Meet Dominique Hart Founder & CEO, Chief Visual Branding Strategist at Dynamik Endeavors
Where do you reside currently?
Suburbs of New York City
What do you do?
Visual Branding and Web Development. Dominique Hart is an International Visual Branding Strategist, Dynamic Speaker, Serial Entrepreneur, CEO and founder of Dynamik Endeavors, and six-figure Real Estate Investor — all by the age of 30. She empowers businesses and organizations to discover their visual identity, resonate with the people that need them, and convey their unique voice through the power of design.
What is your top personal value?
The vision/idea that you have was NEVER given to you as a mistake. It's up to YOU to steward that vision to success and impact the WORLD. What makes you valuable isn't your ability. You need to be MORE than good at what you do. You need to be DYNAMIK. Often visual branding can be an afterthought with beginning entrepreneurs. Never skimp on quality when it comes to your visual brand. It's the first impression that your audience has of what you do and what you represent. Make it count. Make it DYNAMIK.
What do you do when you aren't working?
My go-to place when I'm not working is a dance studio. I've been dancing since I was 3 and it gives me so much joy. Apart from this, I also love traveling and I visited a lot of places that's memorable and dear to me.
What makes you unique?
I think what makes me unique is that I'm an over-achiever. At the age of 30, I accomplished things and achieved a lot of milestones. I'm not afraid to take risks and grab every opportunity that comes my way.
What do you love about what you do and how do you help others?
The very fiber of Dynamik Endeavors aims to build a platform where we become a premier source for Dynamic creative quality with a compelling vision for every creative entrepreneur. We provide such vision through various creative services, innovations, and education. We execute these goals one strategy at a time to ultimately build a complete experience no matter how big or small our client's endeavor may be. No vision is ever too small. It may very well be the stepping-stone to something greater.
What is the number one goal you are trying to achieve in your professional life?
It has always been my goal to be able to speak internationally and be known as one of the young entrepreneurs who made their way to the top. I want to inspire people not only from my country but all throughout the world.
What is the definition of the word Brand?
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word “Brand” is best defined as "a public image, reputation, or identity conceived of as something to be marketed or promoted". But I define the word "Brand" as your unique and "Dynamik" (pronounced "Dynamic") mark on the WORLD. It's how your audience and the greater market identify the special way you serve them and the communities they live in. The best part about it, and if done well, it's all according to YOUR design.
What is brand awareness and why is it important to the brand story?
From a tactical and practical point of view, brand awareness is the introduction, or first steps, as to how you engage your target audience in commerce. You can also think of it as the way you begin a conversation in real life. You begin with "Hello, my name is..." or something of the like. In the world of brand awareness, this can be equivalent to actions like advertising, vending at public events, sponsorships, etc. To become an effective and memorable brand, your audience needs to know that your business is going to be a true solution to what is ailing them the most at that time. For a personal brand, your audience needs to know that they can identify themselves in, or connect to, your story. This way, when it comes to making a sale, or extending your offer, to help them overcome whatever they are having an issue with, it becomes a natural and easy action for your target audience to move forward with you or purchase your product.
Which platforms must a brand have in their digital footprint?
Typically someone may expect the best answer to be a list of platforms that every brand should have. But the honest truth is, brands should have platforms in their digital footprint that best reaches THEIR target audience. These platform choices should dually satisfy THEIR mission as a brand in that current marketing/brand awareness effort, as well. The platforms chosen in this digital mix shouldn't necessarily be based on what's most popular or most recommended. What is for one is not always for all. With that being said, when making this important decision in digital media, brands should choose platforms that best allow them to reach their audience in key areas of digital communication including email, text message (if/when applicable), phone/audio experiences, virtual and social media platforms (again, applicable platforms only - not just what's popular).
What one thing must you do on Social Media when telling a brand story?
You must absolutely KNOW your target audience and how they best enjoy receiving the message you have to share. They don't need yet another brand ONLY shouting "BUY ME" from the rooftops. They want to know "how can you best help me with this issue I am having and are you fit for the job?" This goes for if you have a product OR service. The rules are essentially the same. Essentially, to be successful on social media you first must establish what your brand story ACTUALLY is. If you don't KNOW who you are, how can you convince someone that your service or your product is exactly what they need? How will you be able to connect with them and show them that you are the best person/brand to be their solution?
This is important and I wish more entrepreneurs and business owners knew this when embarking on social media. It will save them more money and less pain in the end as they navigate social media for their businesses overall. Once you've defined your brand story and understand how to share it fluently, you then want to make sure that you choose your social platforms STRATEGICALLY.
I regularly share this with clients and my audiences alike because when you get on social media platforms that are most popular and do not consider where your brand will THRIVE, that is also where social media burnout and major budget loss happen all the time. Give your brand the stage it deserves to SHINE and reach the right audience for what you do and/offer. Starting with these two keys on social media will prepare your brand for the growth it deserves. Prepare for progress and profit. Now...play the long game on social media and win for years on end!
What is your favourite platform to tell a brand story and why?
My favorite platform to create and tell a brand story used to be a periscope. But due to its end, I would say it has now become Instagram. Not necessarily for its actual live component (although it has its obvious benefits). But mainly because of the ability to save each "live" for additional consumption by my audience and individuals seeking out our services and expertise as a personal brand and then naturally,
My agency, Dynamik Endeavors. Although I appreciate each social media platform for what it offers the digital space, I enjoy platforms with a live stream component for telling my brand story(ies). Clubhouse would be a VERY close second for me, due to the ability to connect with various communities via audio conversation. I find that my audience best identifies with me, and what we do in my agency, Dynamik Endeavors, where they can ask questions and interact with me live. It's because of live streaming that my audience has grown internationally, as well as nationally in the US. As a result of such live streaming and live audio efforts, I've been able to see an increase in attendance and sales for our workshops, virtual summits, services, podcast requests, and more. Plus, I didn't HAVE to leave my front door to do it. Live streaming is just a win-win all around.
What is a common mistake you see brands making in the brand awareness part of their story?
There's a long list of them. But one of the most common mistakes I find brands making, especially small businesses and enterprises, is assuming that everyone needs what they have to sell, and that's just not true. They often see the large corporate brands' mass marketing and mass advertising in major arenas online and offline and feel that they should do the same to reach the same mass of buyers. Big mistake! It is important that you examine your brand thoroughly and then STRATEGICALLY decide what platforms, partnerships, and mediums will be a great fit to share your brand story. All marketing avenues are not equal when it comes to your strategic brand goals. Therefore, the decision on what platform to choose must not be taken lightly (especially when ad budgets and expenses are involved).
Which brand gets the brand awareness part right?
As far as personal brands are concerned, I believe Gary Vaynerchuk still does an amazing job, even after all of the years his efforts have succeeded, when it comes to getting brand awareness right. He makes a clear effort to dominate whatever platform he strategically chooses on social media and on streaming platforms in a way that his preferred/target audience, and those who come across him, are able to IMMEDIATELY identify with him and his message for the progression of their own business endeavors or roadblocks. He understands that the power behind it all is his story, his core message, and his focus on content creation to get his message to those who need it the most. As a result, his sales, exposure, and business ventures have reaped the benefits many times over. Furthermore, I've had the pleasure to meet Gary in person on a couple of occasions and I can honestly attest to the fact that he is exactly who he is in person, as he is online. It is because of star examples like Gary, that it remains true that authenticity is a secret key in brand awareness, as it allows your audience to connect with your brand on a deeper level than simply on sales alone. Anyone can purchase a product or service. But will they come back from more for years? If that answer is no or not yet, then it's your indicator that a deeper brand conversation needs to be had and established.
What her website says
Dynamik Endeavors, pronounced "dynamic", is a boutique design agency that transforms brands to achieve accelerated profits and a “Dynamik” presence.
The very fiber of Dynamik Endeavors aims to build a platform where we become a premier source for Dynamic creative quality with compelling vision for every creative entrepreneur. We provide such vision through various creative services, innovations and education. We execute these goals one strategy at a time to ultimately build a complete experience no matter how big or small our client's endeavor may be. No vision is ever too small. It may very well be the stepping-stone to something greater.
What makes us #TrulyDynamik is that not only do we carry out various relative solutions for our clients, but we also educate them through the process as well. For this reason does Dynamic Endeavors plan on building in an online education platform for our clients, customers and prospects. We believe that when we learn more about the creative process, that we gain more leverage to take our endeavors to new heights. This way through creative service and education, our clients get a complete service by coming to us. Not to mention our ideas aren't half bad either.
There is a plethora of creative professionals and small business owners, who not only need our service and dynamic brain power, but they need a go-to company that they can count on to expand their creative endeavors and educate them in the process, via a willingness to learn, as well. It's one thing to provide creative services and call it a day. But it's a complete separate endeavor when you encounter a company that is willing to teach, coach and elevate you in the process. Now that's no easy feat, but that's what we're built for. To be #TrulyDynamik.
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