The chief strategist of Brand Hero and the culture consultant of Optimal Targeting, David Konigsberg, is with us today in this edition of the Solo2CEO podcast. As we feature successful business owners in their fields of expertise, let us get to know more about this man and the experiences he has in the digital marketing world.
David, tell me what you do.
For the past 15 to 20 years, our marketing agency has been providing full-service marketing solutions to service businesses. We specialize in helping these businesses acquire new customers through various channels, including paid advertising on platforms like Google AdWords and Facebook.
Additionally, we assist our clients in refining their messaging so that they can attract their target audience effectively. It’s our goal to help businesses avoid the pitfalls of working with the wrong clients and the challenges that come with them. To grow, we believe that it’s important to have the right clients whom we can repeatedly help, leading to a cycle of attracting more similar clients.
How do you ensure that you’re getting the right clients?
We ensure we get the right clients by first understanding what makes our clients' businesses unique. We identify who appreciates their services and what sets them apart from the competition.
Once we know this, we create a strong brand and messaging strategy to attract these specific customers. We aim to connect with people who value quality and are willing to pay for it.
We use the most effective marketing channels to reach these people. Everyone likes a good deal, but we believe that sometimes it's better to invest a bit more in a service that meets your needs, rather than going for the cheapest option in the long run.
What type of businesses use your service?
We cater to a variety of service businesses, from creative agencies to professional services. We have clients who are accountants, lawyers, clients from health care and sales, too.
How did you get into this business?
Fifteen or twenty years ago, I started as a worker at Eastern Union. Ira Zlotowitz gave me my first job. He let people learn from him and allowed me to work as an underwriter. Eventually, I moved into their IT department, and I did many tasks that needed to be done in the company.
By the time I ended my work at Eastern Union, I had a resume with four pages of work experience. I got a job that has something to do with paid advertisements with a company called Optimal Targeting. Eventually, I ended up taking over the company, improving it into what it is today.
I initially came into the company as an employee of a business owner then over time, I transitioned away from being the guy who does the work.
What happened after you took over the company?
I started doing Google ads, and after about a year of learning about SEO, we began offering it to our clients. We emphasized honesty, transparency, and trust, which were not very common in the SEO industry.
As SEO focused more on content, we included infographics and viral content in our services. We also started doing social media marketing. As our services expanded, so did our branches within the company.
Can you tell us your observations on branding companies?
Branding companies had failed to create a connection between the product and the storytelling aspect. They seem to be more concerned with superficial aesthetics and storytelling without making sure that the product is meaningfully connected with the brand.
As I noticed the gap in the market, I decided to learn about branding. To create my approach, I read about the topics in around 150 books. I also borrowed ideas from various useful sources.
Here is what I realized: Products usually have clear features and benefits, while with services, it’s a bit tricky. Service providers usually customize their offers based on client’s needs. This often leads to confusion because employees are unsure of what they’re selling, and the market is unsure about the service's identity. In simple terms, it’s hard to market something when you do not know exactly what it is.
We came up with a system to solve this problem. First, we made sure that business owners knew exactly what their product or service was. Then we made sure that everyone in the company understood this, too, and we told customers what to expect. We promised that we would fix whatever mistake the product had.
At the start of a service industry, confusion is often present because of different interpretations of what the business is selling. To avoid this, we help the business understand their product and define their business.
In simple terms, we help a business distinguish between a product and a service. It’s our goal to help people understand what they offer, and how they market and do business.
When a client comes to you for branding, what’s your first step?
There’s this funny saying, “Sell them what they want but give them what they need.” I should be able to recognize what they want and what they need. This step is farther from what I’m selling because I recognize what they need to execute, design, and do.
So our business is about helping businesses find their strength and guide them to become the better version of themselves.
Why would you not put your two different companies under one umbrella?
To show people that what we have is a separate deliverable in a separate business, we branched off and rebranded the branding company as a Brand Hero and the marketing company as Optimal Targeting. We have two different brands to help people recognize that we can deliver and set expectations for each.
How many employees do you have now, and what does your team mostly do?
I have ten employees. I divide my team into groups – I have a department that does Google Ads, Facebook Ads, and Bing Ads. I have a department in charge of web development, a team for social media marketing, two writers, and two designers who do creative work and branding.
I create brand strategies and marketing strategies and ensure their implementation. I support my team by doing inbound sales. I help clients understand what they are buying, guiding them through the initial strategy, the set expectations, and the target market.
I make sure that we are clear on what we’re doing, and the areas you want to excel in. It’s not necessary to be excellent in all areas of your business, but it’s much better to be a master of one than trying to appeal to the market.
I have learned that if you are not working for your business, you end up working in your business; and if you are working in your business, you would end up not doing the things that you have to do.
What is your opinion on how artificial intelligence (AI) is affecting the future of business, particularly optimal targeting and branding?
There is a lot of automation on AI that we do not have access to. Regarding branding, workers would only access AI to work faster. The bulk of the effort will go into the strategy behind the tasks. You will end up working with a lot of strategists, and if you can afford to pay for the strategy, you will be able to deliver a much better result.
What are the main AI tools that you find helpful for your business?
We use Chat GPT, Midjourney, and Leonardo. On the design side, we build our modules and also do training. We are trying to know the right commands and the right ways of getting the results that we need.
How does SEO work for your ranking?
SEO has two distinct components. First, we have onsite SEO, which makes sure that your website content effectively communicates to Google what it should rank for. To ensure this, you should have the right keywords and content on your website, making it relevant and valuable to your target audience. Technically, your website needs to be restructured in a way that Google can easily read and adhere to its guidelines.
Offsite SEO is like a popularity contest that Google uses to determine whether your ranking would affect your own or your competitors. If you acquire links from well-known sources, then it’s logical to say that your ranking will improve.
There is the third component of SEO which conducts a test once Google elevates your ranking. Google uses this data to determine if your website offers enough information, a positive user experience, and trust to satisfy searchers, thus influencing your ranking.
What are the effects of the changes in the SEO industry?
In the past, SEO was just something that could manipulate Google the best in terms of putting the most guest posts and backlinks. It was mostly just manipulation. Then, Google got smart and used learning machines and AI to guide people on what they want and provide a better user experience.
The shift in the SEO industry has been significant. Using proper and ethical SEO practices is more cost-effective than making deceitful acts. This change created more challenges for people who promise overnight success without concrete results. The success of SEO lies in the correct implementation of necessary elements.
These changes, however, did not deter some people from offering ineffective solutions and questionable practices. For those who are seeking SEO services, it is important that you hire someone who will provide you with a detailed list of their strategies and deliverables.
What should an employer be looking for when hiring a worker to do SEO for them?
Before hiring a worker, an employer should talk to references to know if what the applicant claims is true. Some individuals do not tell you what they’re doing, while some are transparent and honest. Once they are employed, make them submit a report of what they’re doing.
Consider the risks when hiring people for SEO tasks. You might hire people who could do things that can damage your reputation in Google and would get punished either short-term or long-term. It’s because they could make shady tactics that you might not feel comfortable with, like sending bad links to your competitors or attacking them on your behalf.
Let’s talk about video. Do you incorporate videos in your marketing strategy? What are the pros and cons of using videos?
Videos are an amazing storytelling medium. It lets you have more opportunities to use ideas that people tend to remember more than just an image they see.
Producing a good video tends to be more expensive but you can achieve better results if you use it correctly. It allows you to have more room to build up expectations and create a better impression with people as if they know me - something that a printed ad cannot do so much.
If your video has enough of your personality, style positioning, and the way that you differentiate yourself from the expectations you set, no one can use that because he doesn’t have that personality.
Why should you not do a cheap video?
It depends on what your business goals are. If your goal is to create a strong message that you are a better vendor, you’re not going to achieve that with a cheap video. A cheap video will make you look cheap and will make you look like you do not take pride in your work. Moreover, it’ll make it look like your business cannot afford a higher-level video. But if you are not selling on price, you can hire better talent, and do your video on a higher level.
Some businesses believe in something other than the potential return on investment (ROI) of investing in professional videos. They might be testing their ideas, thinking of unfavorable results. If you know that you have invested in some low-quality video, you have to be realistic about your expectations. You’re deceiving yourself if you expect to get exceptional results from a subpar investment.
What is the common mistake marketers sometimes fall into?
Sometimes marketers make the mistake of trying to fill the void in the market with what people want because that is the opposite of what branding is. We shouldn’t try to figure out the void in the market. Instead, we should know who we are and find who in the market wants us. By doing that, you are going to be of better service to those people.
Tell me more about your branding product.
What makes us unique is that we are not looking for a void in the market for you to fill up. We consider these three things in our branding level: the motivation by figuring out what you are, and who wants you for what you are; the process where you tend to lean towards; and the perception of the way you want the world to see you. And if you could figure that out, then you could create slogans and taglines for each one of those and you're able to sell to each one of those people.
I have been in the business for 20 years and I am not a writer or a designer. I have a unique view as a business owner and as a business consumer.
I have a much different viewpoint from a typical writer because of my experience dealing with so many clients while understanding their business to be successful.
What would you consider in creating a unique value for a successful business?
One should know how to handle all aspects of the business, and what approach is sustainable. A business should have a unique value that allows it to have a margin that customers are willing to pay. This added value can be the result of your distinctiveness among other businesses that offer more or less the same product or service.
Think of establishing a brand that sets expectations that others cannot match. Of course, you have to make sure that you take responsibility for meeting these expectations.
Are there words of wisdom that you want to share?
Sales have evolved as time goes by, with people searching for a connection between their skills and their needs.
I enjoy helping people solve their business problems by providing suggestions for them to consider and implement as solutions. It’s my goal to guide them to solutions that are effective and would help them in the best way possible.
There are a variety of services that I provide to answer the specific needs of each client. I look for clients who genuinely need the solutions I can offer. To avoid ending up feeling like they wasted their time and money, clients must understand what they are buying and how it will benefit them. For me, it’s important to ensure that clients know and appreciate the value of what they are getting from me.
How would people find and contact you?
They can get in touch with me through the following channels:
The website of Optimal Targeting is: http://www.optimaltargeting.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KonigsbergDavid
That wraps up our interview with David. Thank you for sharing your expertise and insights on your business. We wish you more success in all your endeavors.