What is Reddit's opinion of How Brands Grow: What Marketers Don't Know?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

While I agree with you that SF is certainly "known", there's a reason brands (and, you could definitely treat/consider a city as a brand) continue to advertise. Colgate's been known for a LONG time, but if you talk to their CMO I doubt he/she would ever be content that people are "familiar enough" with Colgate for the time being, so they'll drop their ad spend for the next decade or so until they need to re-up brand awareness.

Good book that explores the subject (with a scientific slant) - http://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560

To be clear, I don't know why a city that already has more demand than supply for all that is "SF" and yet clearly doesn't want to let itself get on with the times and grow needs to advertise, I DO feel that were it trying to capitalize on its growing popularity, hosting the Superbowl would re-inforce and further that agenda.

Since you're in digital marketing, I'm going to focus on marketing specific stuff that I wish I'd known earlier in my career.

1 - Read 'how brands grow (https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560) 'how not to plan' and (https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-not-Plan-ways-screw-ebook/dp/B07FF3DY4B). Martin Weigel's blog is gold too (e.g. https://www.martinweigel.org/blog/2010/09/07/why-we-could-do-with-a-little-less-talk-about-loyalty-and-relationships-and-a-little-more-about-conq). These books explain how brand building really works and how to put this knowledge into action. The former focuses on theory, the latter on application.

2 - Become 'so good they can't ignore you' (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01KFR64LQ/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1). Set aside time every week for learning and development so you're always ahead of your peers. I set aside 4 hours a week outside of work, which isn't much in my opinion - the ROI has been huge, though.

3 - Go inhouse in tech. Work life balance is better and you'll get paid a lot more.

4 - Move to London. My salary crept up slowly when I lived up north - single digit % raises every year. My salary has gone up 4x in the seven years I've lived down south. More than enough to cancel out the higher cost of living.

5 - Learn stats. Charles Wheelan's book covers the basics (https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007Q6XLF2/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1).

https://www.amazon.com/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560/

I would optimize your website for sales! Here's a few ideas off the top of my head.
1. When I came, I had to physically look for the sales button in the middle of the navbar - This should stand out, at the end of the bar different color or in an entirely different location like fixed somewhere.
2. Your setup isn't very good for SEO - Top p[age slider etc... It could be optimized a little more!
3. Homepage needs products. What should people buy, what is most popular, top seller, weekly promotion, something that shows you guys are selling.
4. I see you have a Twitter - Awesome. Now, get Facebook, Pinterest (this one for sure. If you brand your profile right, every girlfriend will be giving this to her BF next holiday) Instagram, Snapchat, etc. You could even run some ads on here, there's subs that would be receptive of the right promotion. You're selling a male lifestyle, so platforms like instagram and snapchat are going to be huge for building an image around your lifestyle. I use FB to earn shares and likes with content, inevitably the word of mouth of the internet. I use Twitter for hashtag exposure and getting discovered by completely new people, or connecting with people otherwise impossible. Snapchat, IG, great for building an image.
5. If you haven't already, break down your target market to a tee. Then separate marketing duties and find out the optimal way to use those tactics to reach the consumer, or perhaps the person who will be shopping for the consumer - ie. Mom, wife, girlfriend, friend
6. Partnerships. What goes with a good beard? Good coffee, good scotch, a classy barber, some cufflinks.... Find some partners. Network, become friends, rub each others backs.
7. Sponsor some people. Youtube channels, guys with bad ass beards - Who's the ones that care about their beards in quantities? Perhaps fashion oriented guys, maybe it's students, whisky lovers, business owners, whatever your focus is, reach them with industry influencers.
8. Remarkable content is king, still. What is your target interested in? Write a weekly piece that offers content they like. Style guides. Mens accessories. 5 beard styles that get you laid. 10 of the most successful people with badass beards.
9. Speak to your customer. You are not selling what you do, but why you do it. It's all about pushing the lifestyle. If you reach your target with a lifestyle that applies to them they will give your product a try. This TED talk changed my life - https://www.ted.com/talks/simon_sinek_how_great_leaders_inspire_action?language=en. This book as well - https://www.amazon.ca/How-Brands-Grow-What-Marketers/dp/0195573560/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459360271&sr=8-1&keywords=how+brands+grow