Pinning madness! I'm consumed by all of the pins placed on the boards around me. Most of you probably have NO idea what I'm talking about. I'm talking about Pinterest. Pinterest is exactly as it sounds, a place to pin your interests, essentially a virtual inspiration board and, as I'm learning, a picture, marketing, impressionist, and profit making board.
I started on Pinterest, an invitation only program, a few months ago and quickly became addicted to the new reality of virtual shopping without spending a dollar. That was until I started finding items that I was pins over needles about - items I just had to have - items that when I clicked through to find out where to buy them for the most part I was in utter disappointment! Why? Because, most of my "must click to buy now" pins were SOLD OUT. Which led me to realize that there was some profit in this whole Pinterest craze. Get your item pinned by one person, it goes out to their network, if someone re-pins it, it then spreads to their network, and so on and so on until you have enough people clicking through to purchase and voila - you've sold out = Pins to Profit.
In August of last year, Time Magazine, published Pinterest in it's "50 Best Websites of 2011" column. As it should with it's estimated 11 million visits per week!
If that isn't reason enough on why you should have interest in Pinterest, try this on for size. Pinterest, in my opinion, is the most influential social media platforms born to date, when it comes to actually making a profit. And I'm assuming you would rather profit than read a tweet, decipher the new Facebook timeline, or link up with your ex co-workers in hope for a recommendation.
Pinterest gives you the ability to get your products in front of a large mass for free. Here's a perfect example, I'd been on the hunt for a new rug to go under our new dining room table for quite a while when I started on Pinterest. Through some of the people I follow, they pinned a large amount of home decor ideas. One friend, Meghan, posted a rug that I liked, so I clicked on it and it clicked through to the site she pinned it from, RugsUSA.com. On their site I found a similar rug that was perfect for my dining room and I bought it. Pin to Profit. Got it?
Now don't sit there and mumble; "I don't have a tangible product, I don't sell rugs Stephanie." It doesn't matter what you are selling, if you are a photographer to an event planner, to a bridal boutique, to a cupcake shop, you can make money by making your pictures pin-able!
How to be more visible, and pin-able, for profit:
1. Picture. The biggest part of Pinterest is the picture images that are pinned by the users. In order for you to get your product, company, and interests pinned you need to have pictures available on the web that can be pinned. The more pictures you have the more likely you are to be pinned by someone. Example: One local bakeshop has great pictures of their cupcakes on their website. I can pin one of these pictures and through my network their cupcakes and company will spread and people may go to their shop and buy their cupcakes or hire them for a special event.
2. Pin. The easiest way to get something pinned is for you to pin it yourself. Pinterest is somewhat internal, i.e. most pins have been re-pinned. So to get your picture into the Pinterest mix, it's best for you to pin it first and allow others to re-pin it for you so it will spread throughout the network. Example: My wedding photographer started posting pictures he has taken on Pinterest. I re-pinned him onto my Wedding Board, other's have commented or repined the picture creating brand awareness for him.
3. Impress. You initial goal, should you choose to accept it, is to begin Pinterest with the interest of making impressions. Get the picture (word) out there through the pins you post. Allow others to re-pin them and spread the word for you. Eventually business and profit will follow.
Ready to begin your own pins to profit campaign? Send me a message with your name and email by going to my Sales Barista Facebook page and I'll send you a personal invitation to join Pinterest!
I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email at hirestephanie@gitomer.com or by calling 704-333-1112.
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Showing posts with label branding. Show all posts
Monday, January 23, 2012
Monday, October 31, 2011
Brand to Become
Brands are not for companies. Brands are for people. Brands are for you.
What's your brand?
What are you known for?
What are you known as?
What do you want to be known as?
I met a gentleman who is a fellow speaker and I asked him what he speaks on. He started to stammer and said, "I get that question a lot. Do you want to know what I do speak on or what I want to speak on?"
FAIL. Major fail.
How can you be a speaker and not be prepared to answer the most common question you most likely get asked? And how can you stammer when you are a professional speaker?
But his response got me thinking, at least talking to him was good for something (thanks for the article, buddy!).
How many people are doing something now but have something else they would rather be doing?
How many people are stuck with no hope to get out?
How many people think they can't change who they are?
"When I was young I didn't know what I wanted to be, but I always knew the kind of woman I wanted to become." Diane von Furstenburg said this in an interview. It's powerful and it's eye-opening. Who do you want to become?
You can be catapulted from who you are now to who you want to become through branding. So, I ask again, what's your brand?
Don't have one? Make one. Create one. Build one.
It's easy. You only need these four items:
1. Power Title. Or a logo, or a blog, or a motto, or anything different that represents who you are. Mine happens to be my title. My brand started through my title. When Gitomer hired me to work for him, I had free rein to create my title. I like to be creative and I thought long and hard before I struck a chord on the Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. This title has received more compliments and notoriety than any other title I could have come up with. It's created my brand and I've ran with it. I'm known as the Sales Barista. People know me. People who I don't know, know me. You know me. I have a brand. A coffee-centric, unique, creative, professional, and friendly brand. What's your brand?
2. Network. Beyond a great title, you have to have a great network. This network has to be full of successful people who are willing to help YOU become more successful (thank you Jeffrey!). Your network is essential to helping your brand become known. People learn about me through other people talking about me, sharing my blog and articles, and re-tweeting me. There are three types of networks: personal, professional, and social media. You must have people helping you on all three levels to truly excel. Who's in your network? Who's willing to help you become who you want to be?
3. Platform. Your platform and network work together. The network is the people who help you, the platform is the tools that you use. I'm a writer, so I use Sales Caffeine and my blog to get my words out in the world. And sometimes people like what I write, they like my philosophies, and so they share them. My platform is my blog, my social media channels (Facebook business page, Twitter, LinkedIn), Ace of Sales, and my job. All of these tools help build my brand and make me more known. What's your platform?
4. A bigger picture. Furstenburg's quote sums this up perfectly. The bigger picture is what you want to become. The bigger picture encapsulates three things: how do you want to be known, what and who do you want to influence, and what image do you want to portray? What's your bigger picture?
I'm a Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. That's my brand and it all started with a title, a conversation starting, brand making title. Thankfully I love the brand I stumbled upon. I never dreamed it would become as big of a brand as it has and I am drinking it up. Here's the good news, you are here from the beginning. You can say, "I knew her back when," when I've become who I want to become.
Your brand can become whatever you want it to be.
Start small. Create your creative power title, start using Ace of Sales to immediately brand yourself (get 45 days free by using my special promocode: barista45), create a social media presence, and use your network to spread your brand.
Start now.
Start being who you want to become.
Start the brand you want to be.
I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.
What's your brand?
What are you known for?
What are you known as?
What do you want to be known as?
I met a gentleman who is a fellow speaker and I asked him what he speaks on. He started to stammer and said, "I get that question a lot. Do you want to know what I do speak on or what I want to speak on?"
FAIL. Major fail.
How can you be a speaker and not be prepared to answer the most common question you most likely get asked? And how can you stammer when you are a professional speaker?
But his response got me thinking, at least talking to him was good for something (thanks for the article, buddy!).
How many people are doing something now but have something else they would rather be doing?
How many people are stuck with no hope to get out?
How many people think they can't change who they are?
"When I was young I didn't know what I wanted to be, but I always knew the kind of woman I wanted to become." Diane von Furstenburg said this in an interview. It's powerful and it's eye-opening. Who do you want to become?
You can be catapulted from who you are now to who you want to become through branding. So, I ask again, what's your brand?
Don't have one? Make one. Create one. Build one.
It's easy. You only need these four items:
1. Power Title. Or a logo, or a blog, or a motto, or anything different that represents who you are. Mine happens to be my title. My brand started through my title. When Gitomer hired me to work for him, I had free rein to create my title. I like to be creative and I thought long and hard before I struck a chord on the Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. This title has received more compliments and notoriety than any other title I could have come up with. It's created my brand and I've ran with it. I'm known as the Sales Barista. People know me. People who I don't know, know me. You know me. I have a brand. A coffee-centric, unique, creative, professional, and friendly brand. What's your brand?
2. Network. Beyond a great title, you have to have a great network. This network has to be full of successful people who are willing to help YOU become more successful (thank you Jeffrey!). Your network is essential to helping your brand become known. People learn about me through other people talking about me, sharing my blog and articles, and re-tweeting me. There are three types of networks: personal, professional, and social media. You must have people helping you on all three levels to truly excel. Who's in your network? Who's willing to help you become who you want to be?
3. Platform. Your platform and network work together. The network is the people who help you, the platform is the tools that you use. I'm a writer, so I use Sales Caffeine and my blog to get my words out in the world. And sometimes people like what I write, they like my philosophies, and so they share them. My platform is my blog, my social media channels (Facebook business page, Twitter, LinkedIn), Ace of Sales, and my job. All of these tools help build my brand and make me more known. What's your platform?
4. A bigger picture. Furstenburg's quote sums this up perfectly. The bigger picture is what you want to become. The bigger picture encapsulates three things: how do you want to be known, what and who do you want to influence, and what image do you want to portray? What's your bigger picture?
I'm a Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. That's my brand and it all started with a title, a conversation starting, brand making title. Thankfully I love the brand I stumbled upon. I never dreamed it would become as big of a brand as it has and I am drinking it up. Here's the good news, you are here from the beginning. You can say, "I knew her back when," when I've become who I want to become.
Your brand can become whatever you want it to be.
Start small. Create your creative power title, start using Ace of Sales to immediately brand yourself (get 45 days free by using my special promocode: barista45), create a social media presence, and use your network to spread your brand.
Start now.
Start being who you want to become.
Start the brand you want to be.
I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, please visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Passion Cake
I love cake. Chocolate cake, marble cake, cheesecake, ice cream cake, pineapple upside down cake, wedding cake, cupcake, pretty much any way you want to bake it, I'll take a piece of cake. And, I love Buddy the Cake Boss.
Do you know Buddy? Owner of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, star of his own TLC show, Cake Boss, you know, BUDDY? Well, Buddy is my perfect slice of passion cake.
Never heard of passion cake? Well that's probably because I just made it up! But here's what I'm talking about.
Passion cake (noun), as defined by the Melish Dictionary of Made Up Words: is a person who lives, breathes, dies, emulates, and exudes passion throughout their career, making it appear as if it's a piece of cake to accomplish being the best.
Buddy is a piece of passion cake. He is arguably one of the best cake bakers and decorators of our generation. Don't believe me? Catch an episode. You won't just salivate over the delicious cakes he produces, you'll also be amazed at the passionate energy he displays as he works on some of the most impossible works of cake art. He's a cake genius who's made himself THE BEST and surrounds himself with THE BEST. His army of family and employees share his passion for cake. It's a little family business that's struck it rich, one cake at a time.
Ready to be a passion cake? Sure you are. Here are the first few steps you need to start baking.
1. Identify - First things first, you have to identify the main ingredient in your passion cake. What is your passion? What do you love more than anything else? What makes you smile? What makes you want to jump out of bed or stay up all night? What gets you excited? What's the passion that shines out of you for everyone to take notice? Not sure? Can't identify it? Spend some time writing down your favorite activities, past times, or memories and see if there is a common denominator.
2. Evaluate - After you identify your main ingredient, you have to evaluate what you're currently baking. Are you in a position that uses that passion? And uses it to it's fullest? No? It's time to evaluate if you're ready, willing, and able to make a change so you can do what you love. Life's too short to be a piece of passionless cake.
3. Implement - Start baking! Get a plan together. Write down what you need to do to start putting your passion in action. You can start slow (think cupcake) and work your way up to it, or jump all in (think fully decorated wedding cake). You be the judge on that. Whatever you do, don't make excuses. The time is NOW!
4. Surround - Pick out your other ingredients. Surround yourself with a support system. People, who share your passion, vision, dream, or just want to see you happy. These people will help keep you accountable and be your biggest co-bakers.
It's never too late to start baking your own piece of heavenly passion cake. The moment you say the time has passed you by is the moment you've allowed your cake to burn.
By the way, did I mention I love cake?
I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.
Do you know Buddy? Owner of Carlo's Bakery in Hoboken, New Jersey, star of his own TLC show, Cake Boss, you know, BUDDY? Well, Buddy is my perfect slice of passion cake.
Never heard of passion cake? Well that's probably because I just made it up! But here's what I'm talking about.
Passion cake (noun), as defined by the Melish Dictionary of Made Up Words: is a person who lives, breathes, dies, emulates, and exudes passion throughout their career, making it appear as if it's a piece of cake to accomplish being the best.
Buddy is a piece of passion cake. He is arguably one of the best cake bakers and decorators of our generation. Don't believe me? Catch an episode. You won't just salivate over the delicious cakes he produces, you'll also be amazed at the passionate energy he displays as he works on some of the most impossible works of cake art. He's a cake genius who's made himself THE BEST and surrounds himself with THE BEST. His army of family and employees share his passion for cake. It's a little family business that's struck it rich, one cake at a time.
Ready to be a passion cake? Sure you are. Here are the first few steps you need to start baking.
1. Identify - First things first, you have to identify the main ingredient in your passion cake. What is your passion? What do you love more than anything else? What makes you smile? What makes you want to jump out of bed or stay up all night? What gets you excited? What's the passion that shines out of you for everyone to take notice? Not sure? Can't identify it? Spend some time writing down your favorite activities, past times, or memories and see if there is a common denominator.
2. Evaluate - After you identify your main ingredient, you have to evaluate what you're currently baking. Are you in a position that uses that passion? And uses it to it's fullest? No? It's time to evaluate if you're ready, willing, and able to make a change so you can do what you love. Life's too short to be a piece of passionless cake.
3. Implement - Start baking! Get a plan together. Write down what you need to do to start putting your passion in action. You can start slow (think cupcake) and work your way up to it, or jump all in (think fully decorated wedding cake). You be the judge on that. Whatever you do, don't make excuses. The time is NOW!
4. Surround - Pick out your other ingredients. Surround yourself with a support system. People, who share your passion, vision, dream, or just want to see you happy. These people will help keep you accountable and be your biggest co-bakers.
It's never too late to start baking your own piece of heavenly passion cake. The moment you say the time has passed you by is the moment you've allowed your cake to burn.
By the way, did I mention I love cake?
I'm your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.
Monday, April 4, 2011
It’s My sTORI and I’m Sticking to It!
Love her or hate her, Tori Spelling is capitalizing on a little something I call namesake branding. Recently launching an extension of her vast brand, Tori hit another branding home run by naming her new LA clothing store InvenTORI. Brilliant? No question.
After decades of only being known as the daughter of the late Aaron Spelling, and being ridiculed for her non-existing acting skills as virgin Donna while on Beverly Hills 90210 (although as a child of the Saved By the Bell years, I LOVED the dorky Violet Anne Bickerstaff), Tori has launched a mega-empire built on one thing, her name.
So NoTORIous (TV show), Tori & Dean: Inn Love (TV show), sTORI Telling (book), Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood (TV show), The Tori Spelling Collection (jewelry), uncharted terriTori (book), InvenTori (clothing store), Tori & Dean: sTORIbook Weddings (TV show).
Tori after Tori, she’s made an impressive namesake brand. Not a Tori Spelling fan? Think this is irrelevant because she’s my shining example? A few other great namesakes:
Gitomer, DUH! A branding king, each of his books and two of his companies are titled “Jeffrey Gitomer’s…” and his other company is BuyGitomer. Creative, smart, call to action. BUY – Gitomer!
Oprah, the queen of America, uses namesake branding too. The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Studios (Oprah backwards), Harpo Productions, Harpo Films, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), O Magazine, O at Home, Oprah and Friends.
Got it?
But Tori isn’t stopping, her next book, celebraTORI releases this coming October. You may not think she is a great actress but she is a smart businesswoman. As a hands-on business owner of several companies, an author of three best-selling books, and appearing on reality TV, she has launched herself into a sTORIland all her own.
You may think there is not much to it. WRONG! Namesake branding is a moneymaking – image creating – story land.
What about your story? Your brand? Your image? Your creative spin? Your smart marketing appeal?
Think about all of the names connected to you. First name, last name, maiden name, middle name, nickname, company name, etc. How creatively congruent have you made your company? Or better yet, why should you take the time to namesake your branding? I’m so happy you asked!
1. It’s personable. Creating a brand around your name means you're creating a brand around YOU! And what’s more personable than a person? Doing business with someone who has poured out his or her heart, soul, and passion into their work is a must! And if they use their name it’s a no-brainer. I want to do business with someone who is committed to their work, their business, their industry, and their success. What bigger commitment can you make than putting your name on it? (Putting a ring on it – but that is usually followed by some kind of name change!)
2. It’s recognizable. The easiest way to get lost in the big business shuffle is to not be recognizable to your customers. Each of your products, services, and marketing efforts must have a consistent thread woven through their name. It all starts there. If you can be creative and consistent with the name, your customers will have immediate recognition of your personal brand.
3. It’s achievable. Capitalizing on your name is the easiest thing you can do. Thanks to your parents, they gave you one; all you have to do is start using it! Be creative, be wild, be out of the box, be different, BUT be uniform. I may work for a company that is not my own – but that didn’t stop me from creating my own brand – Stephanie Melish, the Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista, and it’s worked! If I can make it happen, so can you.
That’s my sTORI and I’m sticking to it!
I’m Stephanie Melish, your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.
After decades of only being known as the daughter of the late Aaron Spelling, and being ridiculed for her non-existing acting skills as virgin Donna while on Beverly Hills 90210 (although as a child of the Saved By the Bell years, I LOVED the dorky Violet Anne Bickerstaff), Tori has launched a mega-empire built on one thing, her name.
So NoTORIous (TV show), Tori & Dean: Inn Love (TV show), sTORI Telling (book), Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood (TV show), The Tori Spelling Collection (jewelry), uncharted terriTori (book), InvenTori (clothing store), Tori & Dean: sTORIbook Weddings (TV show).
Tori after Tori, she’s made an impressive namesake brand. Not a Tori Spelling fan? Think this is irrelevant because she’s my shining example? A few other great namesakes:
Gitomer, DUH! A branding king, each of his books and two of his companies are titled “Jeffrey Gitomer’s…” and his other company is BuyGitomer. Creative, smart, call to action. BUY – Gitomer!
Oprah, the queen of America, uses namesake branding too. The Oprah Winfrey Show, Harpo Studios (Oprah backwards), Harpo Productions, Harpo Films, OWN (Oprah Winfrey Network), O Magazine, O at Home, Oprah and Friends.
Got it?
But Tori isn’t stopping, her next book, celebraTORI releases this coming October. You may not think she is a great actress but she is a smart businesswoman. As a hands-on business owner of several companies, an author of three best-selling books, and appearing on reality TV, she has launched herself into a sTORIland all her own.
You may think there is not much to it. WRONG! Namesake branding is a moneymaking – image creating – story land.
What about your story? Your brand? Your image? Your creative spin? Your smart marketing appeal?
Think about all of the names connected to you. First name, last name, maiden name, middle name, nickname, company name, etc. How creatively congruent have you made your company? Or better yet, why should you take the time to namesake your branding? I’m so happy you asked!
1. It’s personable. Creating a brand around your name means you're creating a brand around YOU! And what’s more personable than a person? Doing business with someone who has poured out his or her heart, soul, and passion into their work is a must! And if they use their name it’s a no-brainer. I want to do business with someone who is committed to their work, their business, their industry, and their success. What bigger commitment can you make than putting your name on it? (Putting a ring on it – but that is usually followed by some kind of name change!)
2. It’s recognizable. The easiest way to get lost in the big business shuffle is to not be recognizable to your customers. Each of your products, services, and marketing efforts must have a consistent thread woven through their name. It all starts there. If you can be creative and consistent with the name, your customers will have immediate recognition of your personal brand.
3. It’s achievable. Capitalizing on your name is the easiest thing you can do. Thanks to your parents, they gave you one; all you have to do is start using it! Be creative, be wild, be out of the box, be different, BUT be uniform. I may work for a company that is not my own – but that didn’t stop me from creating my own brand – Stephanie Melish, the Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista, and it’s worked! If I can make it happen, so can you.
That’s my sTORI and I’m sticking to it!
I’m Stephanie Melish, your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Stephanie Melish, one of the few, hand-selected, Gitomer-Certified Speakers is the ONLY Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista in the world! Stephanie trains, sells, and speaks to companies and associations all over the country. To book Stephanie for your next event, visit www.GitomerCertified.com or contact the friendly folks at Buy Gitomer via email or by calling 704-333-1112.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Your Face Won't Lift Itself!
Let’s be honest, it was time for Gitomer to get a face-lift! His weekly e-zine, Sales Caffeine, that is. Doesn’t it look great? Fresh, clean, sharp, modern, branded. After 485 weeks of production, the look of Sales Caffeine finally matches its stellar content. Lesson learned: the package in which the material is delivered is as important as the material itself.
SO…What in your business is in need of a face-lift? Some renergized effort? A creative overhaul? Better branding?
Is it your website, business card, brochure/literature, blog, logo, title, you? There are so many channels in which we communicate with each other, prospects and customers, ALL of which reflect the image of your brand. How are you capitalizing on these opportunities?
There are three key areas that will add to what you are doing now and make it better.
First, get branded! Decide on what your brand is going to be and put it on everything. Creating a brand and sticking with it is key to making your name known and recognized by the people you do business with and more importantly the people you WANT to do business with.
Two, get fresh! Whatever you put out in the marketplace make sure it is clean, crisp, sharp, fresh, modern. I did not say trendy. Don’t mistake what’s fresh and modern for something that is trendy. The internet and social media are not going anywhere, so don’t think these are trends. Incorporate them into your fresh look. Neon colors were a trend for nail polish last year. Alert: this is a trend. So it’s safe to say, I would not have created a whole business campaign with neon colors. When attempting to freshen up your look, stay with what’s tried and true, but make it your own.
Three, get creative! This is what most people will struggle with. “I’m not creative. I don’t think that way.” To that I respond: WHATEVER! If you aren’t creative, hire someone who is. Creativity is golden in a marketplace of boring, stagnant, complacent companies. Dare to be different, right? Putting a creative spin onto your communication is the easiest way to truly engage your audience.
Branded, Fresh, Creative, Got it? Now get going! Explore your world of communication channels and open your eyes to the possibilities of a face-lift. I promise, you’ll be glad you did.
I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you, help yourself?
SO…What in your business is in need of a face-lift? Some renergized effort? A creative overhaul? Better branding?
Is it your website, business card, brochure/literature, blog, logo, title, you? There are so many channels in which we communicate with each other, prospects and customers, ALL of which reflect the image of your brand. How are you capitalizing on these opportunities?
There are three key areas that will add to what you are doing now and make it better.
First, get branded! Decide on what your brand is going to be and put it on everything. Creating a brand and sticking with it is key to making your name known and recognized by the people you do business with and more importantly the people you WANT to do business with.
Two, get fresh! Whatever you put out in the marketplace make sure it is clean, crisp, sharp, fresh, modern. I did not say trendy. Don’t mistake what’s fresh and modern for something that is trendy. The internet and social media are not going anywhere, so don’t think these are trends. Incorporate them into your fresh look. Neon colors were a trend for nail polish last year. Alert: this is a trend. So it’s safe to say, I would not have created a whole business campaign with neon colors. When attempting to freshen up your look, stay with what’s tried and true, but make it your own.
Three, get creative! This is what most people will struggle with. “I’m not creative. I don’t think that way.” To that I respond: WHATEVER! If you aren’t creative, hire someone who is. Creativity is golden in a marketplace of boring, stagnant, complacent companies. Dare to be different, right? Putting a creative spin onto your communication is the easiest way to truly engage your audience.
Branded, Fresh, Creative, Got it? Now get going! Explore your world of communication channels and open your eyes to the possibilities of a face-lift. I promise, you’ll be glad you did.
I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you, help yourself?
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Nameless Branding
Starbucks is dropping the Starbucks. As the only Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista, I couldn’t pass the opportunity to write about this iconic shift in this company’s branding efforts.
Starbucks released that they have performed a face-lift on their logo and dropped the printed "Starbucks Coffee." GASP! I couldn’t believe it. I thought, "Please don’t change the green color too!" I was relieved to find out that they won’t revert back to the 70’s brown. I mean, green is the new black and it’s staying.
The news of the new Starbucks logo is huge. This is recognition that you have hit the brand jackpot. This is the status. This is where your logo becomes bigger than your name. Your brand has arrived when you can go nameless.
So, are you nameless? Probably not. I’m not - or at least not yet. But isn’t that the ultimate goal of branding? To have an image so prominent that you need no name, need no introduction - only a logo. A golden arch, an apple, or a swoosh.
What are you currently doing to promote your brand? What are you doing to elevate to a level where everyone knows who you are without a name?
Maybe you should try doing what Starbucks has mastered. There are two major factors that have catapulted Starbucks to the nameless level:
1. Be Most Visible. Branding is equivalent to visibility. Starbucks is so visible that they are the butt of many jokes. (Have you seen Shrek 2?) The more someone sees your brand, the more known it becomes. Make yourself or your company (preferably both) seen more than any of your competitors. Brand everything! Put out a consistent image on your emails, website, pens, paper, thank you notes, etc. Also, put your brand out in the community. Sponsor local charity events or networking sessions. Your brand is born when you are seen and scene.
2. Be Consistent. In my opinion, this is the most important aspect of branding. Offering a consistent experience and message to your customers, fans, and even haters builds the blocks of branding. Understanding that no matter how your customers find you, WHAT they find will be the same. Storefront = website = blog = Twitter = Facebook = advertisements = commercials = SAME brand!
Through visibility and consistency, a nameless brand can be built. I’m keeping my name and my title for now, but I’m working toward the day when I’ll have a nameless brand. When will you start building yours?
Want to see the evolution of the nameless Starbucks logo? Find it on my Facebook page.
I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
Starbucks released that they have performed a face-lift on their logo and dropped the printed "Starbucks Coffee." GASP! I couldn’t believe it. I thought, "Please don’t change the green color too!" I was relieved to find out that they won’t revert back to the 70’s brown. I mean, green is the new black and it’s staying.
The news of the new Starbucks logo is huge. This is recognition that you have hit the brand jackpot. This is the status. This is where your logo becomes bigger than your name. Your brand has arrived when you can go nameless.
So, are you nameless? Probably not. I’m not - or at least not yet. But isn’t that the ultimate goal of branding? To have an image so prominent that you need no name, need no introduction - only a logo. A golden arch, an apple, or a swoosh.
What are you currently doing to promote your brand? What are you doing to elevate to a level where everyone knows who you are without a name?
Maybe you should try doing what Starbucks has mastered. There are two major factors that have catapulted Starbucks to the nameless level:
1. Be Most Visible. Branding is equivalent to visibility. Starbucks is so visible that they are the butt of many jokes. (Have you seen Shrek 2?) The more someone sees your brand, the more known it becomes. Make yourself or your company (preferably both) seen more than any of your competitors. Brand everything! Put out a consistent image on your emails, website, pens, paper, thank you notes, etc. Also, put your brand out in the community. Sponsor local charity events or networking sessions. Your brand is born when you are seen and scene.
2. Be Consistent. In my opinion, this is the most important aspect of branding. Offering a consistent experience and message to your customers, fans, and even haters builds the blocks of branding. Understanding that no matter how your customers find you, WHAT they find will be the same. Storefront = website = blog = Twitter = Facebook = advertisements = commercials = SAME brand!
Through visibility and consistency, a nameless brand can be built. I’m keeping my name and my title for now, but I’m working toward the day when I’ll have a nameless brand. When will you start building yours?
Want to see the evolution of the nameless Starbucks logo? Find it on my Facebook page.
I’m your Double-Tall, Non-Fat, No-Whip Sales Barista. How may I help you help yourself?
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