Elizabeth Kraus is the owner of Be InPulse branding, marketing and design and the author 365 Days of Marketing, Make Over Your Marketing and 12 Months of Marketing for Salon and Spa. She has a passion for promoting local, independently-owned businesses and prides herself on crafting creative solutions that can help them compete with businesses of any size.

Elizabeth says, "Everything is marketing. To build a strong business requires that you become aware that 'branding' (what a person believes to be true about you or your business) is occurring in the minds of your clients and prospects, each and every time they come into contact with you or with any aspect of your business.

"Since people's perceptions about your business (and you!) are established and reinforced (or disillusioned) at every touch point, it's vital for the business owner to think through the customer experience from beginning to end, from the first possible point of contact or exposure through the shopping trip, appointment or visit itself, to what will happen afterward.

"Developing a more holistic approach, analyzing and taking control of all of the many variables that might occur gives the business owner the opportunity to design a truly exceptional and exceptionally satisfying customer experience."