| |
| |
|
Branding Information |
|
|
|
Its Time For Some Steak
Recently, I was reviewing our website statistics. One of the sites that had a link to mine caught me by surprise. Since this is a family publication, I won't include the name of the website. But, let's just say it contains a four-letter word that people do not use in most business circles. The website was basically a bulletin board for people to rant about other companies. The posting about my website started out with the subject, 'Is this website just a little too slick?' The postings went on to say that my website had a lot of sizzle, but no steak. My first thought was, 'How dare they say something so rude after I worked so hard on my site. Are they trying to say that my business has no substance? They know nothing about me and what I do. I can't believe they would attack MY business image.' You see, those of you who have met me know that I am a small business image consultant. I work on everything from customer service to documentation and training. Basically, all the behind-the-scenes things that affect the business image. How could MY website have a bad image? Then I took a step back. And, with a huge gulp of reluctance, I admitted to myself that they were right. Earlier that week, I had started to redefine my business services. Small business image consulting no longer 'fit' the real me. And somehow that was showing through on my website. It WAS a bit too slick. It was not getting to the essence of what I wanted to say. Instead of just changing my website, I decided to take on a more important endeavor. I took a look at my identity and my brand. I found this amazing book called Make A Name For Yourself by Robin Fisher Roffer. This was the wake-up call that I needed. After pouring over the book, I began to get in touch with my natural gifts. While documentation has always been a part of my business, it wasn't the part that I 'played up' at networking meetings. Small business image consulting sounded exotic and sexy. It got people talking about customer service and the importance of it. It got me speaking engagements. It got me lots of press. This was all of the sizzle that they mentioned on that bulletin board. But, it didn't get me what I needed most. The steak - more phone calls and emails requesting my services, and ultimately, more satisfaction. I decided to put my writing services in the forefront. In addition to my technical writing, I now specialize in lengthy documentation and press releases. The process of redefining my business was a scary one. All these feelings of fear and inadequacy appeared. I started to wonder what people would think of the change. Would they think that this was bad for my business image? Then, I started to wonder how many other business owners are just offering what sounds good. How many of them aren't expressing their natural gifts through their business. How many are afraid to make a change? None of us should be afraid to redefine our services or to create a brand where there wasn't one before. Now I am more secure in what I do. I am true to myself, my passion, and my gifts. It's a freedom and a liberation that I've never felt before. My services no longer have an exotic and sexy sound to them. But, at least now I can offer the sizzle AND the steak. --- Leila Johnson owns Johnson Solutions Group in Rio Rancho, NM. She acts as Your Virtual Documentation Department. Leila is a versatile writer who works with those small businesses that don't have the time or expertise to handle their documentation. Leila can be reached at 505-896-9379 or through her "new and improved" website at http://www.johnsongroups.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Branding - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How to Create Your Own Mail Order Products Pick up almost any book or report on Mailorder Selling andinvariably you will find the same advice. When you select amailorder product, select one which: - appeals to a large segment of the population- is not readily available in stores- is easy to ship by mail- is worthwhile- and a product that lends itself to repeat orders Most mail order writers will also tell you to try to acquireexclusive selling rights to your product. John Deere and NASCAR; Excellent Use of Brand We should all recognize the marketing efforts of John Deere especially as we have spoken before with regards to their TOYS. They have a complete line of nearly every tractor or agricultural attachment they make available in small, micro size. Choosing the Right Color Palette Color is a highly personal experience - everyone has favorite colors, and other colors that they absolutely don't like. So, how do you determine which colors that will work for your business identity, and that will send the right message to?We have developed several methods and approaches for determining successful color palettes. Do What Works "Can you hear me now?"You'd be hard pressed to find someone in the US who doesn't know the company behind that question.So why do big companies, like Verizon, hammer us with the same message over and over? Because it works. Picking The Design Company Which Is Right For You So you've decided to go for it-you're ready to choose a design company to create your logo and other marketing materials. It seems easy enough. Brand Image - Brand Identity Guru Having a brand image is not a "have or have not" proposition. Everyone has one. Multi-Brand Franchises in the QSR Sector Well not everyone is aware that McDonalds also owns several other bands such as Boston Markets; 650 stores in 23 states, Chipotle Mexican Grill; 230 stores in 10 states, Donato's Pizza 200 stores in 10 states, Pret a Manager 140 stores in 4 countries, Fazoli's 400 units in 32 states and two countries. Of this the company derives 2 Billion in annual sales, this is not even counting McDonalds. Branding Services - Brand Identity Guru Branding Services is a tactic that marketing executives and managers should not only understand, but also employ. Branding services helps your company clearly position your company over your competition by branding your product/service in the minds of your target markets. The Face of Your Business, Part I When we initially started our businesses, we had to decide how we were going to market ourselves. Kind of an obvious statement - every business has to do that. Getting Started in the Mail Order Business. How Much Does It Cost? INTRODUCTION To get any business started successfully takes many ingredients. All requirements fall into one of the following four key categories: 1. Importance of Business Branding Branding is very important to a business, whether it is an online or offline business. Your brand will be the first impression the public has of your business and could very well be the most important one. Branding: Bring Back the Jingle! Did you grow up in the '70s and '80s? If so, you probably have a slew of campy jingles from various TV commercials filed away in your brain. Today, advertisers still use jingles to help identify their brand, but not nearly as much as they did "back in the day. Putting You and Your Company in Position to Own Your Market Americans have always liked their coffee hot. But then Starbucks made hot coffee desirable, in demand, and extraordinarily profitable. What Make Us Unique and Different Starting a business can take a lot of time, money, and energy. And because we don't want to completely re-invent the wheel, we often want to copy (legally) other techniques, strategies or processes used by others. FTC Reviews The Franchise Rule After more than a decade since the last attempt to update the 1970's Franchise Rule The Federal Trade Commission is at it again. May I ask why we are looking at reviewing these rules for franchising, where no problems exist? Why we are looking to tighten up ambiguities, which over time have occurred in this sector, when we should be dismantling the over regulations choking the industry? Why we are trying make rules upon rules, where no rules are needed since no problem really exits? Why can't we use the red magic marker approach and start drawing lines thru massive amount meaningless dribble required in these disclosure documents?Let me explain this philosophical thought for a moment. Don't Get Caught In the Trap: The BIG Difference Between Personal and Business Branding When you're all alone in the privacy of your home office, surrounded by your computer, your phone and your business idea, have you ever asked yourself, "Where's the line between me in my business and the business in me"?With hundreds of thousands of home-based businesses starting every year, and few ever flourishing, the topic of branding has become hot, hot, hot. And thanks to experts touting the need for a personal brand in sole proprietor businesses the confusion is growing. Brand Boring or Brand Buzz? I heard an advertisement on the radio the other day that surprised me, not because they were saying anything noteworthy, but because it was so banal. It was a national company's ad. Business Case Study Automotive Detailing Franchise Company How do automotive detailing companies start? What makes them work and how do they grow? How do they choose which services they will offer? This is an interesting case study about a test market of a franchise company in the cleaning business and how they went about setting up Auto Detailing Shops. It maybe of interest to your business study and research; I am familiar with this story because it is one of the companies that I founded. Santa - The Brand Every Christmas Eve, a burglar named Santa busts into homes around the world, but he has never been charged with B&E. He has one of the best, most positive brands around and it continues to inoculate him against any hint of impropriety, as it has for generations. Simple Risk Reversal Formula Will Send Your Sales Into Space (1 of 2) Make A Bold Promise Then Back It Up With An Awesome GuaranteeOnce you know what problem you, your service or your business can solve or what genuine benefit you can deliver then guarantee it!A bold promise backed up with an awesome guarantee:* Enables You To Significantly Raise Your Price* Gives You A Genuine Differentiator* Increases Sales and Commitment* Demonstrates Rock-Solid Certainty In Your Abilities - People Find This Confidence Very AttractiveIf you don't currently guarantee what you do then I bet it's down to one of these three things..
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
