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The term “press release” is widely used in the marketing world, yet its purpose and value are often misunderstood. As a communication tool, it plays a critical role in shaping public perception, sharing newsworthy information, and building credibility for a brand or organization. Here are some of the specific roles a press release serves and why each one is important.

Attract Media Attention

A significant reason why press releases are so relevant is that they can draw media attention. Whether someone as small as a local journalist or as big as ABC News, press releases serve as an invitation to the media to check out what you have going on. The release states everything they should know about and should consider when reporting. This gives them a head start on storylines and allows them to come up with the perfect way to portray what you are marketing!

Creating Your Narrative

Another great feature of a press release is that you can narrate it however you choose. As the creator, you’re building the blueprint for the media, and the possibilities are in your control. For example, if an NFL guest is attending a non-profit event in Sun Prairie, you can shape the storyline to highlight different angles. In this case, you could market the location, an NFL star in attendance, or support for the special cause. Press releases offer complete creative freedom, and that’s what makes them so valuable.

Public Engagement Purposes

This aspect of a press release ties in the two previous points. Having your event, product, or whatever you want mentioned to the media will result in some sort of buzz locally or, depending on what you’re promoting, even nationally. They’re going to be thinking about what you do, what you represent, and even opinions on your business. Not creating a press release prevents you from introducing yourself to a huge audience. While social media can help with promotion, it misses many of the human elements that a press release consists of.

If you or your business needs help developing, strategizing, or optimizing your next press release, Twofold Marketing is here to help!

Sources:

https://www.cision.com/resources/articles/5-reasons-the-press-release-still-matters/ 
https://www.teamlewis.com/magazine/the-purpose-of-a-press-release/ 

Hashtags were the original algorithm of social media content. Before the rise of AI and advanced search engines, hashtags controlled how content was discovered and shared. Today, hashtags may not be used as casually as they once were, but they remain very important for business and growth purposes. Many of their uses are still practical, so having a basic understanding of hashtags and their functions is essential.

Building a Brand

One of the most effective things hashtags do is help build an identity for your business. Take a big company like Nike and their slogan Just Do It. When you see this phrase on a post, you don’t just read it as words, but rather as an identity and lifestyle. It stands for hard work and being part of something bigger than yourself. Hashtags reinforce this message and help connect your brand with your audience.

Campaign Control

Now, imagine you have a major event or marketing campaign you want people to recognize. Using a specific hashtag to associate with your effort is crucial. The Barbie movie capitalized on this strategy when promoting its film. Their hashtag “BarbieTheMovie” became a central hub for all related content. If you came across this hashtag, it would be easy to find anything connected to the movie.

Unification Purposes

Finally, hashtags do an excellent job of bringing together communities. Without them, it would be difficult to target specific groups, audiences, or fans. For example, a pet store in Sun Prairie using hashtags like #DogLovers, #CatLife, or # SunPrairie can create a sense of community among its shoppers. Hashtags act like a virtual neighborhood or fan club. They unite people and create a feeling of belonging, which is something that businesses can leverage effectively if done correctly.

If you’re looking for more social media tips and tricks, including how to use hashtags, feel free to reach out to us at Two(2)Fold Marketing!

Sources:

https://sproutsocial.com/insights/what-is-hashtagging/

In the business world, you will probably send and receive dozens of emails each week, if not more. With all this ongoing communication, it’s important to represent yourself in a consistent and professional tone. One simple and effective way to do so is by ending each of your emails with a signature.

An email signature highlights your professionalism, builds trust, and helps maintain a polished image. It takes just a few minutes to set up, and the benefits are well worth the effort. In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to create an email signature in Gmail and explain why each part of it is essential.

The first thing you’ll need to do in Gmail is click the settings icon in the top right corner. In the “General” tab, scroll down until you find the “Signature” section. Click “Create new” and give your signature a title.

After naming your signature, the next step is to fill in the information you want to include. We recommend adding your name, place of work, role or title, contact information, and a company logo if available.

Each of these elements plays an important role in how you present yourself to potential employers, clients, or colleagues. Here’s a closer look at why each one matters:

Company Name & Logo: Including these in your email signature is extremely important as they support your marketing efforts and reflect professionalism.

Role in Company: Providing your role in the company is crucial, as it gives the recipient immediate clarity on who they’re communicating with and what your responsibilities are.

Social Media Logo & Links: These are an important part of your email signature, as they help strengthen your social media presence by giving those you interact with direct access to your work.

Contact Information: Staying professional means making it easy for people to reach you, so including your contact details is essential.

If you’re interested in more marketing tips and tricks, we at Two(2)Fold Marketing are more than happy to help with whatever you need.

Sources:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSJf6bujq4c
https://www.rocketseed.com/blog/benefits-of-using-email-signatures/

In marketing, the font you choose makes a huge difference in your brand image. Whether it’s the logo or the content you are putting out, a font can change something from having a professional look to a casual one, simply by the way the letters look. This is why it is so important to understand the different kinds of fonts and when to use them to convey the message you want for your business.

Font Categories

When beginning the process of choosing a font, it is essential to narrow down the category of font you want to use. There are four main font categories to choose from: serif, sans serif, script, and decorative.

Serif → These fonts have “feet” on the edges of the letters which are the swoops or lines letters end with. This look conveys formality and tradition when it comes to designs.

Sans Serif → These fonts have no feet on the edges of the letters. This look conveys simplicity and modernism in designs.

Script → These fonts are similar to cursive but are a little more fancy including more swoops and character to the ends of letters. This look conveys elegance when it comes to designs.

Decorative → These fonts are meant to stand out and are often the focal point of a design. These looks convey style and creativity in designs.

Choosing a Font

It is quite daunting when choosing a font because of all the different styles there are in each category! The best way to start deciding what font you want is to focus on the feeling you want to evoke from your audience when they’re thinking about your business or coming into your company’s space.

An example of this would be a traditional business logo. Some of the largest companies like Google, Amazon, and Apple use simple and clean fonts for their logos. They give the look of sophistication and give the enterprise a sense of professionalism. In this case, it would be the best choice to choose a font that is serif or sans serif. 

Another way is to choose a font for a space. For example, a cafe would not use a serif or sans serif font as it is not necessarily the most professional and traditional space. Instead, it’s a great idea to choose a font that has a personality and invites the customer into the relaxing space. In this instance, it would be the best choice to choose a font that is script or decorative to be the focal point.

Overall, the font you choose to represent your brand leaves an impression on your audience and represents the feel of that company. It is crucial to not leave the wrong message and instead use fonts to your advantage depending on the feeling you want to convey. 

If you’d like some guidance or advice on implementing these techniques into your marketing plans, call us at TwoFold Marketing: Monday-Friday at 608-225-2448

Image Source

Lauren. “How to Choose the Right Fonts for Your Website.” The Events Calendar, 7 May 2019, https://theeventscalendar.com/blog/learning/how-to-choose-the-right-fonts-for-your-website/. Accessed 26 June 2023.

When it comes to marketing, colors play a large role in how a business or product is perceived. Why do we associate red as bold and strong, while yellow seems warm and positive? When creating a brand color palette in marketing, it is important to know how color psychology sets the tone for the logo, content, and overall message that is sent to your target audience. 

What is Color Psychology? 

Color psychology is the theory that colors create an emotional or physical reaction and affect human behavior. Color plays a role in someone’s initial reactions and can send a message about the value of a product or company itself. This is important in marketing as it is essential to grab the viewer’s attention and in the long run, create brand recognition. In fact, a research study found that about 62-90 percent of a person’s initial assessment is based on colors alone. If colors matter this much to a person’s judgment, then it is crucial that the ones used are carefully considered.

Color Meanings

Different colors send different messages. When marketing, it is helpful to take into account the meaning of the colors you are planning to use and how they will influence the message you want to send about your company or product.

Image Source

Notice that each color has different emotions that it can evoke. Even though different colors can mean different things, there are similarities between many. For example, both orange and yellow can mean joy, positivity, and fun. When creating a brand color palette, using multiple colors together can enhance a message further. For example, using multiple warm colors (yellow, orange, red) together can create youthful and enthusiastic emotions as a whole. 

Color Combinations

As much as it is important to use single colors that surround the feeling you want to convey, it is just as valuable to make the logo or content look appealing by using color combinations such as complementary, analogous, or tertiary. 

Complementary → Colors found across from one another on the color wheel. Examples of complementary colors include yellow and purple; red and green; orange and blue.

Analogous → Colors found next to one another on the color wheel. Examples of analogous colors include blue, blue-green, and green; yellow, yellow-orange, and orange; blue, blue-violet, and violet.

Tertiary → Colors created by combining primary and secondary colors. Examples of tertiary colors include red-orange; yellow-green; blue-violet.

These color combinations create interest for the viewer by creating harmony or contrast. It is essential to grab the attention of the viewer with these combinations in a logo or in other content to stand out against competitors and inform your audience what your company is all about.

All in all, color psychology is essential to understand when creating a brand color palette in order to evoke the right connotation when it comes to your brand and what you’re putting out to your audience. So, before you create that logo or put out your next pieces of content, consider the emotions you want to convey and the color combinations you can make to put out the next best thing.

If you’d like some guidance or advice on implementing these techniques into your marketing plans, call us at TwoFold Marketing: Monday-Friday at 608-225-2448

Sources:

Singh, S. (2006). Impact of color on marketing. Management Decision, 44(6), 783–789. https://doi.org/10.1108/00251740610673332