Here are 6 Ways to B-E Productive with your Business Marketing:

1. BE Yourself:
Natural is more profitable than synthetic. Regardless of the economy of organic products, all natural, low fat, 100% etc., additives that aren’t inherent are not good for you and aren’t good for your business in the long run. Watering down your product or service, adding fillers to your customer service, cheapening your employee relations, may look good in the short run, but long term these shortcuts will cost your business. Natural flows and is easy to maintain. When developing your branding, don’t try to be something that you’re not, and don’t bite off more than you can chew.

2. BE Involved:
Be the company that’s buzzed about by getting involved around town: at your local Chamber of Commerce, Business Association, Volunteer and Civic Groups, Churches, Schools… etc. By being active in your community, you make it easy for people to recognize you, talk about you, and become interested in your business, products and services – then when a need arises, you’re the first person on their minds.

3. BE Heard:
Get social and get to sharing the expertise you have gained over the years as an student, employee, entrepreneur, volunteer, etc. By sharing your stories, your experiences and your knowledge on your own website by use of a blog, and on social media websites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, etc. you not only build inbound links to your website, you actively participate in the online community. Ask and answer questions, comment on other blog posts, share insight with readers through your own blog. And lastly, but very important, write and share articles on article websites keeping a short, descriptive, keyword rich bio with a link back to your website intact. Re-purpose content and cross-link your content for the most effective use of your info.

4. BE Prepared:
Create your unique selling proposition (position, or point), your “head & shoulders” above the rest benefit. Think through, write down, edit, rethink, rework, and refine your point of difference, your competitive advantage and put it to words in both a 30 and 60 second introduction so when people ask you what you do, you can be prepared to get their attention. Of course, it’s not all about you, so always be prepared and ready to ask questions of people that you meet. Getting others in business to talk about themselves helps you to realize their pains and provide them with solutions. Be prepared to answer questions about your business in short, cognitive ways that make for good conversation.

5. BE Presentable:
Always be professional. Always check your humor at the door of a business meeting. Always yield the floor when asked. Always use your manners (and if you don’t have any, BORROW SOME). Make your appearances appear in line with your brand.

6. BE Price Aware:
Perception is key – yours about your product or service/your prospects about the value you provide.  Do some market research, compare brands, prices, availability between your brand and others in the same market. Ask questions of your current customers and clients to determine what makes your brand stand out in their minds, and hope their answer is not PRICE alone. Competing solely on price is for commodities only! Make your product and service stand out and you’ll be able to compete on perceived value, not bottom line.

Wondering what that teenager did all summer  now that school is back in session?  After hearing all the ways to B.E. Productive in the real world, what would you have done all summer?

Now with the onrush of Social Media, there’s a new twist and an even better communication method that wasn’t really prevalent in late 2008.  Tie in #1-#8 above to Social Media networks like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Answers, and you have a whole new way to reach prospects.

Here are 6 new considerations:
1. Give something for nothing. Chuck Flagg of Cruise Holidays – The Flagg Agency hits it right on the head with his post “You Want Me to Give Away What?”. Read it here. The point is, that you need to share your expertise, or no one will ever know you have a clue as to what you’re talking about. It’s like giving out samples at the grocery store.

2. You will be most effective when your motives for sharing are genuine. Of course, you expect a return, but if you go into it with that as the sole motivation above helping people, you’ll defeat the whole purpose. Put others first, and you’ll find the results surprising.

3. People buy from those they know, like and trust. Get people to know you, be like-able, and be honest. Trust will build and in the end, dollars will flow. You’ll need to open up, be transparent and share things that you may at first feel are too personal, too proprietary, or too valuable. Remember, you gotta spend money to make money. Time is money, and building relationships takes time.

4. How much is too much? Well, the bikini reference Chuck makes in his blog post (see #1 above) may be too much for you. You may feel more comfortable in board shorts or a one piece skirted number. The point is that you know how your business operates and you can only be the judge of what can be found via a Google search, and what cannot. If you’re a professional, experienced in your field, you certainly have something to offer that others don’t. The trick here is to make them aware of what you have to offer without revealing all the cards in your hand.

5. Use the tools. Yesterday we posted information about how Social Media Marketing is another tool. Communication methods come and go, and the bottom line is that the deal is done between two people. How you forge that relationship is almost irrelevant once you shake and dollars are exchanged (of course, at I2D, we insist you track every customer you can to see where they come!).

6. Content is still KING! Filling your blog, writing articles, Tweeting tips, Sharing on Facebook, and Answering questions on LinkedIn are all great content boosters. Google LOVES your content, and your readers, visitors, friends, followers, and connections will all benefit. In the end… so will you.

Expert-status and the associated promotion of your business are really just by-products of the efforts you put into educating others. Call Inspired 2 Design to add knowledge to your marketing mix – if you don’t like to write, research or speak, we can help!

So what is reputation management? And how does a business owner go about managing their reputation? First, let’s not confuse this topic with brand development. While the two topics are related, they’re really not the same. Brand development and maintenance is more about what you say about yourself to give the audience an experience. Reputation management has to do with what that audience is saying about you – to your face, and behind your back.

Hopefully, if your branding and marketing is on track, there’s someone out there talking about your business, your product, service, your employees… or you. What are they saying? How do you find out what’s being said? Are they praising or cursing you? and How do you counter negative buzz?

Thanks to the power of the Internet, and more specifically, social networking, your hard-earned reputation can be boosted by a satisfied customer, content employee, or wowed vendor, or it can be blasted by a disgruntled employee, upset customer, even a competitor, and the news can go around the planet in a matter of minutes… Tweet Tweet!

The type of buzz it takes to launch a new product or service successfully can now be done in a fraction of the time it used to take (and at a fraction of the cost) simply through praise reports on blogs, forums and reviews. It could also go the other way – crashing and burning before launch. Hence the need for Reputation Managment!

So how do you know who’s saying what to whom, and how can you make a difference?

The first thing you need to do is “jump in the pool” (as Lisa Murad, Maxsell Real Estate, might say). You have to get into the social media pool, get online and track what others are saying.

To be notified when a blog or other spidered page mentions your name, stay alert!  Take a few minutes and sign up for email alerts using the keywords you’re interested in hearing the buzz about (your company name, your name, your competitors name… etc… on Google and Yahoo!

Sign up for Twitter, LinkedIn and FaceBook, and start making friends (or catch up with some old ones). Join groups, make recommendations, reviews and ask for the same from satisfied clients. Managing your reputation is as important as ever, and the tools you need to manage well are available if you know where to look. Inspired 2 Design can help – contact us for more information.

1. Be EEE-Z.
Easy to say. Easy to spell. Easy to remember.

2. Accentuate the Positive.
Just don’t use negatives.

3. Check the dot-com.
Is it available?

4. Don’t insult anyone.
If it’s even a remote chance, don’t.

5. Don’t be narrow-minded.
Keep the name broad for future growth.

6. Cute doesn’t sell everything.
It doesn’t have to rhyme, but should be clever.

7. Check Legalities.
Can you get federal trademark protection?

8. Opinions?
NOT! Resist the urge to ask for votes from friends and relatives.

9. Tools?
YES. Use online thesaurus, dictionaries, word lists, and keyword tools.

10. Make it last.
Your name is important to the success of your product, service, or company. Plan on keeping it for a long time as you develop your personal or business brand identity and watch it come alive if you’ve captured the essence of your company’s personality.

Get your name right the first time, rebranding is a difficult and painful process that can set you back months or years. Take the time to research, concept, test, concept, test. Decide!
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Here is some food for thought:

1. Noise reduction.
Today’s environment may actually cause your small campaign to sound big due to the reduced noise level from other businesses. Take advantage of your competitive advantage during these times.

2. Your plan.
If you have a marketing plan, stick with it. Trends are just that, and the tide comes back in after it’s been out. Your long range goals are still attainable, so don’t throw in the towel just yet. Be persistent, and consistent – your clients expect and deserve as much.

3. Value matters.
Nothing new here. You’ve heard marketing 101 – don’t compete on price alone. Provide clients and customers with a value beyond price, a tangible one at that, and you’ll produce results – time and time again. Today more than ever, consumers and business owners are looking for the most bang for their buck. Value delivers.

4. Resist the urge.
… to change. Do NOT cut corners to save time and resources. Now is not the time to deliver less for more, or the same for more. Tighten the belt, gulp, swallow and breathe in, cause reducing quality or quantity will hurt your brand and your business long term.

5. Be true.
To your brand. If you’ve developed your brand wisely, according to the core values of your company, according to what you can truly deliver and the very reason for your business’ existence, then your brand is all you have in the end. Think of it as your reputation, your integrity. Shouldn’t that be the last thing you sacrifice – if at all?

Just some snack ideas for business owners to chomp on. Here’s a thought, instead of reading the news, read a blog, start to Twitter, or create a Facebook or LinkedIn profile and make your day productive!

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As we discussed, your Sub-brand or Personal brand is a booster when you are competing locally with others in your same industry, and it’s a downright necessity when competing with others who represent your same company brand. Salespeople, independent agents and oftentimes franchisees are all in need of personal branding. If you have not developed a brand for you, then what will set you apart from the rest?

There is a definitive set of strategies involved in creating a personal brand, not unlike those required to develop a corporate brand image. You must define your competitive edge with your target market, then position yourself where you are irresistible to that audience. Those strategies include:

1. Specialize – you can offer similar products and services, but find the most desirable, and become the expert in that specialty. Exploit and command that area.

2. Service – develop your customer service policies to exceed any already in use in the marketplace. The buzz you create will be so much more valuable than most any form of marketing.

3. Sincerity – be who you say you are. Maintain integrity regardless.

4. Spotlight – be visible: socially and professionally. Let your potential market see your personality as consistent whether at work or at play.

5. Substance – regardless of the image you portray, you must offer customers substantial value and substance in your products and services. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but probably not a thousand bucks! Make sure there’s meat with the meal and offer something real.

Sub-branding is critical for some, a luxury for others, and to some degree, necessary for most. Call on Inspired 2 Design for all your brand development needs – contact us today.

Well… not exactly.

First off, keep in mind that the economic troubles facing the U.S. and the world are not selective. The big guys are feeling the crunch as much (and in some cases) even more than small businesses. Look at major companies like Circuit City and Linens N Things, or legacy brands like Waterford and Macy’s, these giants are closing doors faster than NY cabbies. But we’re not talking about failing companies. This post is meant to highlight top performers and the golden ticket they represent.

If you sell a commodity like gold, and all else is equal – quality, style and price, what sets you apart from the gold seller next door? Gold is gold right. Coke is coke, and Nike is Nike. And if you sell insurance, legal advice, or … garbage pickup for that matter …services that are pretty equal across the board within the same brand… your basically set — especially if you’re selling a nationally well-known, established and trusted brand name service. Take Allstate for example. If I sell Allstate insurance I have the backing of a major corporation with millions in assets, a heck of a spokesperson,  and a slogan that’s known to 93% of U.S. households. So for my business, I’m set… or so one might believe.

Let’s consider what happens to the Allstate salesman. First he’s got competition from other well-known and trusted companies – say State Farm, and Liberty Mutual. Then he has competition from new players with slick ads like Geico and Progressive. He can likely compete on price, services, coverage, backing, add-ons, payment plans, etc with these other companies and still make money. After all, this is Allstate for crying out loud!

So, where are we going with all this…? Think about the famous words of Jesus… a house divided against itself must fall… makes sense right? While Mr. Allstate was busy competing and winning against the other insurance companies out there, another Allstate agent moved in close to his territory. And then folks from his city moved away, and others moved in, and they already had their own Mr. Allstate. They’re all offering the same product, price, guarantee and peace of mind… You’re in good hands with Allstate… not with Joey Jones… so how does the individual business person separate himself and stand out when all else is equal…?

In a word … sub-branding.

To be continued later in the week.

1. Feel it needs some updating (Coca-Cola, Walmart, Starbucks etc.) all have updated their logo to keep up with the times and trends, or

2. Never received all the files you needed from your designer (you need an .eps file and a high res jpg at the very least), or

3. Created the logo yourself, and really always planned to have a professional one designed, or

4. Don’t have a logo mark or slogan/tagline to brand your company…

Now may be just the time to take care of issues like these. Your company, no matter how big or how small, will benefit from creating, nurturing, and promoting a brand identity. If you aren’t using your logo on EVERYTHING you put out there…you’re missing out. Inspired 2 Design can help you get your existing logo updated, formatted, and polished for use in putting your company’s best face forward.

And if you have a logo and haven’t had it federally protected under U.S. Copyright law… contact Brad Crose at Crose Law. He’s an attorney who specializes in trademarks, copyrights and patents.

The AP story reported that Phelps is expecting $100 million in endorsement money over his lifetime. Wow! So how does he make this happen in the reality of these three points:
1. Point one – the Olympics only come but once every four years.
2. Point two – swimming is not typically a sport that’s in the mainstream like say… golf, baseball, basketball etc.
3. Point three – will he be swimming in 2012, or has he peaked?
These points are basically the challenges for the marketing guy. How does Michael Phelps capitalize on his current fame while spreading it out over the top brands, and make it last?

We all suffer from the same challenges as Michael Phelps. And although it’s unlikely we’ll see our businesses on 10 million Kelloggs cereal boxes, the basics are still the same:

1. Don’t jump at every opportunity to advertise, not every one is right for your brand or your target.
2. Go beyond the superficial and the traditional when looking for chances to build your brand.
3. Take advantage of the latest trends, technology and buzz.
4. Get involved in activities that go deeper than just advertising, like charity and volunteer work.

Your company name should be both simple, and memorable; but most importantly, should be unique to your business or product. The shorter the better, in fact. These days, you must also consider matching your company name to a website URL for ease of locating you online, and for brand recognition and consistency. Check the names you’re considering online to see if the .com is available. Second to .com is .net.

You may also want to consult an attorney at this point to research the availability and uniqueness of your choice and to copy protect your intellectual property by filing a trademark registration with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office.

Avoid at all costs, names that have particular meaning to you, and you alone. By no means should you need to explain what your name means or how to pronounce it. Make your name easy to pronounce, and totally recognizable as uniquely you.

Branding is critical to companies who want to succeed in their industry by gaining an edge over the competition. Developing and maintaining a powerful brand allows a you to gain market share, and helps to deter price wars as a distinction between products and services.

Building your brand is essential for the success of businesses big and small, and it all starts with a little name calling. Inspired 2 Design can help you start up your business with an identity that fits your style, your goals and your budget.