We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Blake Dodge. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Blake below.
Alright, Blake thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
I think there are so many incredibly talented individuals who want to start their own agency to be their own boss and enjoy the many freedoms that come with that. I think the model that makes Brand Cru different is we are a one-stop shop. We will do the consult, the photography & videography, editing, marketing strategy, and analytics. This cuts out the middle man and allows us to offer lower-budget marketing plans for small businesses which have always been our main focus.
Blake , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Blake, a second-generation WSET wine educator, and adult fiction thriller author. Wife to a Frenchman from the Languedoc-Roussillon region, & mama to a beautiful bi-lingual three-year-old. I launched Brand Cru Company in March of 2021 after I had been laid off from my Sales & Marketing position at a Luxury hotel in California.
I had a friend, who was the manager of a wine club & tasting room asking me if I could help do some styled product shots for the company website. I had already spent years studying the wine industry so it felt very natural to try and bring the story behind the bottle out.
I offer full-service media and marketing to all small businesses but my main focus has always been to help bring wineries and cocktail crafters’ stories to life.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
There is a huge swing in marketing back to the original intent of social media platforms. Authenticity and sharing your story. People want to know the face behind the brand. Yes, it’s still important to create quality content and bring value to potential clients. but people don’t necessarily want the bells and whistles as much anymore. We just want to connect. If you’re a biz owner who has expertise, going on platforms with LIVE streaming capacities such as Instagram and TikTok. This allows your audience a little moment of your life in real-time and we are seeing the results of it.
Video is still seeing the biggest reach, in both short and long form depending on what you’re trying to push.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I’m in an industry that’s ever-changing and challenging me to change along with it. I love that there is always something new to learn, experiment with, or see flop because it makes the wins a little bit sweeter.
I love being able to bring ideas to life with my camera and make a client’s dream shine through it. It can be so frustrating, never knowing where a new client is going to come from. When you connect with like-minded creatives it is like finding long-lost friends. When I published my debut novel “The Chemist’s Daughter, I had such a huge support from individuals I had only met online through my business. There is so much untapped potential and beautifully creative ideas to pursue and I love the never-ending possibilities of it all.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.brandcrucompany.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.co/brandcru.co
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brandcruco
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blake-dodge-ravier-189358195/
- Other: www.blakedodgebooks.com