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Busting Branding Myths for Social Entrepreneurs

Pic: Adam Hopwood, Reason Digital. 

Rebecca Rae, from Reason Digital, is known as one of the Top 30 women under 30 in digital.

Ogunte: Who are you, Rebecca, in one tweet?

Rebecca Rae: I am a specialist in digital results with a strong interest in “doing the right thing” I think big and get stuff done. 

O: How are you creating change?

R: My specialism is in getting results from activity utilising digital methods. I use data, stats and testing (and a sprinkling of creative thinking) in order to create useful, implementable strategies based on insight. I’ve been working towards using my skills in order to help out non profit organisations, or those working towards a social change in the world. I’m able to do this working at Reason Digital who only work on projects like this. I also work with Good for Nothing Girls in order to achieve specific creative, digital or business outcomes for female social entrepreneurs. 

O: What’s the biggest myth about branding for social enterprises you’d like to wipe clean?

R: We don’t need to all have fluffy branding to show how ”good” we are. This should come out naturally in what we do, and can often put people off our core product or service.  Many people are too literal with their branding and identity.

O:  You are involved in Good for Nothing.  What do you think people involved with this as recipients or mentors will look back upon and most remember?

R: Good for Nothing is rewarding in different ways for different people. In the creative industries, it’s important for us to be connected and nothing brings people together like the intensive working style that GFN does. People who are willing to commit this amount of time will usually be similarly minded, curious, up for a challenge and motivated. Helping out social entrepreneurs at the beginning of their journey is very rewarding and provides tangible results.

O: What are the top 3 non negociables that you need to nail when you want to make your social business more visible? Or a business people engage with?

1. Digital is very powerful. Your business objectives can often be achieved through a website and you can reach a large target audience easily and quickly. You absolutely MUST be online. Your customer is, and if you’re not reaching and converting them someone else will be. 
2. Digital ISN’T FREE. You need to put time, energy and effort into it. So invest in specialists who can create the best, most optimised website for your needs and then budget in ongoing costs for digital marketing and the constant upkeep and improvement of your digital presence. 
3. To be a good social enterprise and make the social change you want to, you have to focus on making a viable enterprise. If you don’t work as a business, you won’t be able to make social change. 

O: Who are the women who impress you the most in the sector?

• Lou Cordwell is the CEO of one of the biggest and best Manchester digital agencies, MagneticNorth. I didn’t work closely with her, but always wish I’d had the opportunity to. 
• Jayne Riley is MD of Photolink Creative group. Photolink don’t focus on digital, but they run creative projects for some of the largest, most recognisable retail brands. 

Both of these women inspired me as they were very capable in their roles and have positions of power in my industry which I don’t see that often. 

Connect to Rebecca on:

@rebeccawho for ranting about cycling, feminism, comics and horror films. @DigitalBex for tweets about digital, charities, social enterprises and marketing. 

www.reasondigital.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/rebeccarae