The world of online marketing is big business, and thousands of companies advertise every day in hopes of grabbing – and keeping – the attention of customers. In such a competitive environment, Yan Katcharovski and Muhammed Ahmed, co-founders of Katch Media Group, a Toronto based creative and digital agency, are using a unique approach to differentiate themselves from their own competitors and bring more business to their clients.
“Telling a story and forming a relationship between a business and its customers is crucial,” Yan explains. “For Katch Marketing, empathy is how we make that happen.”
That may seem like an odd word for such an industry, but Yan insists it works. “Think about how mercenary the marketing world is. It’s all about dollars and not enough about the clients’ needs or stories. How can you help your clients if you take a cookie cutter approach? We don’t believe in doing that. Instead, we really listen to what our clients are trying to accomplish and then use storytelling to create relationships between our clients and their own.”
Yan has seen the results of such an approach. “By focusing on what our clients need, flipping our perspectives, and immersing ourselves in the brand and culture, ultimately we create a meaningful story that the client then communicates to the world. This builds a relationship between the client and their customers, and this translates into long-term profits and stability. As an added plus, consumers do not feel they are being pitched to.”
All of this is created through a mix of digital marketing, including social media, SEO, lead generation campaigns, content production, website and design, and public relations. It’s a combination that has led to success for the company.
Before Katch Media there was Procally Inc., Yan and Muhammed’s first joint startup. Procally was a tech SaaS which received a valuation of $7 million. After this success, the pair founded Katch Media; since then, the company’s highlights have included launching a six-figure e-commerce product and building a seven-figure crypto-mining project in Quebec.
Yan believes you should never be complacent. What works now will not work always. “When you have customers irritated by a company’s ads, you know there’s a problem. Marketing should never annoy customers. What’s the point of that? Part of the reason it has happened is because of the cutthroat business climate out there. Profits must never be more important than humans, morals, and values. At Katch Media, we focus on what the customers really need has been a winning approach for the company.”
To deliver a story-based marketing campaign, one that is empathetic and authentic, the company focuses on these elements:
- Casual rather than suit and tie appearance
- Marketing reality: live videos and behind the scenes
- More humans, more niche, and more unique personalities instead of “cookie cutter”
- More content, less fluff. Katch Media believes consumers are getting increasingly proficient at identifying when they are being sold to, and nobody likes being sold to. Katch Media focuses on marketing that is informational and educational.
“On top of this, we’ve got awesome employees. Truly, they are all superstars.That’s why I like Katch Media: our employees work together flawlessly, meaning that our business practically runs itself. To me, that’s a homerun. When I come to work in the morning, I know I can trust my employees to get the job done right the first time.”
Like any entrepreneur, Yan thinks about the future a lot. “I aspire to have a tight-knit tribe of business owners, high achievers, entrepreneurs, and visionaries who share a common vision of humanizing the status quo. As for what I want to do with my own life away from work, I’d like to speak in public more and even talk about my own philosophies. I’ve even dreamed of writing a book. Anything is possible.”
For those who would like some wisdom about entrepreneurship, Yan is willing to pass on what he has learned. “Entrepreneurship is no joke, but the right mindset will get you through the hard days. I fully believe that by linking the feeling of success to seeing improvement in how my business has developed, rather than judging the end result, we’re strong today. I recommend that an entrepreneur not be afraid to change business plans and pivot quickly. You must plan where you want to go but not be married to it. Being mentally flexible and able to shift on a moment’s notice will take you a long way.”
He recommends that any new entrepreneur decide early if quitting is an option because the tough days will come. “You’ll want to quit, but you can’t let yourself do it. Remember why you got into this in the first place: a higher cause. See the beauty of the world, especially how you are contributing to other people. That will get you through to the next good time that comes.”
Ultimately, Yan gets up excited every morning because he knows he’s got a new chance to make a difference through Katch Media. “I aspire to help others going through the same. I know it’s possible, especially now with infinite access to free knowledge. I hope to be this source of knowledge for those hungry for more. Then I will know I really have helped other people improve their lives. No matter how successful Katch Media is or how many dollars come through our doors, it’s really in the end all about the people.”
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