Do You Feel Like You Have To Explain Too Much When You Talk About Your Business?

While networking or meeting other business owners such as yourself, have you ever encountered someone with a tendency to explain themselves too much? Perhaps you asked this person what do they do and the first thing that comes out of their mouth is: "It's really hard to explain but let me try," followed by a long and detailed story you somehow get lost in. Or, perhaps that person we are talking about is you. If that's the case, don't worry you are not alone, we have all done that at one point or another.In our lives we have all had the unpleasant experience of being misunderstood, being placed into a box we don't belong or being judged for something we have nothing to do with. That can be very frustrating. Seriously, if someone is to accuse us of something, wouldn't it be fare to at least get their facts straight first before jumping into any conclusion? So what do we do? We try to explain to make it more clear.If you are a recent entrepreneur or if you are in the process of changing the direction in your business, this can be a very sensitive subject. In your desperate attempts to make sure people understand you correctly, you use long explanations to get your point across.


Unfortunately what people usually hear is the frustration in your voice. It is very important to realize that people tune out when they hear long explanations. No one likes to be lectured. Yet, most people are too polite to interrupt someone who is passionately talking about something. So they nod with a smile while listening. Chances are, at some point they have probably lost you and can't hear you anyway.Perhaps not to such a dramatic extent, but I bet your message could be a lot shorter and simpler. When it comes to marketing messages, the rule of thumb is: less is more. Try to find a way to describe what you do in one short sentence. That would be a great challenge to start with. Ideally, your message should be no longer than twenty seconds.Remember, if your message speaks to them, or if what you do directly answers their need or the need of someone else they know, they will want to hear more. And that's when you can start explaining. But if they are not your potential clients, you are wasting your time and energy with your long explanation anyway.

3 Key Elements That Define an Effective Label Design

Knowing the key elements that define an effective label design is extremely crucial. Simply getting templates or cheap designing software will not help you to avoid the problems in label design. The role of a label designer holds paramount importance, especially in the condition where the specifications of the label need to be matched with certain standards. The designer is well aware of the finer nuances of an effective label design which will help you to achieve your marketing goals in the best manner possible. Here are the 3 most crucial elements that define an effective label design.Spacing of the Label:While it is true that the name of the product always stays in the limelight, the label is the one which provides crucial product information and is usually placed alongside the brand name. Even if your product has one distinguishing feature, make sure that you mention it in the label. The brand name does not justify the use of the largest typeface. You can always highlight it with the use of contrasting colours. The way that our vision perceives the information on the label largely depends upon the orientation of the label itself.For horizontal orientations, the sight is drawn towards the top right hand corner. For vertical orientations, the sight is drawn to the top section. This is one of the reason why the information presented in the centre of the label is made bold so that the vision falls upon it. It is important that every space be utilized optimally. When you have limited space, you need to use colour, shades and lights to your advantage for optimizing the information which needs to be given priority. Hence, it is important to understand the basic mechanism of label design in keeping with the available space.Precision of the Label Design:The key to an effective label design lies in the way things are presented. Simply emphasizing the logo will not help you to achieve the desired impact. There needs to be a valid and well thought intent behind it. The golden rule for ensuring design effectiveness is to make everything as specific as possible and every aspect needs to be deliberate. It is not suggested that things be left to chance. You can always check out any successful label. Each and every one of them will have a properly planned structure with well thought of designs. This is the level of precision that needs to be abided for the design process.


The size of the typography used in the design is an important element that is often misused. While they may be no definite way to describe which approach would work best for the label, there is always the possibility of analysing the effectiveness of existing labels that have been successful in the market. A good example to understand the possible confusion created in this would be the decipherability of content. It is possible that lack of appropriate decipherability could deter users from getting interested in the label, this very flaw at times becomes the very subject of interest. People get curious and it is this curiosity that pushes them to find out the information hidden in the fine prints. The best way to approach this dilemma is to have faith in your artistic insights before moving ahead with your plans.Colour Theme of the Label:Colours need to be used rather wisely as using similar colours as the content of the product could render the label as faded and ineffective. The entire concept behind using colour themes and various combinations is to make the label appear bright, appealing and interesting at the least. You have a finite window to get the attention of the customer as there would be several other similar products lying there. Not being able to get the attention of the customer is a big problem, especially considering the design's role in the marketing of the respective product. You can be as cheesy, innovative, humorous or straightforward as possible as long as you prevent the label from becoming rather boring.Conclusion:Whenever you try to come up with an effective design for your label, make sure that you undertake a lot of planning and scrutinize every aspect right down to the smallest detail. It would be beneficial to make the label stand out amongst the competition by making it interesting. After all, the aim behind all these efforts is to ensure that your product sells. So, put on your thinking caps and come up with out-of-the-box solutions.

Managing Your Personal Brand

Managing your personal brand is important for the success of your business. Your audience will want to know the person that they are doing business with. If they don't feel a connection, then they may move to a competitor. Here are some tips to help with your personal brand:1. Be seen as a leader in your field- Being seen as a leader is a way to stand out from others in your industry. It will also guarantee more success for you and your business. Therefore, you should never stop researching, or studying the new trends in your industry.2. Market your personality- Your personality makes you unique. Marketing your personality can draw clients to you, because they feel as if they know you. They will also feel connected to you, because they know the person behind the brand.3. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate - How will your audience know you if you don't communicate with them? Most people don't jump into a relationship with someone without talking to them first. If you want to make a connection with your audience, they will have to get to know you first. Blog, write articles, podcast, or be active on Social Media. The goal is to build a relationship.4. Stay true to your brand identity- Your brand identity is what attracted your customers to you. Do not lose sight of that. If you go in a completely different direction than what made you successful, you can lose the clients that has been loyal to you. Yes, as times change, it's okay to make necessary changes to your image, however, it's crucial to stay within your brand identity.


5. Make the first impression count- When your visitor comes to your website or Social Media profile for the first time, they have to feel a connected. If they don't, then they may go to a competitor. This is why your brand have to be solid. Make sure your website, content, and social media profiles speak directly to your target market.6. Have a non-boring About Us page- Make sure that your About Us page stands out. Include a photo of yourself, so your visitors will know who they are considering doing business with. Also, use words that your target audience can relate to. Having an effective About Us page will personalize your website, and can create a stronger connection with your audience.Personal branding is critical for the success of any entrepreneur. Your audience want to see more than a business. They want to know who they are connecting with. Therefore, it's crucial to make good impressions with your target audience. Typically, people in your website, won't stay on your website very good. If you have trouble with your brand, consider hiring a Publicity Virtual Assistant.

4 Tips For Personal Branding

Creating a personal brand is important, especially in your personal life, to help move you into the next level of your career or when looking for a new career path. But, what exactly is a personal brand? A personal brand is who you are. The trick is to portray who you are to those who make the decision to hire you, to promote you, or to even give you a chance.Have a Plan
That's right, create a plan as to how you are going to build your brand. Write out an actual plan as to how you are going to promote you.First, define who your audience is - who needs to know who you are? It is potential employers? Maybe you are in business for yourself, so it may be customers. Whomever the audience is, create a plan to speak to that audience, to define who you are to that audience, in a way they will understand. After all, teenage customers have a much different language than CEO's or accountants.Second, be sure they know what you can do for them - let's face it, everyone is in it for themselves... how does this benefit me? What do I get out of it? How can they help me? Be sure they know what you can offer to them.Create the Content
Now that you understand who you are talking to them and what direction you want to go in, you need to create the content. Whether the content is going on your social media sites, a personal blog (like mine), or on your resume, the creation of the content people will see and read will help brand you. Ensure the content reflects who you are as well. If you are extremely creative and crafty, let those aspects shine through. Ask for help from a professional if this isn't your strong suite. There's no shame in getting some professional assistance to help you create content that brands you in the best way possible.


While developing content for your professional life, ensure you are cleaning up (and keeping clean) your social networking site(s) content. These reflect your personal brand as well.Develop Strong Relationships
Whether you are good at it or not, working to develop strong relationships can be challenging. The type of people you associate with (especially professionally) help define your brand as others see those relationships, especially if they are relationships on your social media sites. It takes some work, but will be worth it to create lasting and health relationships - not only will you feel good about yourself and develop self-confidence about you and your brand, but you'll also develop networking contacts that can help you in the future.Developing relationships online and in-person are both just as important as the other one. Combining both types of relationships and networks will increase your brand, your network of valuable relationships, and your influence on others.Keep Updating
There isn't an 'end' to your brand. Once you've created the content and developed the relationships, keep going and keep updating. If you develop new strengths through education or experience, definitely add them to your brand. If you have something new to offer your customers or potential employer, let them know (through your branding, of course). Your brand will and absolutely should grow as you grow.Never stop branding yourself!

Blogging for Your Brand

Having a quality blog is one of the best tools for building your brand; this is the voice of your organization. Blogging can help establish credibility and can give your target audience a reason to connect with you. Unfortunately, many businesses are neglecting their blog. Some fail to blog consistently, due to fears of blogging incorrectly. Here are some tips to help:1. Remember Your Blog is about Your Audience, Not You. A mistake that many organizations make is only blogging about the company. Yes, your clients may be interested in what's new with the organization; however they also want to benefit from reading your blog. Write about something that is valuable to your audience. What can help them and their business?2. Be Consistent. For best results, you should blog at least once a week. Having an editorial calendar will help with consistency. If you are not consistent with your blog, your target audience may forget about you. Also, updating your blog regularly will boost your search engine ranking. This will give your audience a reason to visit your website, and connect with you.3. Be Informal. Many organizations have a formal blog, where they use language that their audience cannot relate to. Being causal will make your audience feel more connected to you and your business.


4. Encourage Readers to Comment on your Blog. A great way to build relationships with your readers is to encourage them to comment. Ask a question at the end of your blog. You'll be amazed by the results.5. Write about News and Trends in your Industry. Do you want your target audience to see you as someone who knows what's going on in your industry? A great way to be seen as an informed professional is to write about news and the latest trends.6. Share with your Social Media Followers- If you have written a valuable blog that will be helpful to your social media followers, share it with them. Let them see that you are an expert, and they can come to you for help.7. Make sure your Content is Relevant to your Brand. Everything that you publish has to support your brand. Having a solid image, is crucial for the success of your business. You want your audience to know that they can come to you first, instead of a competitor.Blogging can help you build the brand that your company desires. However, it has to be done correctly. You are what you publish; a quality blog can improve your image tremendously. If you need assistance, consider hiring a Publicity Virtual Assistant.

Brand Equity - Your 911 Emergency Plan

It's that time of the year again, where usually, a lot of small business CEO's and entrepreneurs are looking at the revenue goals they set way back in January to what is actually happening now.And then, create a 911-emergency-plan to actually make that revenue goal happen before New Years Eve.This in my opinion, is precisely why a lot of businesses fail within 5 years or less of conception. I don't want this to happen to you ever again.So, I'm going to talk to you about Brand Equity, because like I insinuated, I'm not here to entertain you until your business is no longer in operation. Nope. Not on my watch. So, let's get to it.Brand equity is a marketing term used to refer to the marketing impact of a given product or service in association with a brand name. It tries to examine how a given product or service will perform in the market if it did not have the privilege of that brand name.Therefore, the basis for equity and its impact on a business is based on the knowledge of the customer about that product or service. And yet, brand plays a vital role in helping build that knowledge and awareness, as well as the choices they make based on that knowledge.This then reinforces the significance of a brand's value and produces that positive type of recall in the mind of consumers. Marketing research has revealed that brand equity is one of the most important assets to your company.THREE PERSPECTIVES OF BRAND EQUITYAs an intangible asset, it only gets its meaning out of the perceived quality and associations made by a consumer on a given product. It can be viewed in three different perspectives:#1 FinancialOne way to understand the value of brand equity is to calculate the premium that is placed on a product or service. To further understand, take for example two types of products: one that is of a recognized brand, and the other is unrecognized brand. Consumers are willing to pay a bigger amount for the branded product over those that they are unfamiliar with.


#2 Brand ExtensionsWhen certain products or services attain a certain level of success, most companies consider extending their line by introducing newer products under their brand. Because of the existing brand awareness, these companies will no longer invest on large advertising expenditures just to make that newly introduced product known.#3 Consumer-BasedThe trust and attitude exhibited by a customer towards a given product or service and the associations they make with that brand impact service. Oftentimes, these associations are a product of their own experience with using the brand. Therefore, actual experience plays a crucial role in the marketing strategy, especially in a developing brand.BENEFITS OF A STRONG BRAND EQUITY

Establishes a more reliable stream of income.

By increasing brand equity, companies are also able to increase their profits through increased market share and premium pricing for less promotional costs.

If you have established a good brand, then you can sell that brand name at a given price.
MANAGING BRAND EQUITYThere are three stages involved in creating, building, and managing your company's brand equity. Here they are below:1.) You must establish a certain standard for your brand to be able to launch products and services in the future that will sell in the market. Your aim here is to produce a positive response from the consumer to build trust among consumers.2.) Produce a brand that is unique and yet memorable. The attitude of your brand must be accessible to consumers and must also provide benefits to satisfy its users. (You clearly know already I'm about standing out and standing tall!)3.) Consistency is the key. Your message must be synchronized with your company's overall image and reinforce the value espoused by your organization. This is one of the most effective ways to build strong brand equity.

Social Media Makes the World Smaller and Better?

Have you really thought about what it means to use Social Media in today's world? Well, as a Social Media Entrepreneur, there are so many reasons for us to use it, but rarely do we have time to analyze what it all means and how we can in fact utilize the power of social media. One of the most important reasons that I found in using Social Media is that it makes the world smaller and thus, more accessible to making improvements.Here are my top five reasons how you can use global social media in your business to connect on an international scale:1-Social Media Connections All Over the WorldNo longer do we have to stay local in our business! Although we completely value shopping at local farm markets and purchasing from local businesses, isn't it a marvelous thing to be able to do business all over the world? This advantage alone helps us expand our businesses more quickly and if you are like us, spread information about our services to a wider audience around the world. The advantage of being globally minded in our business enables us to think about global issues and also to finding solutions.2-Global CreativityHave you really thought about how your business impacts the global community? Whether you are a writer, artist, teacher, mechanic, architect or lawyer, your business matters in the grand scheme of globalization, sustainability and creativity. Next time you think about a product or service you are offering your client, think about it from the global perspective and how it can creatively help make our world better. Thinking globally and connecting to other businesses in similar industries around the world can help us solve some of the most complex problems and find amazing solutions! Think outside the box!3-Awareness of Identities and RelationshipsWe all know that social media can be a powerful tool in spreading information about identities and relationships of people in our societies. We can use our social media to spread wonderful examples of how our business and industry engagement help create long lasting relationship with those in our business. For example, are you a leader or a teacher in your business? Show the world how you engage with your students or staff by creating a video of your latest group meeting or presentation. Show your students or guests on camera talking about what kinds of benefits your organization fosters in developing relationships in your community. Post on YouTube and start inspiring others to be social and showcase their relationship building businesses also! In fact, identities and relationship building are keys in building strong, healthy communities. Be sure you create those identities and relationships in your business so that you create a ripple effect in your organization, community and society. After all, one smile a day can change a thousand lives. Be positive, helpful and create genuine relationships that reflect your brand identity.


4-CommunicationSocial Media is a form of communication that has grown to be a powerful tool in the world. Using it in our business allows us to communicate our reasons for being in our business through blog posts, videos, pictures, quotes, newsletters and more. Be sure you use all sorts of different platforms to communicate to your audience. Be sure you know exactly what it is that you want to tell them when you hit the POST button! A clear vision of your intended message will help you be clear and effectively communicate what you are promoting, selling or advertising.5-Advancement in Business and in SocietyLast, one of the best reasons that we have found to utilize social media in business is that it allows us to advance in business and as a society. Imagine all the amazing things that we are capable of learning, teaching and sharing online that we weren't able to do just a few short years ago. Sharing, posting, teaching and listening to new age technological advancements or hot topics in our world allows us to problem solve and apply our solutions to business services. Think about if everyone who has a business applied the use of reusable bags in their stores or only used safe materials for building homes and then spread the awareness of why they were doing so on social media. Our world would likely start to improve just by applying the value of helping our world by helping through our business. Where one man leads, others follow. Be the leader in your industry and encourage others to do the same via social media!Whatever your reasons are for using social media in your business, the next time you post, think about how small these tools have really made our world. In fact, whatever you post today will leave a cyber footprint for someone to uncover years from now. What do you really want to say? What is it that you are trying to achieve? How can you make the world a better place? In thinking about our business on social media, it is crucial to think about what kind of legacy that we want to leave behind just as much as our overall goals in business. The more we help, the better we become and so, the better the world becomes too.Stay Social!

Is Your Package Ready for the Festive Season?

We all know that the festive season is the only time of the year where people get out of their homes and go on a shopping spree that you would never get to witness at other times. It is due to this shopping preference that many businesses and brands bring out special offers for the customers so that their shopping experience is enriched. One of the most important elements of this season is the sharing of gifts and with gifts, comes the need for having a jaw dropping presentation by using creative packaging.Why is the Visual Appeal of Packaging So Important?Customers have often shared that packaging plays a key role in their purchase decision, especially in the last 10 seconds where the individual is contemplating on various aspects. But if the package has a splendid visual appeal with some really engaging aesthetics, then a customer would not twice about buying it. The secret to successful sales, especially during festive seasons, is the way in which you package and present the product.What Should You Focus On?During the festive season, people are emotionally charged up and you need to target this specific area. Emotions drive 47% of purchases on an average, but during special occasions this percentage increases (in accordance with the level of emotions for the individual). FMCG products witness an increase in sales by almost 40% during this period and this just goes on to show the importance of packaging and the care that needs to be given for making it absolutely stunning. This is the reason that during Diwali, you tend to find special boxes and packages that reflect the festive spirits. These customized boxes are created so that every customer feels special and is full of joy when sharing these gifts.


The Bottom LineIf you have not yet decided on a package design for the upcoming festive season, then it is about time that you came up with a good one. Moreover, the amount of packaging that would be thrown in the garbage would also be quite a lot, so it would be better if you could invest in sustainable packaging designs so that the impact on the environment is minimized. Ask yourself, "Do I have the best packaging this festive season?" There is a good chance that you might have overlooked key points so reevaluate the package design and prepare your strategy before it's too late. So put on your thinking caps and come up with some really cool package designs.

How to Improve Brand Awareness for Your Business

Creating brand awareness for your business is the key to the future. The strength and popularity of your business will depend upon the brand awareness today. It is one of the most important elements of marketing which not only gets success of your business, but also helps your customers by connecting them with you.Brand awareness can be defined as the number of people or percentage of the target market, which knows about the existence of the business or company or about the services and products offered by the company. Every business craves for brand awareness as it helps stand out from the plethora of companies in the market.Read following points which will help you create and improve brand awareness for your business and create your unique image in the minds of your customers and prospects:1. Market Your Brand, Products and ServicesThere is a very famous saying in marketing, Out of sight is out of mind. So make sure that the name of your company stays in front of the eyes of your target segment. You need to keep reminding them of your existence on a regular basis, otherwise your competitors will steal away all the attention.2. Deliver What You PromiseBe it a good product or a great service, your company shall be able to deliver great quality to the customers. Make sure that you leave no stone unturned for impressing your customers and delivery of quality goods and services is the best way to earn their trust and confidence. No customer forgets a promising brand.3. Write BlogsA blog is an interactive and interesting way of communicating with your audiences. You have all the liberty of informing and educating your target segment by informing them about your range of products, services and company. But be regular with your blogging and make sure that all the information that you include in your blogs is authentic and helpful.


4. Send Newsletters and EmailsAnother interesting way of improving your brand awareness is by sending emails and newsletters which talk about something interesting like tips on any topic which can interest your target customers. Be regular in sending emails and newsletters. Make them attractive and don't forget to put your logo.5. Create a Facebook GroupSocial networking must not be ignored. Create a Facebook group and invite more and more people to join it. This platform is the best way to interact, communicate, share information and answer queries of your target segment. You can stay in touch with your customers and increase your customer base by interacting with them.6. Always Use Your Logo No matter whether its your business card or pamphlet or flyer or newsletter, make sure that you use your logo in every marketing material. The idea is to create an association between your brand and logo which people can memorize and recognize easily. Try and popularize your logo amongst your target market.Each tip discussed above can get your brand more awareness and recognition. So start practicing the above mentioned points so that you can enjoy a popular and flourishing business.

Spread Brand Awareness With Eco Friendly Promotional Products

Climate change is affecting the environment in various ways. In trying to limit this impact on the environment, business owners so their share to avoid harmful effect of climate change by changing their current mindset into an Eco-friendly one.These business owners did this by implementing some ecological tactics in their brand promotion.Integrating Eco friendly substance to the business is the best way to make a direct statement to customers and prospect. Sending them an Eco-friendly promotional product is one of the effective approaches any company can make.According to studies, 82% of customers were still buying green and 66% customers think that companies should support the environment.This change in consumer buying behavior has direct influence on advertising and marketing through promotional giveaways.Using Eco friendly promotional products, business organization can:-Create a positive impact of brand on targeted marketThe products business gift out seems like a gesture to your customers, but these items can speak volumes about a company as they increase your brand awareness and recognition. When a company incorporates ecological elements into the business promo products can create a valuable and positive impact on the targeted market.Offer amazing Return on Investment


A reusable products are a great to promote your brand for stability of the item will allow your customers to use the products again and again. Each and every time customers reach for the custom brand product, they will recall products and services of the company.Ultimately the lifespan of reusable products depends on how much customers make use of them. But, after your first investment, the product will rain-forcing your brand.Use Eco Qualities that represent your brandRemember, the more customers use branded promo products the more exposure the company will receive. Make consumer products Eco-friendly by using material that are reusable, recyclable. Opting for recycled products are great as they would be tossed after the end of the their life span in the recycle bin.Convey a Positive messageMake sure, the words and images have printed on the promotional products will convey a clear message about your brand to the customers. Business can get its marketing message while doing something positive for the environment.Individuals and businesses must work hand in hand to promote environmental awareness. Using ecological promo products, organization is not only promoting their brand, but also making a good impact on audience and potential customers.

What Excuse Are You Using to Not Get Professional Photos Done?

"Why do you think you're not pretty?"This was the question asked of me from one of our long-time clients-turned-friend after I finally got the nerve to get professional photos done and posted several of them on Facebook.More on answering that thought-provoking question in a moment but first, I wanted to share the reason why I FINALLY got the photos done.Ever heard of the saying, "Do as I say and not as I do"? I was getting tired of saying that to clients when I saw their beach photo or a picture of their kids as a representation of their brand on social media.How could I keep telling them to invest in some professional photos when I could barely get nerve to put up a photo taken of me at a party from eight years ago?It was the only photo that I didn't gag on when I saw it, so I used it. For a long time.Last year I broke free from that old photo and had our videographer snap a few shots of me when we were doing shooting a video for a client.I used that one for about a year.Why did it take me so long? I guess I was waiting...Waiting for some miracle to happen that I would suddenly be OK with seeing myself in photos.You see, I hate seeing myself in photos. Period.All I see are the nasty, bulging, ugly deficiencies. You know the kind I'm talking about.But one day I came to my senses and realized that I'd never realistically get to that point of being free from those oh so many deficiencies, so made the decision to, someday soon, find a local photographer and get my professional photos done.I also decided I would get my make-up done at the same time... I theorized that make-up can mask all kinds of nasty, bulging, ugly deficiencies along with the right lighting and at the right angle.And lo and behold, in walks a wonderful make-up artist to my life, Judy LeBeau of Beauty by Judy who just happened to be partnering with a local photographer, Taneane Tweale Photography, whom I had already known for years.They asked me to be their model for their promotional pieces for when they officially announced their joint venture.Say what?ME?Be a model?You are kidding right? Is this some kind of cruel joke?


Nope, they wanted me alright.I agreed.Big breath.Why don't I think I'm very pretty? Well, let me count the ways...- I was bullied in school. I was called ugly on a regular basis, ignored, teased, taunted and all the other fun stuff that kids in elementary school think are good times.- My brother was also a bully. His idea of fun was calling me "Sueeeeey" (as in calling a pig), calling me other choice, cruel names, and basically treating me as if I were a pest that needed to be squashed on a continual basis.- My Mom, being the frugal gal that she was, invested in the $1 gallon jugs of cream rinse for hair. I don't think my tangled, frizzy messed up hair benefited from that investment much.- And don't get me started about my horribly dry skin ("Porcupine" was another pet name) and railroad track braces!Shall I go on? I think you got the picture.I grew up quite convinced I was not pretty, not by a long shot.I'm not sharing this to get your sympathy but just giving some insight as to why I loathe seeing myself in photos.Or shall I say used to loathe.That's until I saw the photos that Taneane and Judy took of me.They stunned me. Truly.Not only that, but during the whole process, they made me feel pretty! We had so much fun too, it was a remarkable experience and one I will treasure for a long time.So now I can finally say to DO what I DO and if you haven't invested in getting professional photos done for your social media profiles, marketing pieces and website, then please believe me that if I can do it, so can you!The right time is right now.Don't wait to lose those 10 (or whatever) pounds.Don't wait to grow out your hair only to cut it short again anyway.Don't wait for the sky to turn yellow and for pigs to fly.Just do it.You will be amazed at how good you will feel when you see the finished photos.If you live in the Lower Mainland of BC, please do yourself a favour and call up Taneane and Judy and if not, find someone in your local area.You can thank me afterwards.To your success,Susan

The Hidden Contract

The executive tosses and turns in his sleep. He's having a nightmare. In his dream, his board of directors comes to him with the news: Sales are tanking. You've signed an important contract. You MUST deliver on that contract. ARE you delivering on that contract? WHO wrote the contract? WHO signed the contract? WHAT'S in the contract WHY aren't we fulfilling the contract.WHAT are you going to do about it? Of course, because this is a nightmare, the executive has no answers. He doesn't know about the contract either. No one in his company knows about the contract. He's furious, but helpless. He doesn't know how to fix the problem, and his company is in jeopardy.Fiction? Of course. Fact? Absolutely.I call this the hidden contract. It's your brand. Your brand is the contract your customers create with your company. Yes, you heard right. It's YOUR brand, but THEIR contract. It's their set of emotions, expectations, needs, egos, aspirations, affinities, beliefs and loyalties that customers create and carry in their minds when they choose to buy your product or services. Your customers write the contract The contract is housed in their head. As long as you fulfill their list of expectations, they keep coming back. If you stop delivering on all or most of them, they choose to go to a competitor.


Thus, the earmark of a brand: It exists in the mind of your customers and it is emotionally charged. So when you consider developing, codifying, launching or repositioning your brand, it's imperative you start with research to learn specifically what they are thinking and feeling... about you. Otherwise, you won't know what's in the contract. If you have success, you won't know what you did right (so you can repeat it.) If you fail, you'll never know where you broke the promise - and that's a waking nightmare!Strong research should inform every step of the brand development process, and strong research should support the ongoing management of a brand. The intimate knowledge of what your customers think about you and your competitors provides a platform for a strategic brand. You'll have a brand that will drive awareness, increase leads, push sales, increase market share, put you at the top of the consideration set, and create a price premium. All the things that CEOs care about.But, there can be no strategic brand without knowing first what's in the hidden contract.

How to Break Through the Clutter With Brand and Design

As a designer one has to take a step back and understand what the TRUE intention is in the work they create. The art of design is different than that of a fine artist, in that it's true intention is to communicate with a focused group or target audience. If you fail to create this connection with your audience, the piece of design has failed its intrinsic purpose.Take a Multi-Level Approach
In order to "break through the clutter" my designs communicate on a multi-level dimension. This multi-level approach draws from human behavior and the emotional connection and responses that one gains from communicating. Primary visual points such as text, copy, color, photography, and illustration engage a viewer. There is however an intangible aspect to design that is ultimately where the communication with your audience resides. A designer's ability to merge these physical elements and connect them with the viewer on an emotional and mental plane is where breaking through the clutter occurs.Decipher your Unique Design Aesthetics
Unfortunately the environment is saturated with bad design. However, people unknowingly are drawn to good design. They don't know why they will stop and interact on a website that has clear lines and negative space. They just know that the design is welcoming them in and asking for their attention. It's within this simplicity that we see design working at it's most fundamental state. As a trained and intuitive creative thinker, I understand these micro and macro elements of communication and this is where the differentiation of my design work steps out against the clutter.


Design FOR Your Consumer
The consumer is a powerful individual and drives the core of this countries economy. They are also highly intelligent and have evolved as marketing tactics have shifted and changed. They are savvy. Staying in-tune with the world and its events are part of the continuing evolution of my design career and process. I continue to feed my creative mind, not only with the inviting artistic world around me, but also the scientific world of human nature. If you want to communicate, you have to understand your audience. The better you know WHO your audience is, the better connection you will make in a visual way.Find a Designer that Understands both Macro & Micro Elements to Design
In today's world if you want to communicate you HAVE to have a designer that understands the importance of these micro and macro elements. This designer will draw out the larger picture, engage and ultimately direct the viewer to act. Your customer is OUR customer and understanding their needs is as important to us within the design of your site as it is to you.Please check out a short introduction video created by Hybrid Color Films in connection with Bianca Frank Design to give you a snapshot as to WHAT branding is and WHY it is so important to your business.Do you think you could use some help branding your business?Do you need a culture video like the one shot here that evokes your brands and connects your message?

Mobile Marketing - Branding on the Go!

With the proliferation of SmartPhones (3G iPhones), and now SuperPhones (4G Android OS), it has never been easier for consumers to connect on social media channels, surf the web, and make purchases online wherever and whenever.When an advertisement sparks your interest, pertinent and relevant information is immediately available on your SuperPhone. New technology enables you to simply scan QR Codes with an App on your SmartPhone, and be instantly connected to a website, a video clip, phone number or to whatever the online marketers opt to link to that QR Code.According to ComsScore's new Mobile Metrix 2.0 report highlighted USA SmartPhone users vs Desktop users on Facebook:SuperPhone: 441 mins. per month (7 hrs. and 21 mins.) vsDesktop Computer: 391 mins. per month (6 hrs., 31 mins.)Shared AdvantagesMobile branding shares many of the same advantages of Internet marketing. However, the First Mover Advantage (FMA) for marketers and businesses, unlike more traditional forms of media, is that the results of Internet and mobile marketing are measurable and traceable. Online marketers can now see the efficacy of certain Internet campaigns, they can track who is accessing their website, the means of access, and the duration of the visit. The consumer may feel somewhat uneasy with this tracking feature, but marketers find the information invaluable when determining the effectiveness of campaigns and the measurable results attained. Additionally, although the cost of mobile and Internet marketing is considerably less than traditional media, it offers a local and global reach. Why spend tens of thousands of dollars on TV commercials that are broadcast in but one specific region and language, when at a fraction of that expense, your mobile message would enable you to reach potential customers on a global basis 24/7/365? On the flip side your mobile client is always moving, easily distracted and highly demanding. Speed of execution and a focused and relevant content strategy are critical to your campaign's long-term and short-term success.


Mobile Website Checklist:- Create a Mobile Search Plan- Understand Search Engines for Mobile(Google Mobile, Bing Mobile, Yahoo Mobile, etc.)- Add a Click-to-Call Button and Additional CTAs- Build a Mobile Website Map and Keep Your Code Clean- Optimize Browser for SuperPhone Speed- Install a Sensor to Confirm Browser Device (iPhone, Android, Blackberry, etc.)- Keep it Simple with Streamlined Features (I.e., avoid flash intros, etc.)- Be aware that Websites are designed to be viewed on a 20" monitor vs a 3.5" HD SuperPhoneFirst Mover AdvantageAcknowledge that the mobile device has become the ultimate source of information and research for many global users. Only a handful of B2B and B2C companies actually tailor their websites to mobile devices, thus the user-friendly mobile website optimized for a mobile search is an indispensable component of any company's brand marketing and business development plans. If your site is not easily accessible, your target audience instantly exit your site and enter your competitor's.

Logo Design Could Mean A Lot To Many Companies and Graphic Designers

Choosing a logo design for a company can be a big decision. It is one that is going to stay with the company for many years. Most companies do not change their company logo very much, if they change it at all. This is something that is very important to consider.Graphic designers work hard to make sure that the best designs are created. They will work with the owners or managers of these companies to make sure that something is created to their specifications. Many company owners will already have a design in mind, but do not know how to get it on paper or on their website.This will be printed on all of their sales flyers, order forms, stationery and much more. It is something that companies will use to stand out from other companies. They want something that closely matches what their company is all about. They also want something that is eye catching and looks great.The actual design of it is very important. The shape of the logo, what it says and much more is what will last the longest. The colors are also important. Some companies will change this over time though.Many graphic designers use a computer program to help them figure out a design too. Instead of using many pieces of paper and scribbling different designs on each one, designers are able to use a computer program and can come up with many different designs. There are many possibilities.There are a lot of things that are going to be very important when choosing a design. The size of the design is very important. Many companies will put this in many places. It needs to be able to look good big or small.There are several things that people want in their design. The graphic design artist is going to work closely with the people who need the design. This is something that is going to be very important for them.


They have many options when choosing the different colors. They need something that is going to look good. This will only have to be designed once and can be used on all different types of things that they will have printed up for them.They have several different designs that will be chosen at first. Narrowing these down to one design will be the most difficult part. Many times, there will be several that people will like.It is something that the company is going to be known for. It helps people recognize the company without reading the words. Everybody will look at different things when they are looking to purchase from a certain company.There are a lot of choices that everyone has when they want to buy any type of product. They have several different reasons that they will choose certain colors or certain designs. Many times, it will have something to do with the products that they have or with the location of the company.There are many different options that people will choose. There are no designs that are going to be wrong when they are being designed. They have several different types of things that their design will be used on too.A logo design is something that should be designed before anything else that a company has is designed. They have many choices that are going to be considered closely. Every company wants something different and has different products or services that they are offering to the public. There are some companies that will only service areas that are close by around them while others will service people around the world.

Are You An Expert Or A Thought Leader?

I remember when I first started my coaching business and the idea of saying I was an expert gave me a queasy feeling in my stomach. After all, who was I to say I was an expert? Wouldn't that be bragging or worse - wouldn't I be laughed at if I didn't know the answer to a question?These thoughts and feelings come up for many people when they begin their businesses. Yet it's a necessary evil because having expert status has always been a cornerstone of your brand.After all you don't typically see commercials for "we kind of know what we're doing" you see commercials for "we are the BEST at solving your problem."Positioning yourself as an expert is important because people want to work with service providers that deeply understand what they're going through and can expertly guide them to a solution. They are going to hire the person they trust to take good care of them.The problem is that when everyone is positioning themselves as experts it becomes increasingly difficult to stand out in the marketplace, and naturally a new echelon of expert as emerged - the thought leader.A thought leader goes beyond expert status- they aren't just sharing knowledge, they have a message to share and challenge the way you think about a subject.


It's a term I've been hearing more and more over the last year. I've even been using it myself when I describe my ideal clients.You see an expert possesses a special skill or knowledge in a particular area. They are a trusted adviser, they can do things for you, or tell you how to do things you couldn't do yourself because you haven't reached the same level of mastery.A thought leader doesn't just tell you something though, a thought leader helps you experience it for yourself and draw your own conclusions.A thought leader has so much expertise in their area that they have the confidence to challenge the status quo and introduce new paradigms. They demonstrate their mastery by stepping out of the box.They have a mission and a message that they are passionate about sharing with the world.If you want people to hire you to do something then being an expert is enough. If your goal is to effect change and inspire people to change the way they look at the world then positioning yourself as a thought leader is essential.So the question is, are you an expert or a thought leader?

Start A Staffing Agency: The Owner As A Recruiter

Lost Coverage as a PercentageEmployees you send to assignments at any given time will call to either cancel a shift, calls due to illness, car trouble etc. The loss of coverage over a 6-month period of time can be calculated as a percentage.Say you have 300 hours you regularly book on a weekly basis, calculating a loss of revenue at 10% due to your employees not showing up to the assignments for any of the above reasons. 10% per week times six months equals 720 missed billable hours. If you are billing at a rate of $60 per hour, you have a gross loss of $43,200. Hence, you must continually have a quota to hire 1 Full Time Employee per month. You need to make adjustments depending what position your company is in at this point. The larger your medical staffing agency, the higher the loss due to hours missed.The Recruiter's Daily TasksYou will find that if you are wearing two hats both running your medical staffing agency and recruiting, your daily tasks will be tremendously overloaded with interviews.Prioritizing is essential given all the issues you will be dealing with on a daily basis. The convenience you offer your potential candidates generally places the burden on you to be available at their schedule.


I have found that the task that will provide "Value Added" need to be the first priority in any decision making process. It is important to focus your energy on those tasks first, then be able to delegate smaller tasks that require less effort.The Owner as the RecruiterTruth be told if you are starting a medical staffing agency you are the owner and recruiter, the marketer and secretary, the operations manager and business developer as well as the hr representative and scheduler as well as payroll representative.If you are planning on hiring a recruiter, you will need to provide a salary plus commission. You can pay a recruiter between $30,000 to $45,000 with commissions based on FTE and PTE. Make sure the commission is given after the employee's work at least two weeks.Commissions work to motivate and excel the growth process for your company. Motivation can come in different ways, but the true motivator many times in the potential money reward that will be realized a the end of this journey. The biggest challenge for you will be to followup on what is expected of both your employees and your business.

Give Your Brand the Right Start With a Memorable Logo Design!

Have you ever noticed that we forget what we read and hear, but we often remember the images we have seen? In fact some logos leave such a profound impression on the viewers that they might forget the product or service but they remember the company by its logo. No wonder, a logo is the most crucial component of any company's branding. It is the graphical representation of your company's message to the prospective customers. It is the image that will speak a thousand words to your audience on behalf of your brand. That is why you should pay special attention when ordering a logo for your firm.Fortunately, it has become pretty easy to get a custom-made logo for your company. You can hire from the unlimited number of design services available on the internet with their cost ranging from the minimum to the maximum. And, do not get turned off by the services that charge low. In fact getting a cheap logo designed is an intelligent move, here is how:A high-priced design service isn't always necessarily all that great. Now with the increasing competition in the market, even reasonably priced graphic design agencies are offering multiple concepts for logos, unlimited revisions and quick turnaround time. You can get more than one creative concepts for your brand at a fairly low price. Remember, an affordable logo design is a smart choice. All you need to do to choose the right graphic design firm is to follow these steps:


1. Interview the designer thoroughly2. Check out their previous work samples3. Find out their turnaround time.4. Find out how many number of concepts are they offering.5. Most importantly, see if they are willing to listen to your ideas or not.6. Compare the prices and find out if they are affordable and are they really offering value for money or not.Once you carry out this research, you'll pretty much know which company is the best to create your brand logo. Consider it a success if you get a great logo design from a cost-effective service. After all why pay a huge cost if you can get all the perks of a highly creative and professional job done at a pretty reasonable price. Whether you choose to go for an expensive design service or an affordable one, make sure that you get a unique, timeless, memorable and simple design.

How's Your Online Presence?

Working for a client recently required me to visit the websites of more than thirty firms of varying sizes. In the process, I was shocked to discover that the vast majority of these websites (easily 85%) were... how do I say this nicely... seriously outdated, did not present a professional image of the firm and were awkward to navigate.It seemed obvious to me that most of the websites hadn't been touched in years.As a first-time visitor to these websites, I would be unlikely to contact any one of them to find out more about their services. The decision might not even be conscious, but I would have left each website within seconds of arriving.Unfortunately, many small business owners are so busy trying to build their business that they don't take into consideration how their online presence (website and social media) and other branding (flyers, business cards, signage) are impacting their business.While perception may not be reality, sometimes it becomes reality. How we position our business online, how consumers perceive our brand through what they see and experience online, will impact our business. Sadly, we may never know this first-hand - but there will be indicators, if we know where to look.Your online presenceBuilding an online presence is no longer an option for any business serious about developing and growing their business and profitability. It doesn't matter whether you are a home based business or a Fortune 500 company, a realtor or a small business with 10 people on staff, an artisan or a plumber. Today, consumers expect to be able to find out about you and your business online BEFORE they call or email you, usually.And, this means both your website and your social networks! Your website, for almost any business, is the hub of your online presence. Spending time and money on social media and driving traffic to an outdated website is counterproductive.It's not about having the best website in the world! It is about having an attractive, functional, easy to navigate website that is informative, helpful and easy to view on mobile devices, of any size. A website that visitors find useful and relevant. And, seriously, don't neglect relevance - it is becoming more and more important all the time, in driving search traffic to websites.With social media, it isn't about being on every network on the planet, or even all of the so-called 'top' social networks. Less is often more when it comes to the number of social networks you're on, unless you have the time and money to manage and work them, and they are right for your business.Social Media BasicsJoining one or more social networks is just the start of the journey with social media. There are some basic, but important, things you need to do at first, and others you need to do on an ongoing basis. Here are a few of these:

Complete Your Profiles: Make sure you have completed your social network profile. Bare minimum: profile photo and/or cover image, about section and other pertinent data, distinct URL - if not automatically set when setting up the account.

Ensure Consistent Branding: Ensure your branding represents your business well and that it is consistent across all your online networks and print materials. Visitors should be able to tell, without trying, that your website and social networks are tied to the same business.

Share Content Regularly: Post updates to your social networks regularly - and regular means different things for different networks. Take advantage of social media management tools like Buffer, HootSuite or others. Facebook's post scheduler is also a helpful tool for scheduling posts on their network only.

Timely Responses: Respond to visitor comments and inquiries in a timely manner. Again, each network is somewhat different as to what is acceptable but as with most things customer related, faster is usually better.

Customer Focus: Post content that customers and potential customers will find interesting, helpful, inspirational and/or valuable. Social media is not traditional advertising and content needs to be seen as useful to those you are hoping to reach. If not, people will tune you out.

Strategic Content: Share content that includes a link back to your website where it makes sense. This may be to a blog post, information related to a frequently asked question, a free resource download, contest information, product information, sales information, etc.. As noted in #5, think "interesting, helpful, inspirational and/or valuable" for customers and potential customers.

Images: Use images to help get your message across. Images tend to cause what you are sharing to 'pop' and can make the difference between someone checking out your post or passing it over.

Prepare to Pay: Be prepared to spend money to promote your posts and advertise your business, at least on networks like Facebook - and others down the road. Social media for businesses may have started out free, but it is rapidly becoming less so.

Persevere: Real progress or growth is often a slow, steady and sometimes painful process, especially when you are just getting started with social media. Like most anything of value, social media requires time, attention and especially perseverance to produce results.



The importance of your website and social mediaToday's consumers tend to go online first to search for information about a specific business or business person, before they call. They may also ask their connections for input on social media and then do a search online to find out more. And, of course, consumers search online for information about products and services in general.When first-time visitors arrive on your website or visit one of your social networks, within seconds they'll have made a first impression about your business. Will it be a favorable one?

Simple Ways to Impress the ECommerce Customer With Packaging

When it comes to any e-commerce business, packaging matters a lot. As per the findings of a particular study, almost 83% of online shoppers are willing to share the image of a creative and well-presented package on Facebook. This goes a long way in saying that the packaging holds the key to making an impact on the eCommerce customer. One of the reasons behind this is the absence of any physical outlet where the customer may visit and check things out for himself. In an online business, the customer needs to rely on the presentation and information that has been presented by the business. In such situations, if the packaging has been made nicely then people tend to relate that to the brand. Not only does this help to create brand value but it also helps to ensure repeat purchases. Here are some ways in which an ecommerce customer may be impressed with packaging designs.Achieve the Perfect Cost to Beauty RatioThe customer will always evaluate the package based on the shipping costs and other charges that have been levied for the particular order. Say for example, the customer orders a $10 product which has been slotted for free shipping. If this product shows up at the customer's house in a simple box with paper crumbles, or in a bubble wrap, then the value assigned to the package is justified. But if the customer has ordered a $100 worth product and has paid additional charges for shipping, then the presentation as well as the package design should justify the amount paid by the customer. Never think that the shipping charges are only for the actual transit costs. Customers have a different perspective to things, especially where their money is involved.Using the External Parts of the PackageThe external parts are the first things that a customer sees when the package is handed over to him. Putting a logo on the outside won't cost the business much but its presence will have a long lasting impact on the customers. Moreover, the branding also helps in promotion during transit. It would be beneficial to use a new box rather than a recycled one. Now this may sound a little out of the line but recycled boxes, especially the ones that have been recycled too many times, run the risk of losing their durability and the tapes also do not stick on that well. In case you do not want to invest in branded boxes, you can always put the logo on the tapes and labels. This is highly inexpensive and does not require hefty investment.


Breaking the "White Box" MythThe "white box" myth is one that has been made popular by some e-commerce businesses that believe in making use of a white box on which a clean image / brand logo may be printed. While this is a great idea but only till the time the package is at the fulfilment centre. The moment the logistic personnel get their hands on the boxes, the seemingly white boxes will become dirty. This is inevitable and no matter how much one may try to prevent it, there would be some form of dirt and damage to the box which would be highlighted due to the white background.The "Inside" StoryThe outside of the packaging boxes may be the first thing the customer sees, but it is not the thing that he has been waiting for. The moment he receives the package, he would want to just rip off the bindings and get straight to the contents. This is where internal branding comes handy. A few businesses have started portraying their brand inside the box. This is a bit expensive than regular considerations but considering the marketing potential that it has, it is a good and well thought approach.ConclusionThe customer deserves every bit of care and effort in packaging that is worth the investment made for a product. Branding the packages and ensuring better presentation really goes a long way in retaining customers and also providing the means by which the customers may relate to the brand. By using these simple yet powerful tips, your online business can make an impact on customers any day.

Branding For Business

Dear new and old business owners. If you are like me, then you are here because you get a thrill out of creating something that is successful, substantial and an extension of who you are and what you have to offer the world, or at least the economy. Business is not for the feint-hearted, it is a risk, it is stressful and with the current obstacles of inflation and competition, the challenge has become surreal. Don't let this put a damper on your quest though, if initiated intellectually and with the utmost optimism, the sky's the limit and you have exciting and prosperous times ahead!One such concern that needs to be approached with this said intellect and enthusiasm is business branding. You would be surprised how many start-up businesses fail to get this one right. Business or corporate branding is the process of developing an identity for your business, an identity that makes a lasting impression and perfectly portrays the goods and or services that you have to offer. This branding is a process that begins from the moment the "business idea" light bulb lights up your brain and is truly never ending.From the get go you need to put thought and creativity into your business's name, logo, slogan and other crucial strategies which are incorporated into your marketing choices. Owners of smaller businesses often have the mind-set that branding is something that is done only once the money starts rolling in and there is a budget for it. This is a misconception however, branding is vital for these businesses to have at least an opportunity to stand out and capture potential clients and it needs to be included into your capital right from the start. No matter how original and popular your product might be, the masses won't hear about it until an identity that is recognizable and effective has been established.Here, in my opinion, are five branding tips to consider:Tip 1: Conceptualize Your BrandOther than being tip one, this is also step one in the branding process. You have decided on the product/s you would like to sell or the service/s you want to offer. Now you have to consider who your target market is and how you would like them to react to your business model.Consider the following questions:• What do you want your brand to be known for?
• What will make your brand different from your competitors?Do you want to be known for your professionalism or do you want to incorporate humour and light-heartedness? Perhaps you want your ethical standards to be the backbone of your identity? Answering such questions will give you a clearer indication of your vision, purpose, and value of your brand.


Tip 2: Keep It Simple But QuirkyWe are a very busy human race and our tiny brains don't have the ability to absorb every bit of information around us. So simplicity here is key. Keep names, logos and slogans uncomplicated but ensure that you include popular design trends that offer a touch of quirkiness. Something catchy and easy to asses will leave audiences pondering about your business and you will have their attention.Tip 3: Keep It ConsistentThis mind sound boring and uniform, but really it offers a feeling of stability and success. From colour schemes and designs to staff uniforms and final touches - keep things consistent. What I mean here is that you need to decide on a name, a logo and a colour scheme and then maintain this decision throughout all of your branding endeavours. Your company website should complement the design of your actual store-front and the purpose of your business needs to be reflected in your logo.Tip 4: Market Your BrandIn business you have to advertise your advertising. Yup, nothing is ever simple. Don't assume that because you have established an amazing corporate identity that the money will be shipping in by the ton. Like mentioned before, we are busy people and we don't all have the time to absorb information, unless it is forced upon us. Take your brand and offer it to the world. Include it on your business cards, add it to your email signature and splash it online. Your marketing opportunities are almost endless.Tip 5: Be Proud Of Your BrandIf you are satisfied and proud of your branding, then you will promote it as such. Don't settle for something you are comfortable with, settle for awesome! Budget for quality and this will ensure that the quality of your business will shine through. No one ever said running a business is an affordable venture, so expect to pay for solutions that will surpass your expectations.Don't think of all of this as effort and please don't let it daunt you! This is an opportunity to get creative and make your business unique, to make it your own! Choose colours you love and a logo that fills you with pride. All of these additions might not seem very important, but they really really are. They set you apart from the rest; they attract your customers and establish the standards which are truly the backbone of your business.

Job Hunting And Social Networking: 6 Things To Think About

Most everyone uses at least one social network these days and the social networks used will continue to change over time. I still remember when MySpace was popular... maybe it still is, but I don't hear about it anymore. There's new one's popping up all over the place and some stick around for longer than others. No matter whether you use Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, or another social network, here are a few things to think about before posting that drunken party video all over the web:1. Companies Are There, Too
No matter what social networking site you use, companies are on these sites posting, reviewing, researching, and marketing as well. Many companies have one or more individuals who are responsible for updating their profiles and posting content. You can bet that these people know their way around the site and know how to find you if you're on there.2. Companies Are Looking Up Applicants
More companies are researching applicants on social network sites more than on job boards these days. Primarily because they can get a lot more information from a social network site than they can from a resume or job board. It may not be your professional and educational information, but it's information they will use to determine if they want to hire you or not.3. Watch What You Post
Since these companies are on these sites as well, they're going to see your embarrassing and inappropriate pictures, posts, and responses to other people. If you don't want your employer, or potential employer, to view a picture of you racing the guys to see who can down the most beers in one minute, don't post it. You don't have to be strictly professional on your personal social sites, but keeping it clean and mature can go a long way when an employer looks you up.Your posts and the language you use on these sites shows a potential employer your personality and how you spend your free time, and is a big determining factor they look at when deciding whether or not you might be a good fit for the company or if you would fit in with the company's culture.


4. Be Searchable
(Once you've cleaned up your social networks) Ensure you are searchable by everyone, unless you're under 18 years old. If you are 'of age' make sure you haven't hidden or blocked your social profiles from being searched by potential employers. I actually had an employer tell me that 'if you're not on a social network, then you don't exist.' While this obviously is not true, many employers think this way. They want to know who they are hiring before hiring you, and sometime even before they interview you.5. If You Must...
If you absolutely must post those really bad, embarrassing pictures and posts, I recommend having two separate profiles. One would be employer-facing where you have modest and mature posts and pictures, where you use appropriate language, and where you interact with others on a friendly level. The second one could be your 'bad' profile where you post those obviously-not-corporate-approved pictures and posts. This second profile should not include your real name or be linked to any of your 'good' social sites.6. DO Use LinkedIn
LinkedIn is the premier professional social networking site in the US. I highly recommend using this site, filling out your profile fully, and including all professional and educational experiences on here. This is one of the first sites an employer will look, so ensure they get a good idea of who you are professionally from this site.There are so many sites out there that a person can use. My advice is to just be careful how you portray yourself on any site you use to ensure you look professional and well-rounded in your life.

Brand Management - Crucial for Reputation

Nowadays there aren't one, two or a dozen leading brands in every market segment but countless brands jostling for attention within the same space.While the very term 'brand' conjures up ideas of fabulously huge international brands, there are also many smaller brands whose target clients are limited in number.
However no matter how big or small a brand, what unites them all is their aspiration to acquire a unique image or at the least, an image that endears the concerned brand to its target audience. Herein, comes the role of holistic or wholesome or all-encompassing brand management.Brand management consists of a large number of diverse tools as managing, maintaining and enhancing the brand image through social media platforms, various kinds of online promotions, organizing events that involve public participation and celebrity appearances and different kinds of offers and freebies for consumers. Brands may use one or all of the above options for bettering its image and wooing consumers.Sometimes large companies with an already well established support base wish to reach out to a different segment of the audience in order to expand their consumer base. In such cases, brands utilize all kinds of ingenious tactics to make their products or services seem alluring to those who have never used them before.
Top brands have huge expenditures in store to spend on promotion and enhancing techniques. Medium level companies also spend relatively large amounts of money on management.


With the internet gradually becoming an indispensable part of human existence the world over, brands cannot help but tap the full potential of this infallible medium. Subsequently, online promotions are becoming increasingly fashionable among leading brands for reaching out to the populace and generating appeal towards their brand.In this digital era, social media plays an important role to optimize the image of organization or company. Under these circumstances, several brands have endeavored to win over customers through social media platforms. Many experts regard these platforms as one of the most effective brand management tools in today's world.Therefore as we can see, brand management consists not just of a series of strategies but a wide spectrum of approaches and methods designed to popularize a brand among consumers and enhancing the brand image in the longer run.With competition among leading brands becoming steeper worldwide, marketing geniuses are devising new stratagems of brand management every day. The fickleness of popular tastes combined with the entry of new brands to the market on a daily basis has made smart brand management not just a business strategy but an intrinsic part of the business itself.

Re-Branding - A Better Option Than "Disruptive Innovation"?

A recent "Economist" article compared the virtues of older brands using traditional technologies to the astonishing advances from new internet technology, often the result of the "disruptive innovation" process. Some of these established products have been able to resuscitate their business by re-positioning their brand proposition to create a viable, profitable niche in their markets. These turn-around examples raise insightful questions on the merits of "disruptive innovation" for many companies.Management gurus rave about the importance of "disruptive innovation" for creating new ideas today. Disruptive innovation as an explanation of how change happens is everywhere - we hear all about disruptive consultants, disruption conferences, and disruption seminars these days. (Wikipedia defines disruptive innovation as "an innovation that helps create a new market and value network, and eventually disrupts an existing market and value network (over a few years or decades), displacing an earlier technology".)The notion of disruptive innovation was first described in detail in Clayton Christensen's 1997 book "The Innovator's Dilemma", where he explained that executives often made "good decisions" that reflected previous decisions which made their company successful. The dilemma was that "doing the right thing was the wrong thing", or what Christensen called a missed opportunity. His primary example of this involved mainframe computer manufacturers focusing only on refinements (or "sustaining innovations"), and completely missing an untapped customer desire for a cheaper, poorer quality personal computer, which eventually took over the entire industry.However, there is growing skepticism about the true rewards from "disruptive innovation", especially when there is a reasonable likelihood of a disaster instead. In Jill Lepore's recent article in "The New Yorker" on "The Disruptive Machine - What the Gospel of Innovation Gets Wrong", she states that Christensen's sources for his case study analyses were often "dubious and his logic questionable". Jill sites two other examples, Morrison-Knudsen and Time, Inc. that did embrace disruptive innovation, but their new businesses turned into disasters. Furthermore, when comparing disruption to evolution, advocates of disruptive innovation use a circular argument: "if an established company doesn't disrupt, it will fail, and if it fails it must be because it didn't disrupt".


These gurus claim that several staid businesses such as law firms, book stores and universities are threatened by the key drivers of change, technology and globalization, behind disruptive innovation. On the other hand, this "Economist" article identifies some enlightening examples of how such threatened companies have re-positioned their brand to create a new meaning based on its traditional model and image. The classic example is the Swiss mechanical watch, which was almost wiped out by the introduction of cheaper digital watches. Instead Swiss watchmakers re-branded to offer the more emotional benefit of status, as prestigious fashion items (e.g. Swatch, Omega, Breguet), rather than just an instrument for telling time, with higher prices to reinforce the perception of greater value. In doing so, they leveraged their brand reputation for tradition and craftsmanship to attract an additional set of customers.Another example is independent bookshops. Many are re-defining themselves as communities where people who care about books meet and socialize. Also, some sunbelt cities have re-positioned trams as an important green solution to both pollution and urban sprawl.The key to successful branding is to establish a close relationship with the customer, one that is ideally based on trust, credibility and other important emotions. These old fashioned industries and brands focus on quality rather than quantity, and heritage rather than novelty. They are all emotion driven, making the brand seem more distinct and hence valuable to a core group of customers who are willing to pay a higher price as a result. Instead of relying on "disruptive innovation" to respond to external threats from advanced internet technology and globalization, these brands went backwards and found a novel way to leverage their core meaning and create a rejuvenated and profitable, niche business that has a new life.

Brand Building Strategy

In the overtly competitive era, businesses that resist change are less likely to exist. One careless decision could turn out to be the competitor's Holy Grail. Brands are introduced and ruined every day. To sustain such volatile market scenario and excel in the respective segment, it is imperative to have well-laid plans, guided moves and most importantly, an effective brand management strategy.Strategic brand management is a comprehensive process requiring persistence and patience. When entering a competitive market, it is essential to have best brand positioning which is largely perched on the foundation of research and analysis. By scouting information about competitors, potential customers, their behavior and preferences, one can cut through the clutter with a unique, distinguishing brand identity. A good positioning of the brand can tremendously contribute towards further business branding.Post brand positioning, comes a powerful communication strategy. Here, your communication objectives are defined in terms of identifying the target audience, demographics, the tone of your communication, media outreach and the Brand Message. Describe the messages that will form your communication with proper selection of media channels to deliver your content in the best possible manner. A gamut of communication deliverables like logo, mark, corporate profile, brand stationery, printing, packaging, editorial, advertising, events, brand launch and other activities could be incorporated in innovative styles and approach.


While contriving a brand promotion strategy, it is important to discover ways in which your strategy can be adapted to suit customer's changing tastes and how to cope with market unpredictability. You need to know a consolidated view of customer's preferences and expectations in order to gauge what's working, what's not... mostly in the buying process. Media channels should be wisely chosen to support your branding strategy with insights about where, when and how customers are most receptive to your message. The deeper your insights into customer behavior and preferences, the more likely you are to engage them in lucrative interactions.Well-planned business advertising has worked wonders for many brands manifested by their immense success. Marketing efforts get an absolute focus, refined approach and confidence to deliver results. It' crucial to hire the right advertising agency who understands your objectives, your vision and can contrive strategies that help to achieve your business goals. Associating with a brand communication agency brings about the professional outlook in analyzing the market, articulating the Brand Message and building the required Brand Image that customers can acknowledge.

Defending End-Customer Value

In the 30 years I've been an entrepreneur consultant, I've had the opportunity of sitting with senior management teams from enterprises in diverse industries to infuse customer centricity into their products and services. This has been both a pleasurable experience and the toughest job in my business life.I've always faced two types of clients; those interested in achieving customer centricity, and the large section that's quite indifferent. The interested ones put tremendous effort to understand how core the customer is. They drive hard to inject this core inside their organisation, facing the difficult job of changing employee behaviour. The second type of clients enters the comfort zone of ad hoc adaptability. They deliver what's feasible as per their backend capability and act as though customers will accept it. This is the trouble-free route of changing the bottle, not the wine; and hoping against hoping that customers will not notice.Without end-customers, where is business? Enterprises agree to this, but miss out on driving it seriously as business truth. It makes me uncomfortable when managers barely try to understand the end-customer's subconscious mind where buying motivation resides. I cannot fathom why trying to own the end-customer's mindshare is not the first priority of every enterprise. If an enterprise can find out what to do to change the end-customer's behaviour towards favouring its product or service, that enterprise can smile all the way to the bank.I believe in non-stop enterprise learning using customers as teachers and insight dispensers for business improvement. The ability to absorb human culture and behaviour, anticipate economic and political phenomena in advance, co-opt technology advancement and dig deep into the social and psychological aspects are all necessary at this level to know how to respond to the market. But industrial heaviness sometimes becomes so overpowering that managers get waylaid from the track of discovering and satisfying end-customer need or desire.Because managers do not always live in the end-customer's domain, it becomes difficult to make them understand micro layers of end-customer centricity. To tell you the truth, I'm addicted to observing human behaviour. Wherever I am, with the family, in the sports ground, entertainment or seminars, condolence visits, while travelling, watching television, Internet surfing, visiting museums, or receiving response from my readers, my eye turns to watch behavioural traits and reactions. The rapport between people of any age and economic stratum, their relationship with some product or service, is indeed very telling.No matter where and in which country I am, I don't hesitate to ask if something raises my curiosity. 'Why' is something I never ask as the person gets intimidated; it's the 'how' I enquire about, and learn about the purpose. Learning can never be achieved when you are in the challenger mode. Rather I try to make learning conducive for both of us, me the learner and the end-customer as teacher. These ingredients have helped me understand end-customers in every industry wherever I have entered because no industry can run without an end-customer. Challenging a learning seed is totally destructive; as is the preconceived notion, which intellectuals and professionals are said to be guilty of. Preconception actually kills unearthing the new.


Corporate transformation is mere jargon: It's true that behavioural change cannot be an easy job in a company aligned to market dynamics. You can transform a material in a machine to make products; iron ore can become steel. But human beings cannot be transformed like that. Actually changing employee behaviour can be a nightmare in our country's multi-behavioural heterogeneity, because people work and interpret the same subject very differently inside an enterprise. When they go into social and family life, it's diametrically different.That's why a huge drive from management is required to thoroughly educate employees on the purpose and objective of internal behavioural change according to changing end-customer trends. The company has to patiently work to make employees understand the benefits of end-customer centricity. Not only will the enterprise get better returns, but employee skills will improve, careers will get furthered, which in turn will impact the enterprise. It's a very painstaking task. Unfortunately, most enterprises would rather spend money buying hallucinating capital assets than training human capital.Indian enterprises are largely growing in a demand-led market. Just to illustrate, look at the contrast. Organized retails in Western countries have captured more than 50 per cent market share in every FMCG category. They sell high-quality private-label products at 30 per cent lower price than national brands. So most manufacturing company brands are in a tight situation. Indian manufacturers are likely to face this condition too when this market matures. But managers today mistakenly believe that once they've performed in their key result areas, they've achieved the business strategically. In reality they have merely supplied to existing demand. They have not worked to sustain their business, make it long-term sticky nor worked to deliver differently to get end-customer mindshare for repeat purchase consistently today and tomorrow.Need to deal with new market realities: Having brought end-customer centricity into several Indian enterpises in 15 years, I've seen growth happen when end-customer centricity is tightened, and slacken when corporates get diverted to make easy money trading in diverse categories. When they lose sharp competency focus and capability, they become like conglomerates selling products in different categories wherever there is demand. With complacency and routine comfort, they bring products from China or cut price to make volume. They've still not taken seriously the global predator-competitors ready to kill to grab market opportunity.To capture local and global markets with sustainability, enterprises need to cultivate the passion for end-customer centric drive and change employee behaviour to align with that. The best way to do so is to grab the changing behaviour of end-customers.

The New Hershey's Logo: Everyone's a Branding Expert!

Four reasons the new Hershey's logo worksWhen news of a company's re-branding hits the wire, it's in vogue to find some fault or phallic symbol in the new logo. Some people won't miss an opportunity to mock a logo as evidenced by the flurry of internet postings comparing the new Hershey logo's Kiss to a friendly, excrement-like Emoji. Sometimes it's deserved, but often, the critics are quick to jump in with little information about the process it took to get there. Taking a shape to its simplest form-and still capturing the qualities below is creativity. To visually communicate an entire brand in the logo is not a simple task!The Hershey's rebrand met the four principles that we use to qualify a good mark.Four Pillars of a Good LogoDistinctive. It's unique. Differentiate from competitors.• Created specifically for unique product/service you provide.• You are the only one who looks like you.Hershey's owns the Kiss.Relevant. It's meaningful. It communicates meaning and benefits.• It is NOT random symbols or clip art.• Essence of business' past, present & futureThe Kiss has demonstrated adaptability and longevity. It's a perfect symbolEffective. It's memorable for the right reasons! Creates a positive impression or memory• Creates customer recall• Reinforces a relationship.The Kiss is so simple and iconic; it's a strong symbol for memorability. The symbol builds on the relationship people have with the brand.


Consistent. It does what it's supposed to do-everywhere, every time.• aesthetically pleasing - simple vs. busy• it is scalable and it works in B/W - NOT amateur design-symbol with gratuitous use of gradients and drop shadows• balanced - symmetrically or asymmetrically• long-standing (not quickly dated) - use of color has relevance and supports the messageThe logo must be used consistently. It is the company's identity and the foundation of everything visual. The shape of the iconic Kiss can be reduced, is simple, recognizable and clearly has longevity.Would we have wanted to take our turn at the design table? Yes. It would have been fun to explore a word mark with the "y" and create a unique sub-line rather than the redundant "The Hershey Company." Did they need to remove the wrapper? Could they have designed a cool silver swirl?Ultimately, it comes back to the customer. What is the direction the design team is given? The parameters of the project establish limits. No doubt the new Hershey logo was run through various focus groups. If someone did see an Emoji, the design team and the company didn't think it was enough to scrap the icon.Call it what you will. If your brain takes you there, so be it. It's certainly creating a good media blitz for Hershey's! The Kiss symbol is elegant. The paper waves as a flag, with a gentle, yet strong movement. It works.Visit Brand New to see examples of Hershey's custom font and the new visual identity system.

Creating an Amazing Brand on a Budget

When you first start out in business, you know that you have to brand that business. However, what you may not realize is that it won't necessarily cost you a fortune to do that. With social media and inbound marketing being at its most popular, there are so many ways that you can brand your business effectively and inexpensively.Getting your business's name recognizedThe first thing that you need to determine is your branding strategy. Part of that strategy is causing strong brand recognition to be generated. If you own a small business, the chances are pretty good that you don't have a large amount of money to spend on branding your offerings. Of course, it still goes without saying that you still have the same need and urgency to brand your business as larger businesses. Fortunately, there are several different approaches that you can take to successfully brand your business so that the results that are achieved are what you need them to be.

Make sure that you have a clear understanding of your target audience: It is absolutely imperative that you understand your target audience as thoroughly as possible before you start to brand anything. That means that you need to understand who they are and what they need and want. Only after you have established that will you be ready to come up with a clear strategy for your brand. Of course, all of this must be done before you spend a single dime on branding and marketing.



Share your knowledge and expertise: You need to come up with ways to share your knowledge with other people, namely, the members of your target audience. You can do this in several ways, including sharing a white paper, eBook, newsletter, blogs, etc. What you will achieve from this is that you will be positioning yourself as a subject matter expert in your niche and Industry. The more people come to understand that you know what you are talking about, the more they will consider you an expert and when they need that particular sort of information, you will be the first person they turn to. In other words, you will be building trust and credibility in your relationships with your target audience members.



Leverage social media to the best of your ability: As you are well aware, social media holds a great deal of power and you need to take advantage of that power as effectively as you possibly can for your business. Not only is social media marketing powerful but it is also free (in many cases). However, one of your biggest challenges may be which social media channels to choose to market your brand and your offerings. It is very important that you choose those social media channels wisely and that means that you must do your homework before you make any decision about which ones to choose. Some of the contributing factors that will weigh in your decision will be the needs of your target audience as well as the needs of your business. They are all extremely important and should be considered carefully before you make any decisions.



Work the public relations from a different angle: It is important to recognize that your approach to public relations is not what it would have been previously. In some cases, it is more challenging to work the PR angle for your business. It is important to keep in mind that you need to reach your target audience on an emotional level if you expect to elicit any kind of valuable response at all.





ConclusionWhen it comes to branding your business, you can get away with successfully doing that on much less money than you might imagine. Remember to do your homework and make sure that you choose where and with whom to brand in the most appropriate manner possible. It is definitely worth spending more time trying to figure out which approach will work best for you up front so that the process will go smoothly after that. It is important to keep in mind that if your branding concepts and approach are enticing, you will succeed at what you are trying to do and you won't have to spend a lot of money to do it. It is also important to remember that your content must touch your target audience emotionally and the needs of that audience must be at the top of the priority list.We are pleased to provide you with the insightful comments contained herein. For a complimentary assessment of your online presence, let's have coffee.

How to Make Packaging and Shipment of Goods Hassle-Free

Irrespective of whether you are an individual planning on relocating his office or home, or you have a business which needs to transports its goods to target locations, you always need proper packaging and effective shipment. But as much as this process is important, it has its own challenges and hassles. Right from acquiring the proper packaging material to selecting the best transportation media for delivering the products - every step in the process needs careful attention.The Hassle-Free Packaging ProcessIf you have large consignments of varying sizes, then the best solution is to use a corrugated box or corrugated paper rolls. This gives you the flexibility to accommodate smaller to larger sized products with better space utilization. The corrugated rolls are really useful for creating a package around large consignments or the roll can be cut into sheets of various dimensions which can be converted into flexible packaging. Unless your products have specific storage environments, you can use corrugated boxes exclusively.With corrugated boxes, you have the option of getting varying durability configurations as these packaging materials come in dual or triple layered flutes. Moreover, you can use materials such as foam pellets, bubble wraps and other easily available materials which can be used for cushioning. All of this can be done without much hassles and saves considerable time as well.


The Hassle-Free Shipment ProcessDue to the widespread availability of target markets globally, consignments need to be transported with the use of multimodal logistics solutions. This means that the packages should be durable enough to handle the wear and tear that is often inflicted on the consignment during transit. Consult with the person who is responsible for overseeing the logistics and transportation of the goods. Sometimes, it would be better to use flat boxes instead of regular boxes because the flat shape allows the products to be kept stable during transit. Simple checks and timely intervention can help you to choose the correct packaging material and it would also help you to reduce the hassles of managing the transportation of the goods.The Bottom LineA lot of packaging materials and accessories are available today. But you should assume that an expensive material would offer greater protection for the contents just because it has a higher price tag. A corrugated roll or a box may be cheap (even cheaper if it is made from recycled materials), but it has the ability to offer high durability with less weight being added to the overall consignment. All it needs is a little preparation and careful consideration and you would be able to package and ship your products without any hassle at all.