How I Developed A $12K/Month Branding And Marketing Agency
Ruben Alvarez has become the go-to expert for creating a brand. His main message is “Sales will bring you money, but the brand will bring you a legacy. When you create a brand, you give yourself freedom. You no longer need to worry about losing customers, pricing discounts, and other minimal issues.
The brand is not for you. It is for your business, your customers, and your employees. They need to see you win. A well put together brand will tell your story without you ever opening your mouth to speak. Customers will repeat the story for you and explain to others who you are and what you stand for. The brand is your all.
So great to meet you Ruben Alvarez! Please tell us a little about yourself and what business did you start?
I am the son of an immigrant. I grew up always wanting more because I saw others who had more than me. The reality is we are all humans, so if one human can have a great life, why can’t I?
It took nearly 30 years but I eventually started a Marketing Business which turned into a Branding Hub for Manufacturers and Business Coaches. We have had great success in helping others create a strong, clear brand in the marketplace. There is fear in starting your own business, but if you stick with it, everything works out.
What’s your backstory and how did you come up with the idea?
I worked in manufacturing for nearly a decade as a sales and marketing manager. Learning the craft of B2B sales and how to market to Distribution Partners, installers, and end-users.
Going through a process like that, you come to learn the psychology of what makes people buy, how to draw attention, and ultimately, that you need a great graphic designer to tell a strong message.
Even in war, banners are used to show people a long-lasting message that a voice cannot. We had all the pieces to start a business and help others, so we did.
Describe the process of launching the business.
You come up with an idea. You make a list of potential customers. You either have the money saved or you need to get some startup capital. If you need help creating the business through the legal process, pay someone else to do it.
The best money I spend is when I let people do a job I really don’t want to do. I never set up my own LLC. Too much stress I would do it wrong. I paid someone else to do it and until today have never had an issue.
That is what startup capital is for. Find the answers you need to succeed and if you don’t have them, pay to find them.
Since launch, what has worked to attract and retain customers?
Putting out content. Never speaking about my financial problems to anyone. Not to hide them, but rather it pesters people to know you are money hungry.
I will never force a sale or hard close, someone. The sale is always there. People who tell me no today will but from me in a few weeks or months.
It has not happened to me yet where I lose a sale completely and they use someone else other than me.
There are people who cannot afford my services. I do not consider those lost sales. Sometimes someone is not meant to be your customer. That is not a loss for you, rather an effective way to stop business that is not good for you or your business.
What is your main tactic when it comes to making more people aware of your brand and engaging your customers? How did your business stand out?
Creating content and putting out information. The more people see me and my business, the faster they will ask me to help them with something.
Obscurity is the ultimate killer of a business. People always think how can I run an extra ad that will get me in front of more people?
My thought process is “How can I get more people interested in what I am doing?
So I have a YouTube channel, a podcast, a business, a family, an Instagram presence, I do Facebook Lives, now I am on Clubhouse, and much more. Something is always happening and people are always looking in my direction.
How are you doing today and what does the future look like?
We had some hiccups during COVID; However, we adjusted, changed our processed and are now increasing greatly. In the last month, without outreach I have people asking me for our services and not batting an eye at the price.
When you are consistent, people notice. They see your quality of work and choose not to try and beat you down on price. You don’t get Rolls Royce’s on discount.
I do not want to be known for being cheap, I want to be known as the person who is effective and over-delivers on what you need.
Through starting the business, have you learned anything particularly helpful or advantageous?
Have faith in yourself and in your business. There are peaks and seasons in everyone’s business. It is far too easy to freak out one day and have the next day be your best sales day ever.
Keep the faith and be consistent. 10 years from not everyone will wonder how you did it.
Compound the amount of work you do daily. In 10 years, you’ll have done so much that success will be inevitable.
Look at your day-to-day sales but do not base everything off of that. Learn to see the bigger picture.
What platform/tools do you use for your business?
I use the basics. Most of my money invested is not in the tools that can put systems in place, but people who can do that for me or allow me more time to do it myself.
A platform is only as good as the person or team using it. Before looking to automate something, make sure that the person who will take advantage of it has time for it.
If I use Instagram or Clubhouse for business, do I have the system in place to allow me to be on it and then call the leads?
Set the foundation before building the house or it will eventually fall on its own.
What have been the most influential books, podcasts, or other resources?
It will really all depend on where in the stage of business or life someone is ask. If you need sales, read a Grant Cardone book. However, I think people really need to find out who they are first.
Without knowing your true core values, you cannot grow. The book The Alchemist was a great one for me because I always look for wisdom. This book is full of solid advice within stories and if you can dissect the lesson, you will become wiser in life to deal with people and success.
For anyone starting off, How to Win Friends and Influence People is a great introductory book.
Advice for other entrepreneurs who want to get started or are just starting?
Your primary focus, in the beginning, is sales. Get enough to keep the business going. After you have done that, shift all your focus on connections.
The first months are critical to keeping your doors open. The only thing that will do this is making sure you know enough people. Plant the seeds today so that in 1 – 12 months people come back to you.
Sometimes you’ll just need to send a message to someone that explains you know they do not need your service in that moment, but you are just telling them about it, in case they need you in the future.
Do today what will come back to you in the future.
Where can our readers keep up-to-date with you?
The easiest way for people to keep up with me is my website and funny enough, it is the easiest to remember because it is my name.
If they want to follow me on Instagram or Facebook it is @iamrubenalvarez
The last one will be for Apple users only, to really know what I am about and connect with me, follow me on clubhouse @rubenalvarez.
Much love, thank you.
