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Evaluate your visual branding with this quick project

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Grab a cup of egg nog, some masking tape, and a Sharpie. It’s about to get old-school in here.

It’s the end of the year, and you’re hopefully knee-deep in planning your budget and strategy for 2015. You’re evaluating how your 2014 plans went (fistbump).

Here’s one quick branding project that you can do in about 30 minutes, and will help you spot any weaknesses in your branding picture.

Step One – Make a List of Online Outposts

Compile a list of every place your business has a presence online. Include social networks (FB, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), review sites, your own web site.

Step Two – Fire up the Printer

Print at least the first page (anything above the fold) from each place on the list. If you send out corporate emails, print one of those too. If you placed any ads online, print them.

Step Three – Deck the Halls

Tape all of the items you printed on one wall. Tape up any pre-printed items too, if you have them. Include business cards, corporate brochure, direct mail pieces, a picture of your trade show booth, go nuts.

Step Four – Stand Back and Soak it In

As you step back from the wall, and sip some egg nog, what do you see? Is it a jumbled mess? What are the messages you’re sending? Are they the ones you want to send?

Step Five – Sharpie It Up

Use the Sharpie to circle and make notes where you see weaknesses. Do you need to add a cover image on LinkedIn (what, you haven’t done that yet?), do you have an outdated profile blurb on SlideShare, is your old logo showing up on that product’s Twitter page?

Step Six – Take Action

You can use the last week of the year to update and tweak these branding issues, consider hiring a branding expert to sort it out, or add action items to your 2015 plan.

You’ll be starting the next year with a crystal clear picture of your visual brand, and a plan to move forward!

Author’s Bio: Rosemary O’Neill is an insightful spirit who works for Social Strata — makers of the Hoop.la community platform. Check out the Social Strata blog. You can find Rosemary on Google+ and on Twitter as @rhogroupee

Building Your Brand By Building Guest Post Relationships

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By Diana Gomez

The internet is a great place to build a community. Take an aspiring musician, for example. If she performs for only 15 people at Open Mic Night at The Lazy Dog Café, that doesn’t mean she’s not being heard. Music fans get the latest news and tips on “what’s hot” by reading popular digital magazine sites and blogs. If she sends her latest mp3 to a few popular sites, and one posts a favorable review, her fan base increases. They “like” her Facebook page, and are now subscribers. It’s that simple.

laptop handshake

When it comes to building an audience for your brand, you’ve got to be proactive. While posting regularly on your own company’s blog and social media accounts is great for your established client base, how can you reach the broader audience of folks who are interested in what you have to say, but are not hearing you say it?

Guest blogging — simply put, posting on other sites’ blogs — is a great way to increase your brand’s visibility, readership, and client base. If you can establish yourself as a high quality guest poster, your relationships with blogs will flourish and you will see the results in your readership. Here’s how:

1. Create a pitch cache.

It’s always better to go to the grocery store on a full stomach. Otherwise, you might feel (and look) desperate. Before you start soliciting blogs, have a stock of several guest post pitches of a wide (but relevant) variety. Don’t feel constrained by the specificity of your brand; your reach is broader than you might think. If you are a florist, for example, you can generate pitches on a variety of subjects:

• How to keep your floral arrangement fresher, longer

• 5 underrated occasions to surprise her

• How to have a smooth hospital visit

• How to make a greeting card feel personal

2. Find blogs that fit like a glove.

If you build it, they won’t necessarily come. When it comes to guest blogging, actively seeking out an existing audience — say, vegan moms — is much better than convincing some general group of people to buy your organic baby toys.

To find relevant blogs, search for “[your specialty] blog” or, better yet, “[your specialty] guest post.” The latter will lead you to sites that have accepted guest posts in the past, which bodes well for your pitch.

If you use your imagination, the possibilities for blog searches may be endless. Beyond searching “organic baby toy guest post,” think about expanding to “eco-friendly guest post,” “day care guest post,” “aunt blog,” and on and on!

3. Choose blogs that have a posse.

Use a discerning eye when perusing blogs you are thinking about approaching. The big two to look closely at are:

a) Number of subscribers b) Number of commenters

If a blog has a low number of both, you may not get a lot of attention. If it has a high number of subscribers but few commenters, it’s hard to tell whether people are truly reading the posts or just have nothing to add to the conversation. If the blog has a high number of comments but few subscribers, this is an intimate but engaged audience.

Depending on what you’re going for, either of these scenarios could benefit you. Of course, a high number of both is ideal.

4. Approach with personality.

When you’ve found a blog that seems like a good fit, choose and specialize a few pitches to send over. Be sure that you’ve researched the site enough to know that they haven’t already written a post on your proposed topics.

When e-mailing or approaching the blogger through social media, writing in the tone of the blog is a great way to show your synchronicity. It is key that you make the approach feel personal and not a boilerplate that you are sending out en masse — guest blogging has been spam-tastic in the past, and bloggers are over it.

And remember, flattery will get you everywhere.

5. Post with quality and dignity.

So you’ve been invited to guest post! As you write the full (600 word+) article, continuously whisper this word out loud: quality. Never plagiarize yourself for multiple blogs. Remember, you are representing your company to a brand new audience: do it with style.

Don’t be tempted to hop on the Hyperlink Highway. Including links to your own site in the body of your post is too tacky for any blogs with credibility to consider. That being said, including a short bio at the end of your post is totally acceptable, and an ideal spotlight to reference your company, website, and expertise. This is how you increase your own traffic, so don’t forget it!

6. Foster your new relationship.

After you’ve had a guest post published on a blog, keep in close touch with the site.

Swapping guest posts, becoming a regular and reliable contributor, and collaborating with sites that aren’t in direct competition to your business will expand your visibility and credibility. Integrate your brand into a community of like-minded people, and growth is inevitable.

Author’s Bio: Diana Gomez is the Marketing Coordinator at Lyoness America, where she is instrumental in the implementation of internet marketing and social media strategies for USA and Canada. Lyoness is an international shopping community and loyalty rewards program, where businesses and consumers benefit with free membership and money back with every purchase.

It’s a Brand New, Brand YOU, Visual World

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By Paul Biedermann, re:DESIGN

It’s a visual world and images touch us in a direct, visceral way unlike text can alone. They make us happy, they make us laugh, they make us inspired — they can also make us deeply sad — all in just a fleeting glance.

one red strawberry

Recent neurological studies prove through brain imaging how we respond to visuals unlike any other media: we pay attention to them, we believe them, and we remember them. Powerful stuff!

Now, take a look at today’s media landscape and the busy, distracted, hyperactive world we find ourselves in.

What are the three things you — as a company, businessperson, or job seeker — need to do most? Get noticed, communicate your value and make a positive impression that is remembered, right?

Visuals to the rescue. And they show up great on our smartphones too, where so many of us now spend our time online.

Use the power of the visual

A strong visual presence that clearly demonstrates who you are and what you want puts you head and shoulders above the rest — you know, all those websites and social media profiles you click through, not to mention the mountains of faceless resumés that recruiters know so well. But take note of the word “strong” — a weak visual image won’t cut it. There is lots of amateurish visual noise vying for attention too, so the key is rising above that. Joining the tide of mediocrity won’t cut it.

Now is the time to use the power of the visual — and not just to be seen, but understood and remembered too. There’s no doubt that a smart visual strategy will help give you the competitive advantage you seek.

A well-designed visual presentation brings clarity to who you are and what you do. This is so important in a time when you are fortunate if someone takes even a few seconds to decide yay or nay, assuming you have attracted their attention in the first place.

Sharpen your visual strategy

Once you have defined the core essence of your business and message, you should then tailor your communications and online presence in a simple, visually unique way for maximum impact. No matter how qualified you might be otherwise, creating the right visual appeal will not only help you land new business or that new job, but land the right kind of business and the right job for which you are best suited and that brings you the most personal satisfaction.

Companies and marketers have long known that brands with the sharpest sales pitches and the most dynamic visual presentations differentiate themselves from the competition and sell the most product (all else being equal, of course). Similarly, solopreneurs and job seekers who brand and market themselves — defining their own unique “story” and then pairing that with a smart visual strategy — win the day.
 
In today’s competitive environment, it’s all about brand “you.” Sounds a little strange, I know. But much like your favorite brands that you reach for every day, now is the time to package yourself so you leap right off those shelves of relative sameness — you now have your own shoppers to entice!

Applying traditional branding principles to ourselves is a relatively new concept, but it does not mean being disingenuous in any way — far from it. It is about taking all you are and polishing that so you present the best version of yourself, and making sure the focus is where it belongs. Merging your core message with the right visual strategy does nothing to change the essence of who you are, it simply improves the odds that people will get to know the real you and take the action you seek.

As the saying goes, you only have one chance to make a first impression — so creating the right visual impression speaks volumes. Just as we know quality when we see it, people recognize that you are a quality business or person if that is the impression you give them and you have the goods to back it up. Much like putting on your best suit for an interview, smart communications and a good looking visual image work the same way, especially when you can’t be there yourself.

Be consistent

One final, critical ingredient — be consistent. In order to make an impression that is noticed and remembered, that same message needs to be continually driven home, clearly and succinctly. This means tying both your online and offline communications together so you present one unified image, no matter where they may be seen. Mismatched communications that don’t hang together create a confused, disorganized, unprofessional message. Mixed signals fracture your image rather than enhancing and reinforcing it.

A laser-sharp, visually-powerful brand is the single most important step you can take to reach, excite and inspire people to take action — and hire brand “you.”

Author’s Bio: Paul Biedermann is the Creative Director/Owner of re:DESIGN, a small design agency specializing in Strategic Design, Brand Identity, and Visual Content Marketing — intersecting smart design with business strategies that reach, engage, and inspire people to action. Blending traditional and leading-edge media tactics. Paul consistently delivers integrated, award-winning results for his clients. Connect with him on Google+ or Twitter.

Photo credit: MorgueFile

Life Lessons in Branding from Five Female Celebs

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By Diana Gomez

We’ve all heard the saying that there’s no such thing as bad publicity, but is it possible to go too far?

With information spreading farther and faster than ever, it can take just a few moments to tarnish a reputation, something countless celebrities have proven possible.

Here are five lessons we can learn from spotlight-seekers — and how to apply them to your own business.

artistic Marilyn Monroe face

Miley Cyrus: From Hannah Montana to Wrecking Ball

The baby-faced daughter of country star Billy Ray Cyrus won over our hearts as a Disney Channel star, but quickly grew into a magnet for scandal by getting high on camera, posing nude and engaging in X-rated antics onstage. While the star has alienated her loyal young fans and enraged protective parents, she’s whole-heartedly embraced her risky new image as a pop provocateur — going so far as orchestrating a fake storm of controversy surrounding her Bangerz tour.

Miley got the attention she wanted, but many fans have been left scratching their heads about what exactly she’s doing. Is she a marketing genius or just a hot mess? Either way, she’s standing on shaky ground.

Lesson learned: If you change your company’s image in a wholesale way, do it after careful consideration and full awareness of former customers you may alienate in favor of attracting new ones.

Sinead O’Connor: If you don’t have anything nice to say…

After being cited as an inspiration for Miley’s racy “Wrecking Ball” video, Irish singer Sinead O’Connor shot back with a series of open letters expressing her disapproval of the pop star’s actions. “You have enough talent that you don’t need to let the music business make a prostitute of you,” Sinead wrote in one letter. Miley responded by reposting a series of tweets Sinead had written two years earlier when she was seeking psychiatric help. Sinead followed up by demanding an apology and threatening Miley with legal action if she didn’t take down the tweets, saying she’d been subjected to media bullying.

This wasn’t Sinead’s first time in the hot seat. Most memorably, the buzz-cutted singer drew scorn for ripping up a photograph of the pope on Saturday Night Live in 1992. Her career fizzled out soon afterward, and her only headline appearances revolved around her personal life — most notably, a suicide attempt and a custody battle.

Lesson learned: Don’t start hurling criticisms unless you’re prepared to receive a few of your own.

Gwyneth Paltrow: Is honesty always the best policy?

When Gwyneth and her rock star hubby Chris Martin decided to separate, there was nothing quiet about it: The actress announced the split via her popular blog, GOOP. Gwyneth painted the divorce as a “conscious uncoupling,” then proceeded to explain their decision as a new, more progressive way of being in relationships. She may have been attempting to control the spin on the separation, but many people responded negatively, taking it as an example of how out-of-touch Gwyneth is.

Lesson learned: Tell the truth in times of crisis, but keep it simple. Spinning the story and adding details can dig your company into a hole.

Martha Stewart: Moving on

The world was shocked when domestic diva Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison after lying to investigators about selling stocks. Ten years later, Martha’s media empire is still going strong — so strong, in fact, that it’s easy to forget about her prison stint altogether. Her magazines, books, TV shows and product lines are thriving. And while many doubted her ability to bounce back, Martha always knew she would.

“I was very confident,” she said in a rare interview with Matt Lauer last year. “When you know inside that you’re good, that you’ve done well, and that you are an honest person, you know you can live through disaster.”

Rather than focusing on the negative, Martha chose to remain confident and carry on with business as usual as soon as she’d served her term. And that approach has certainly worked out in her favor.

Lesson learned: If you suffer a setback, take the fall with grace and style, and your rebound will be that much easier.

Taylor Swift: The power of loyalty

Taylor Swift’s country-pop tunes dominate the airwaves, and it’s not just because they’re so darn catchy. The young star is frequently lauded as a marketing maven. For one, her ability to understand and cater to her massive fan base represents a valuable lesson in contact marketing.

And that connection with her fans is a huge part of her success.

Taylor is known for tracking down her most passionate followers and rewarding them with memorable experiences, and she’s extremely active on social media. When Taylor asks her army of fans to call in to radio stations and politely request her songs, you can bet that DJs across America are immediately bombarded.

Lesson learned: Know your audience, give them what they want and never take them for granted.

What other celebrities have stories with lessons that businesses can learn from?

Author’s Bio: Diana Gomez is the Marketing Coordinator at Lyoness America, where she is instrumental in the implementation of marketing and social media strategies for USA and Canada. Lyoness is an international shopping community and loyalty rewards program, where businesses and consumers benefit with free membership and money back with every purchase. Check out Lyoness on Twitter.

Photo Credit: kaneda99 via Compfight cc

Why You Shouldn’t Put Your Title on a Business Card

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(Updated in 2020)

By Rob Young

If you’ve sought help to create the perfect business card you’ve probably found many people insist that you include your title on it. While including your title on a business card has its uses, in some cases it does more harm than good. Whether you’re the founder of a startup or an employee in an international company, these are a few reasons you might consider removing the title from your business card.

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It can make you complacent

Printing your title on your business cards after you’ve just launched your start up might make you feel important, but it could be counter-productive. While it can inspire some people to take bold decisions and work night and day to ensure their business is a success, more commonly this false sense of importance clouds judgement and contributes to a false sense of achievement that leaves you vulnerable to complacency.

Leaving the title off your business card is a great (and free) way to remind yourself that you still have plenty to achieve — who knew that getting rid of a title could provide so much motivation?

You can appear egotistical or delusional

If you you’ve given yourself a fancy sounding title in the hopes of impressing potential clients, business partners or even your employees, be prepared for the opposite, especially if you appear young and inexperienced. At best people could think that you have an inflated ego, which might put people off from working with you. Worse still, you might just come across as delusional, with an unrealistic and immature approach to business.

It limits you

A job title is meant to give people an idea of what you do, but sometimes it can unintentionally give them a false impression of what you don’t do and if someone thinks you’re incapable of doing something and chooses not to pursue a relationship with you your business card might as well have been a blank piece of paper. Leave the job title off your business card and you give yourself the flexibility to adapt your responsibilities and abilities to the individual situation. And remember, as long as you have a pen handy, you can always add information to a business card.

Going incognito has its benefits

You might imagine that it’s always best to introduce yourself as the boss, but if you’ve ever seen Undercover Boss you’ll understand the value of being able to assume a different role. Whether it’s trying to leverage a better deal with a supplier or find out what other people really think of your company, the ability to be a chameleon in business comes with many benefits.

It’s a conversation starter

Maintaining a little bit of mystery is a great way to pique someone’s interest. Remove your job title from your business card and you’’ll find that people will start asking what exactly it is you do. This is a great opportunity to really sell yourself and the business you represent, you don’t have to reply with just your job title. Just bear in mind that removing all your details from your business card will only make you look foolish and incompetent.

It looks elegant, bold and chic

It’’s universally accepted that your business card shouldn’t be overloaded with information. Being ruthless and leaving out unnecessary details is a straightforward way to make an impact with your business card. Think your title is a necessary detail? Think again. Your email address or contact telephone number is essential, your title is an extra.

To avoid politics and resentment

Titles could lead to resentment and jealousy in a company. You could say that such employees shouldn’t be appeased by leaving job titles off business cards, but if something so simple could lead to a more productive company culture shouldn’t it at least be considered, especially when there are so many other reasons to ditch titles?
Do you really need that title?

Of course there are plenty of valid reasons to include your title on a business card, if you’re dealing with businesspeople with inflated egos, for example, they might consider titles important enough that they only want to deal with people they believe to be on their level. What’s important is that you don’t assume your job title should automatically be on your business card. Instead weigh up the pros and cons and do what’s best for your business or career.

Author’s Bio: Rob Young is Head of Online Marketing at business card printers MOO. He likes to share his knowledge and experience on a number of topics including networking and design.

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