderson. The first four books have been published and the fifth book, "Wind and Truth," will be released on December 6, 2024. This epic series is perfect for any fantasy/sci-fi fan in your life!

The Stormlight Archive Series

This has completely replaced MAMP as my quick and dirty local development tool - it's super fast, can run multiple PHP versions side by side, and feels extremely lightweight. I really like it for a quick spin of a LAMP site.

Indigo Stack

Next in the Ninja line of products you want but don't actually need, the Ninja Slushi let's you make slushis, milkshakes, and more at home. While you can make your own concoctions (like your own Wendy's Frosty), you can also just pour Mountain Dew in and 30 minutes later get a slushi.

Ninja Slushi

After Mint was shuttered, I bounced from app to app until I found Monarch. It does a great job at projecting spending, pulling the different accounts in, and automatic budgeting based on prior spending.

Monarch Money

There are a million different variations and brands of these general concept, but I really like this cheap one off of Amazon. It holds an AirTag and 7 cards, plus an external spot for one or two cards. The AirTag has saved me a few times, like leaving my wallet behind at Kroger.

Pop Up Wallet with AirTag Holder

Great stocking stuffer for your book lovers! Makes reading in the dark much easier :) Built in USB makes it easy to charge (no additional cords to keep track of).

Rechargeable Book Light

I've spent years eliminating toxins from my home, but there's someting peaceful about a burning candle. Fate Naturals offers a non-toxic fragrance solutions for the home. The seasonal bundles are the best!

Fate Naturals

Lots of power in a compact portable Bluetooth speaker. Easy to pack up and carry around for those outdoor activities.

JBL Flip 6

Culture

Gift Guide

2024 Holiday Gift Guide for Web & Design Geeks

Non-profit Marketing

Copywriting

Art Direction

Photography

Advertising

Reporting & Analysis

Dare to Care

Marketing Campaigns

Digital Marketing Optimization

Jack O'Lantern Spectacular + Winter Woods Spectacular

Researching and planning is key to effective marketing strategy. We use data, insights, our gained knowledge and research born from curiosity to plan inventive, value-drive marketing plans for our clients.

Marketing Strategy

Marketing Strategy: Case Studies

01

Dare to Care

02

Jack O'Lantern Spectacular + Winter Woods Spectacular

Marketing Strategy: Blog Posts

How Marketing Amplifies Value: A Strategic Approach to Growth

2024 Holiday Gift Guide for Web & Design Geeks