Frequently Asked Questions
Does Soto Group provide monthly marketing services?
We provide what we call ‘flattened monthly retainers” which are a little different to most agencies. Typical agency retainers lock you (and them) into a set monthly deliverable i.e. 2 x social media posts, 1 hour of community engagement, 1 x email campaign blah blah. You pay a set fee for set services and anything outside of that is at an extra charge.
But let’s get real. That is NOT how growing businesses run their marketing departments. What the majority of the companies that work with us need, is an agency partner that can flex with their needs. A B2B business might need social media services, however if social media is a brand awareness channel not a lead development channel, why prioritise it over other marketing options that can yield a better result?
Our retainers work as an extension of your marketing department, or as your own marketing department complete with a CMO, Marketing Strategist and Marketing Coordinator that plan upcoming campaigns based on seasonality, industry trends and many other factors.
You get full visibility to our internal project management systems and can see where campaigns and projects are at, along with their success at any stage.
This freedom is truly unique to Soto Group, and is the reason the majority of our customers who use our marketing services remain with us year on year.
How long has the Soto Group been operating for?
Soto Group was formed through a merger in 2019 of Soto Brand Consulting and a collective of Strategic Advisory Firms, several of which had been in operation since 2010-12.
Does Soto Group offer email marketing services?
Email marketing can be a high converting tool for many businesses, whether B2B, B2C, product based or service based. Soto Group offers a variety of email marketing services to help you connect with your audience, nurture leads, and drive conversions.
We design eye-catching email templates in your platform of choice (we can help you choose the right one for your needs), we can write engaging content and analyse results and trends to optimise send times, contact themes and audience preferences. Our team will work with you to develop email campaigns that deliver results and are KPI driven.
How much does rebranding cost?
The cost of rebranding varies greatly depending on the project’s scale, required deliverables, and specific needs.
Our rebrands typically range from $7,500 – $60,000.
We recommend scheduling a consultation to discuss your objectives so we can provide a tailored quote. If you are considering a rebrand but your budget does not fit into the range above, we recommend still reaching out as we have a number of partners who may be able to support your budget, and we can provide you with online resources and digital tools that can help during the rebrand process to keep costs to a minimum.
What social media services does Soto Group offer?
We offer a broad scope of marketing services, with social media being a core marketing offering. We help businesses harness the power of social media for brand building, engagement, and growth. Our services include (but are not limited to):
Social Media Strategy
We’ll work with you to develop a social media strategy aligned with your business goals and target audience. You can opt to use your internal resources to deliver the strategy, or engage us on retainer to deliver for you.
Content Creation
Armed with the Social Media Strategy our team of creatives will develop engaging content, including images, videos, and copy, designed to resonate with your audience and drive engagement.
Community Management
We’ll manage your social media accounts, respond to comments and messages, and foster meaningful interactions with your audience.
Paid Advertising
While our team does not execute paid advertising campaigns, we have a number of advertising specialist partners we work with to ensure your paid ads are best in class.
Analytics and Reporting
We’ll provide regular analytics and reports to track the performance of your social media efforts and identify areas for improvement.
Whether you’re looking to build brand awareness, drive website traffic, or generate leads, we’ll develop a custom social media strategy tailored to your business needs.
Ready to elevate your social media presence? Contact us today to learn more about our social media services!
What pages does my website need?
This is one of those ‘How long is a piece of string’ questions. Really your website pages should be planned and developed based on extensive user journey mapping. But below are just a few pages to consider when developing a new website.
- Homepage: The main landing page that provides an overview of your business and directs visitors to other sections of your site.
- About Us: A page that introduces your company, its mission, values, team members, and history.
- Products/Services: Pages that detail the products or services you offer, including descriptions, images, pricing, and specifications.
- Contact Us: A page with contact information, such as your address, phone number, email, and a contact form for enquiries.
- Blog/News: A section for blog posts or news articles related to your industry, updates about your company, or helpful tips for your audience (a must have for SEO).
- Testimonials/Reviews: A page showcasing customer testimonials, reviews, or case studies to build trust and credibility.
- FAQs: A page addressing frequently asked questions about your business, products, or services.
- Portfolio/Gallery: If applicable, a page displaying examples of your work, projects, or past achievements.
- Privacy Policy: A page outlining how you collect, use, and protect visitors’ personal information in compliance with privacy laws.
- Terms of Service: A page detailing the terms and conditions governing the use of your website and any transactions or agreements with users.
- Legal Pages: Depending on your jurisdiction and industry, you may also need pages such as a disclaimer, copyright notice, and disclosure policy.
- Site Map: A page or section that provides a hierarchical overview of your website’s structure and navigation.
This is a good starting point for website pages to consider. Ready to create a website that drives results? Contact Soto Group today to discuss your project and take your online presence to the next level!
How long does a rebranding project typically take?
A typical rebranding project can take anywhere from 2 to 12 months, depending on the project’s complexity and scope. We strive to work efficiently while ensuring ample time for creativity and iteration. If you have an ideal timeframe or have an urgent need to rebrand please let us know when submitting your enquiry or during our discovery call.
Does Soto Group develop Squarespace or Wix websites?
While we appreciate the versatility and user-friendliness of platforms like Squarespace and Wix, Soto Group specialises in custom website design and development tailored to our clients’ unique needs and objectives.
Our team is obsessed with the user journey, and prefer to build websites that are customised to your unique customer journey. While we have designed and developed websites using a variety of technologies and platforms, including WordPress, Shopify and WebFlow along with custom-built solutions – we are usually engaged by our clients to bring them out of these restrictive platforms into more flexible design platforms.
By leveraging our expertise and creativity, we ensure that each website we create reflects our clients’ brand identity and delivers an exceptional user experience.
If you’re looking for a website that stands out from the crowd and aligns perfectly with your business goals, chat with our team to see what options are available. Contact us today to learn more about our website development services and how we can help you achieve your online goals!
I already have website hosting, can I keep it if Soto Group designs my new website?
You certainly can! We work within all major website hosting platforms like GoDaddy, Siteground, Webcentral, Australian Servers and many others. Our migration team manage a seamless website migration into your hosting platform of choice.
HOWEVER – not all website hosting is created equal, and if you have not selected a package we recommend chatting with our team about options available. Cheaper hosting packages often highly compromise website loading speeds and have variable customer service.
What is the difference between a brand refresh and a rebrand?
A brand refresh and a rebrand are both strategic initiatives undertaken by companies to enhance their brand identity, but they involve different degrees of change:
Brand Refresh
A brand refresh typically involves making minor updates or adjustments to an existing brand identity.
- It focuses on modernising and revitalising elements of the brand without completely overhauling its core identity.
- Changes may include updates to the logo, typography, colour palette, imagery, messaging, or other visual and verbal elements.
- The goal of a brand refresh is often to keep the brand current, align it with evolving market trends, and maintain relevance with the target audience.A brand refresh typically means things like domains can be retained but that a new visual can bring new life to the brand.
Rebrand
A rebrand involves a more significant and comprehensive overhaul of the brand identity.
- It often includes changes to the brand’s name, logo, visual identity, messaging, positioning, and even its core values or business strategy.
- The purpose of a rebrand may be to redefine the brand’s identity, differentiate it from competitors, target new markets, address negative perceptions, or signal a strategic shift in the company’s direction.
- Rebrands are more transformative and usually require extensive market research, stakeholder input, and communication strategies to ensure a successful transition.
While both a brand refresh and a rebrand our goal is to strengthen your brand’s identity and perception, a refresh involves incremental updates to the existing brand, whereas a rebrand involves a more comprehensive and transformative change.
As rebrand experts we will assess exactly what is right for your business. Rebranding can be a disruptive process to a business, so we will listen to your needs, challenges and goals and together map out which option is best for your business.
What is brand equity?
Soto Group are brand equity specialists. Our Cofounder Matthew Crouch is an industry leading speaker and one of his most demanded topics is about how to create and maintain brand equity.
But we know that many individuals and companies don’t really understand brand equity or what it means when you do or don’t have it.
In simplistic terms – brand equity refers to the intangible value that a brand name holds in the minds of consumers. It represents the influence and power that a brand has over consumer choices and their willingness to pay more for products or services associated with that brand. Brand equity is built over time through various factors, including:
- Brand Awareness
- Brand Perception
- Brand Loyalty
- Brand Associations
- Brand Image
- Brand Positioning
Brand equity reflects the value and influence that a brand has in the marketplace, driving customer preference, loyalty, and financial performance. It is a valuable asset for companies and requires strategic management and investment to nurture and maintain over time.
Brand equity is the difference between a $1,000,000 business exit and a $15,000,000 business exit. Strong brand equity allows you to launch new products or services with immediate uptake from your existing audience or customer base.
One of the most desired yet undervalued brand considerations is brand equity. To understand you brand equity or to improve your brand equity get in touch and ask to speak to our Creative Director and Brand Equity Expert Matthew Crouch.
Does Soto Group offer brand naming services?
We certainly do! At Soto Group, we understand the importance of a strong brand name in making a memorable impression and setting your business apart.
Our experienced team is skilled in the art of brand naming and can help you find the perfect name that resonates with your target audience and reflects your brand identity.
When we consider a brand name, we will walk you through the various options and why they are important. We will also help you understand the Intellectual Property (IP) implications when selecting a brand name.
How do I know if my brand can be trademarked?
Understanding Brand IP is a really important factor that can often be overlooked. We are known as rebranding specialists, and many companies that come to us looking to be rebranded, are forced to rebrand due to Trademark and Intellectual Property breaches, or potential risks.
So we always recommend factoring in IP searches as part of a new brand process. Determining if your brand can be trademarked involves several factors:
Brand Name and Logo Distinctiveness
Your brand must be distinctive, meaning it should stand out from other brands in the marketplace. It should not be generic or too descriptive of the products or services you offer.
Brand Name Availability
Before committing to a brand name, you should conduct a search to ensure that there are no existing brand names that are identical or similar to yours in the same category of goods or services. This helps to avoid potential conflicts. You should also conduct a domain search to see if an ideal domain is available without paying too much for it.
Non-Infringement
Your brand name, logo and icons should not infringe on existing trademarks. This means it should not be confusingly similar to trademarks that are already registered or in use by other companies.
Legal Requirements
Your brand should meet the legal requirements for trademark registration in the jurisdiction where you intend to register it. This typically includes being capable of being represented graphically and being used in commerce.
Whilst we do conduct preliminary high level desk top research when developing a brand name, We highly recommend you seek the advice of a trademark attorney or professional who can guide you through the process and help ensure that your brand meets all the necessary requirements for trademark registration.
At Soto Group we can assist you with considering these factors and conducting thorough research, so you can determine if your brand is eligible for trademark protection.
How can I improve my website visibility?
Businesses and organisations are always looking for ways to improve their online and website visibility. Here are a few things you should consider to improve your website organic traffic and organic reach:
- Optimising your content for relevant keywords.
- Producing high-quality, engaging content regularly. (long form content is a winner!)
- Promote your content on social media platforms and customising your posts for each platform.
- Optimise for local search if your business operates locally. Update your Google My Business Page
- Ensure your website is mobile and tablet friendly.
- Improve website loading speed for a better user experience. Use tools like Google Page Speeds to analyse your current load time
- Monitor website performance with tools like Google Analytics and Semrush.
If this sounds like a whole lot of work (it is!) reach out via our contact form or give us a call to chat about where your website is at and how we can help you reach your website goals.
Does Soto Group specialise in professional services branding?
We are known as professional services branding experts and we have worked with hundreds of professional services companies servicing both B2B and B2C markets.
Our claim of ‘professional services branding experts’ comes from our founders’ backgrounds in the professional services industry as strategic advisors and corporate consultants. With over 10 years of experience working with consultants, legal firms, insurance agencies, procurement advisors and almost every professional services sector we understand the unique challenges faced when competing in what we call ‘shark infested waters’.
Professional services companies thrive when they can be clearly differentiated from others, without vilifying potential customers outside of your preferred niche. After all, that is how professional services companies expand their service offering, territories served and size of market available.
Our expertise extends to working with professionals who provide knowledge-based services, acting as trusted advisors in their respective fields. We understand the unique challenges and opportunities that professionals in these industries face, and we’re here to help them navigate and thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
Whether you’re in accounting, consulting, engineering, finance, healthcare, law, or real estate, we have the tools and tailored services to help you stand out from the crowd and build an effective brand, strategy, website and digital presence.
How do I track my brands value and brand reputation?
Tracking your brand’s value involves evaluating both its tangible financial worth and intangible assets. One method is through brand valuation, there are different ways of valuing a brand such as cost-based, market-based, and income-based methods. These techniques help quantify the financial value of your brand by considering factors such as the cost of creating or replacing the brand, comparable transactions, and future earnings projections.
Financial performance indicators, including revenue growth, profit margins, and return on investment (ROI), offer insights into the actual financial value your brand contributes to overall business performance. By analysing these metrics, you can better understand how your brand impacts profitability and return on investment.
Assessing customer lifetime value (CLV) provides insights into the long-term value of your brand. CLV estimates the total revenue generated by a customer throughout their relationship with your brand, accounting for factors such as repeat purchases and brand loyalty. This metric helps you assess the impact of brand loyalty and customer retention on overall brand value.
When we work with brands we often conduct brand equity surveys and brand health tracking studies to offer insights into consumer perceptions, attitudes, and preferences toward your brand. These studies measure brand awareness, associations, loyalty, and overall brand strength, providing valuable insights into the intangible aspects of brand value.
Staying informed about market trends, competitor activities, and consumer preferences through ongoing market research is crucial for tracking your brand’s value. Understanding market dynamics and consumer behaviour helps you adapt your brand strategy to maintain its relevance and value in the marketplace.
We are often retained to track and monitor brand value as part of the ongoing creative services and marketing retainers we offer. If you are looking to increase your brand value as part of an exit strategy get in touch and we can discuss the best options for your current stage of business.
How do we measure the success of a rebrand?
Success metrics can include increased brand awareness, improved customer perception, higher engagement rates, and ultimately, growth in sales or market share. We’ll define specific KPIs at the project’s outset and monitor these post-launch. We can also build brand monitoring systems and tracking tools specifically for your organisation so you can continue to track brand success long past our engagement.
What payment options do you have?
We accept the typical payment methods such as:
- Direct Deposit / Bank Transfer
- International Bank Transfer / ACH Payments
- Debit Card Payment
- Credit Card Payments (Visa, Mastercard, AMEX, Diners)
Subscription Plans:
- For monthly services like:
- Marketing Retainers
- Website Maintenance Plans
- Website Security Plans
- Graphic Design Retainers
Payment Plans:
- For brand or website projects over $10,000
- 6 or 12 month payment plans are available for clients who can demonstrate they are a small to medium enterprise.
Our payment plans are catered for businesses who understand the value of investing in their brand but may not have planned for the investment in their forecast, and need to prioritise operational costs. Rather than delay your brand or creative project we can customise a payment plan that supports your business growth.
How do I know if my brand is performing well?
Assessing the performance of your brand involves evaluating various key indicators. One crucial aspect to consider is brand awareness, which measures the level of recognition and recall your brand has among your target audience. Monitoring metrics such as aided and unaided brand awareness, social media mentions, and website traffic can provide insights into how well your brand is recognised and remembered.
Another important factor is brand perception, which involves evaluating how consumers perceive your brand in terms of attributes like quality, reliability, trustworthiness, and relevance. Surveys, focus groups, and social media listening can help you understand consumer perceptions and identify areas for improvement.
Brand loyalty is also essential for determining brand performance. Assess the level of customer loyalty and repeat business your brand generates by monitoring metrics such as customer retention rates, repeat purchase behaviour, and Net Promoter Score (NPS). High levels of brand loyalty indicate that your brand is successfully engaging and retaining customers.
Market share analysis is another useful way to gauge brand performance. Evaluate your brand’s market share relative to competitors in your industry and track changes over time to assess your brand’s competitive position. Additionally, measuring brand equity, or the intangible value and influence your brand holds in the marketplace, can provide insights into your brand’s overall performance.
Monitoring customer satisfaction levels is crucial for assessing brand performance. Collect feedback through surveys, reviews, and customer support interactions to gauge customer satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. Finally, evaluating the financial impact of your brand on overall business performance is essential. Assess metrics such as revenue growth, profit margins, return on investment (ROI), and customer lifetime value (CLV) attributable to your brand to understand its contribution to your business’s success.
There are a number of digital tools that can help you monitor your brands performance such as Qualtrics, BrandWatch, SEMRush, AHREFS, Hootsuite and many more.
When we work with brands we can build out brand monitoring systems suitable for your size and goals.
Will a rebrand disrupt my current operations?
The short answer is yes. Depending on the size of your team, there will be a degree of work that team leaders will need to do on top of their daily workload. However, our goal is to ensure a smooth transition with minimal disruption to your operations. We’ll work closely with your team to plan the rollout strategically and provide support throughout the process.
We are experts at bringing your team along the journey with you, so the excitement of the rebrand outweighs the grumbles that may come with having to rebrand their internal documents or client facing collateral.
What copywriting services does Soto Group provide?
We have a team of technical copywriters who understand the power of words and how they can shape brand identity and engage audiences.
Whether you need website copy, blog posts, marketing collateral, social media content, or email campaigns, we have the expertise to deliver content that resonates with your target audience and drives results.
We also provide technical copywriting services such as research report writing, grant writing, project report writing and white paper writing.
What is user journey mapping?
User journey mapping is a method to understand and visualise the interactions a user has with a product or service. It involves creating a narrative or visual representation of the user’s experience, from initial contact to goal completion.
When Soto Group commence a project research is conducted to gather insights about the target audience, including demographics, behaviours, and preferences. Touchpoints are identified, including digital and physical interactions.
We will develop a user journey map illustrating the user’s actions, emotions, and pain points. We ask questions like – What is it they truly need? What will be a driver for them to take action?
We analyse the map and identify opportunities for improvement and optimisation. Continual iteration is essential to ensure the map remains accurate and reflective of user experiences.
Does Soto Group offer website hosting?
Yes! We provide website hosting through dedicated Australian servers to ensure your data stays secure and local. This is important for government organisations and not for profits with specific data requirements and anyone needing SOC2 certified partners. Our comprehensive website hosting services complement our web design and development solutions.
Our website hosting services are reliable, secure, and high-performance hosting solutions tailored to the unique needs of our clients.
If you are opting to have Soto Group build your website we can include complimentary website hosting.
With Soto Group’s website hosting services, you can expect:
Reliability
Our hosting infrastructure is built on robust servers and networks to ensure maximum uptime and reliability for your website. We employ industry-leading technologies and monitoring systems to proactively address any issues and maintain optimal performance.
Security
We take website security extremely seriously. Our hosting solutions include advanced security measures such as firewalls, malware scanning, and regular backups to safeguard your website and data from cyber threats and potential data loss.
Performance
Our hosting environment is optimised for speed and performance to deliver fast loading times and an exceptional user experience for your website visitors. We utilise cutting-edge caching techniques and content delivery networks (CDNs) to ensure rapid delivery of your website content worldwide.
Scalability
Whether you’re a small business just starting or a large enterprise with high traffic volumes, our hosting solutions are scalable to accommodate your evolving needs. We offer flexible hosting plans and resources to support your growth and expansion requirements.
Support
Our team of experienced professionals is available to provide technical support and assistance whenever you need it. From setting up your hosting account to troubleshooting issues and answering questions, we’re here to ensure your hosting experience is smooth and hassle-free.
We understand the importance of reliable and secure hosting for your website’s success. With our hosting services, you can focus on growing your business while we take care of the technical aspects of hosting your website.
How much will a new brand cost?
The cost of developing a new brand varies greatly depending on the project’s scale, required deliverables, and specific needs. Factors we consider are things like:
- Do you have a preferred brand name, or will we need to undertake a brand naming process including a brand name workshop
- Will we need to conduct market research? How much market research have you already performed that we can utilise? The more you understand your market, the easier it is to ideate your new brand
- Who are your competitors – if we are building a brand to take on Coca Cola, significant time and design hours go into reaching the optimal visual design as well as brand positioning. However, if you are a startup business and are not looking to take out the biggest player in your industry, the costs can scale down.
- The number of brand assets or sub brands we need to consider.
- And many other factors
A new brand development with Soto Group on average ranges from $7,500 – $60,000.
When you have your discovery call with one of our team members we will talk about your budget, and your goals, and work out what can be achieved.
If you are looking to create a new brand but your budget does not fit into the range above, you should definitely still get in touch. We have relationships with a number of design partners and freelancers who may be able to support your budget.
