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\u201cYou can start with a catchy tagline but you can\u2019t stop there.\u201d Margie Agin helps B2B technology companies discover what makes them unique and find the words to say it. She is the founder and chief strategist of Centerboard Marketing, a DC-based marketing agency, and author of Brand Breakthrough: How to Go Beyond a Catchy Tagline to Build an Authentic, Influential and Sustainable Brand Personality. We discussed all of this and more on this week\u2019s On Brand podcast.\nAbout Margie Again\nAward-winning marketer Margie Agin helps B2B technology companies discover what makes them unique and find the words to say it. She is the founder and chief strategist of Centerboard Marketing, a marketing agency based in the Washington, DC area, and author of Brand Breakthrough: How to Go Beyond a Catchy Tagline to Build an Authentic, Influential and Sustainable Brand Personality.\nAs both an external strategist and an in-house marketing leader, Margie has helped companies in the cybersecurity, communications, EdTech, and software industries distill complex topics into content and campaigns that drive action. She has built and led teams through times of rapid change, launched and relaunched brands, and created sustainable marketing programs that prioritize the customer experience.\nBefore founding Centerboard Marketing, Margie led demand generation efforts for the education technology company Blackboard and digital marketing for video conferencing leaders Tandberg and Cisco. She also taught content marketing and web writing at Johns Hopkins University. Margie completed her undergraduate work at Tufts University and earned a Master\u2019s degree from American University.\nEpisode Highlights\n\u201cYou can start with a catchy tagline but you can\u2019t stop there.\u201d Just as we tend to fixate on logos, branding often gets boiled down to \u201ccoming up with a catchy tagline.\u201d Which, as Margie notes, is fine. Provided you build onto it with authenticity and sustainable systems.\n\u201cI\u2019ve seen a brand delivered to an organization from above,\u201d says Margie. \u201cThis often created a gap between the umbrella statement from on high to the boots-on-the-ground people who are actually building the brand.\u201d\nHow do you fill that gap? \u201cIt\u2019s getting everyone on the same page. You have to get people involved early\u2014including sales, customer service.\u201d You also need to provide these key individuals with tools.\nWhat\u2019s the secret to useful brand messaging and editorial guides? \u201cShow examples,\u201d Margie says. A document can say a brand should have a \u201cfriendly, open tone\u201d but that can be interpreted lots of different ways. \u201cThat way people don\u2019t have to start from scratch or guess.\u201d\nWhat brand has made Margie smile recently? Being a tech marketer, Margie pointed us to Thycotic, a software company that celebrates System Administrator\u2019s Day in a very unique way.\nTo learn more, go to the Centerboard Marketing website, check out Margie\u2019s book Brand Breakthrough, and get a free action guide.\n\xa0\nAs We Wrap \u2026\nDid you hear something you liked on this episode or another?\xa0Do you have a question you\u2019d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show.\nOn Brand is sponsored by my book\xa0Brand Now.\xa0Discover the seven dynamics to help your brand stand out in our crowded, distracted world.\xa0Order now and get special digital extras.\xa0Learn more.\n\n\nSubscribe to the podcast\xa0\u2013 You can subscribe to the show via\xa0Apple Podcasts,\xa0Spotify,\xa0Google Play,\xa0Stitcher,\xa0TuneIn, and\xa0RSS.\n\n\nRate and review the show\xa0\u2013 If you like what you\u2019re hearing, head over to\xa0Apple Podcasts\xa0and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And, if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast.\n\n\nOK. How do you rate and review a podcast?\xa0Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes?\xa0Check this out.\n\nUntil next week, I\u2019ll see you on the Internet!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices