Marketing strategies are crucial for any business’s success, as they help reach and engage the right audience, build brand awareness, and drive sales. Effective marketing strategies can make a difference in gaining a competitive edge in the dynamic and competitive business landscape.
In July, WBENC Women of Color spotlights visionary WBEs and their marketing strategies to celebrate and promote the innovative approaches they use to navigate the market, connect with customers, and foster growth. Through highlighting their success stories and sharing best practices, we hope to inspire and empower more WBEs to excel in their marketing endeavors and continue contributing to the vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem.
WBENC-Certified Women of Color WBEs share how they utilize their best marketing strategies.
Ari Krzyzek | CEO & Head of Strategy of Chykalophia
Ari Krzyzek is the CEO and Head of Strategy at Chykalophia (read: see-ka-lo-fia), a woman minority-owned web agency. She helps FemTech, DTC, and women-led brands transform their website into platforms that drive business growth. She is co-author of the Top 3 Best Sellers book in web design, Made to Sell: Creating Websites that Convert. She serves as a branding, UX consultant, and professional peer in support of fellow female entrepreneurs through the #1 ranked private business incubator in the world, 1871 Chicago and Chicago’s global healthcare startup incubator, MATTER.
Q: What strategies have you found to be most effective in reaching your target audience, and how have those strategies evolved over time?
Being in front of them and meeting where they are. In the past, we relied so much on networking events. We hosted our own events like workshops and summits, as well as collaborated with other businesses to create a space for my target audience to connect and learn. However, when COVID-19 happened, it took away our most successful marketing channel. We soon realized that we also need to diversify our marketing channels. Not too much but enough to give us the boost we need to be visible in front of our target audience. That’s when we started to invest in content marketing by focusing on delivering high value content around branding, UX, and all things website which then turned into our bestselling book in website design. We’re now able to leverage a few different channels both online and offline to gain brand exposure and expand our reach to our target audience.
Q: With the rise of social media and other digital channels, how do you ensure that your marketing efforts are engaging and impactful while also standing out in a crowded online space?
Understanding your audience is key to standing out online, so make sure your marketing messages really hit home with your target market. Craft a unique brand voice and focus on quality content that provides real value. Don’t forget the power of visuals, they’re real attention-grabbers. Personalized content can also give your engagement a boost, and remember, social media is a two-way street—dialogue is key. Always keep testing and tweaking your strategy based on results, because in the digital world, nothing stays the same for long!
Q: In a rapidly changing marketing landscape, what trends and emerging technologies are you keeping a close eye on, and how do you ensure that your business stays ahead of the curve in terms of marketing innovation?
At Chykalophia, we’re all about empowering women-led businesses, especially in B2B tech and femtech DTC. We’re particularly excited about personalization and AI-driven insights, as they can help us craft custom web solutions that drive real growth. We also see huge potential in using augmented reality to create immersive, interactive web experiences. To stay ahead, we keep our fingers on the pulse of emerging trends, and we’re never afraid to adapt and innovate. In the end, it’s all about harnessing the power of technology to help our clients thrive.
Learn more about Chykalophia
Aliya Hammond | President and CEO of Aliya Hammond Consulting LLC
Aliya Hammond is a Social Media Strategist, Trainer, Blogger, and Speaker. She specializes in social media management and marketing, social media training and coaching for small and large businesses, entrepreneurs, busy executives, and non-profit organizations. She is also the founder of Aliya Hammond Consulting, working alongside a fantastic team of professional Social Media Marketers, Graphic Designers, Web Developers, Videographers, and Writers.
Q: What strategies have you found to be most effective in reaching your target audience, and how have those strategies evolved over time?
Strategies that I’ve found to be most effective in reaching my target audience are having a goal of what I’m trying to achieve with my marketing, also knowing who it is I’m targeting so I can create specific marketing messages for my audience, and knowing what networks my audience uses. My strategies have changed over time as the networks have changed. What worked yesterday doesn’t always work “today.” I’ve found that people want value, so I create content or trainings that helps to solve a pain point.
Q: With the rise of social media and other digital channels, how do you ensure that your marketing efforts are engaging and impactful while also standing out in a crowded online space?
As business owners, we need to remind ourselves that not everyone is our client or customer, so the content we create must serve our audience’s needs. Create content that speaks to your audience to ensure your marketing efforts are engaging and impactful. Content that provides value while demonstrating your subject matter expertise in your industry.
Q: In a rapidly changing marketing landscape, what trends and emerging technologies are you keeping a close eye on, and how do you ensure that your business stays ahead of the curve in terms of marketing innovation?
As a business owner in a space where technology changes quickly, I stay ahead of the curve by getting training and reading articles on the latest trends and technology. Right now, my team and I are keeping an eye on AI technology. There’s so much AI can do to help generate new topic ideas for blogs, social media posts, or any place written copy is needed. We’re also watching the latest social media platform, Threads. Threads launched earlier this month, and it will be interesting to see how people use this new social media platform.
Learn more about Aliya Hammond Consulting LLC
Vicki Lam | President & Founder of Promo Victory
Vicki Lam started Promo Victory on October 3, 2008 during the peak of the recession. She has single-handedly grown the company from 0 clients to almost 500 clients nationwide. Vicki has 26 years of experience in Marketing and Advertising. She earned her bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Goldey-Beacom College and is a Certified Advertising Specialist; only 5% in the promotional industry hold this highly recognized credential. Vicki is a member of the American Marketing Association and is a self-taught graphic designer. She volunteers her time to the business community by teaching free marketing workshops at many non-profits to help businesses sustain and grow. Vicki is brand-focused, strategy-focused, and customer-focused. So customer-focused that she works with all clients to ensure they get the best experience and the best expertise.
Q: What strategies have you found to be most effective in reaching your target audience, and how have those strategies evolved over time?
Networking and promotional marketing. They have not evolved over time. Networking allows me to meet, connect and build relationships and promotional items allow me to create the brand experience, strengthen relationships and remain top of their minds.
Q: With the rise of social media and other digital channels, how do you ensure that your marketing efforts are engaging and impactful while also standing out in a crowded online space?
Always differentiate my company from others. When people come to my website, they know exactly why my company is different and why they need to work with me. I think that is key to a successful and sustainable business.” I’m a firm believer of Coco Chanel’s quote: ‘In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.’”
Q: In a rapidly changing marketing landscape, what trends and emerging technologies are you keeping a close eye on, and how do you ensure that your business stays ahead of the curve in terms of marketing innovation?
In my business, I always keep an eye on new exciting promotional items and apparel so I can let clients know the latest and the greatest relevant promo item for their business. This will maximize their marketing dollars and stand out from their competitors. What companies give is a reflection of their brand.
Learn more about Promo Victory
The WBENC Women of Color Highlight Series proudly showcases the incredible achievements and unwavering determination of our WBEs.
Through this ongoing series, we aim to spotlight the entrepreneurial journeys of these inspiring women and shed light on their impactful businesses across a multitude of industries. From technology and finance to fashion and healthcare, we will showcase the diverse talents, innovation, and resilience of Women of Color WBEs. Join us as we uplift and empower these extraordinary entrepreneurs, sharing their stories, insights, and strategies for success, while celebrating their invaluable contributions to the business world.
WBENC is excited to feature more Women of Color throughout our network in 2023! Each month we will be featuring at least one WBENC-Certified Women of Color WBE related to a specific, timely topic. The Women of Color Program is an outreach and development program designed to build and strengthen a dynamic ecosystem for women of color entrepreneurs.
We cordially invite you to be a part of the Women of Color Highlight Blog Series by filling out the form by selecting the upcoming months you’d like to be featured in! This is a remarkable opportunity to showcase the strength, resilience, and accomplishments of WBEs, and we highly encourage you to participate!
Learn More & Submit