What does inspiration mean to you? A stroll around Pinterest

What inspires you? And not just what, but in which form? Is it words, photos, paintings, people, acts of human kindness? Do you look for different types of inspiration for your work versus for your life? I decided to do a search of “Inspiration” on Pinterest, the newest social media phenomenon sweeping the world. It’s essentially where […]

Watching the death- and birth – of customer loyalty (Part 2)

Last week, I gave you the scoop on five steps to avoid if you don’t want to turn loyal customers into a band of  torch-and-pitchfork bearing villagers. I’d say that we can all agree that is something to be avoided, no? Part 2 is all about a magical experience we had in Spain, what this […]

Two Tips for Saving Your Marketing Sanity

Welcome to the inaugural Slice of Advice column! This is where I take your questions and give you back answers on all things business, marketing, or branding (or, for fun, anything wine, food, or film-related) If I don’t know the answer, I’ll find someone in my network who does. So drop your Q’s to info@red-slice […]

A high-end dive? Uneeda Burger

I’m constantly amazed at how successful restaurants use brand experience to tell a story with everything they have: decor, menu, design, staff. Many of them really get it.  I mean, you can get a hamburger nearly anywhere these days, but Uneeda Burger in Seattle’s Fremont neighborhood creates a welcome experience of a “premium roadside burger shack” that […]

Widows, Champagne and Entrepreneurship: Learn from Veuve Clicquot

If you think small, family-owned businesses have it rough right now, step into Veuve Clicquot’s (The Widow Clicquot’s) shoes in this dynamic book, The Widow Clicquot: The Story of a Champagne Empire and the Woman Who Ruled It. Talk about an “entrepreness” with moxie to spare.

Any Open Letter to restaurants: Stop tarnishing your brand at Valentine’s Day

Oh, how I wish there was a forum to send a message to every restaurant owner in the country and know it would get read. Just like my open letter to business owners, this one goes out to any restaurant, bar, or eatery that serves us on Valentine’s Day. STOP. TARNISHING. YOUR. BRAND. We all […]

Are you ready for a Big Turn Off?

Yes, I know. We normally ask for people, places and things to turn us on, ignite our creativity, spark our inner muse.  But good friend of Red Slice and Guru of New Sarah Browne just unplugged and regained some sanity on her recent trip to Alaska. I loved what she had to say in this […]

Brand at work: How DRY Soda’s brand has evolved

Here’s a peek at a case study that will be featured in my upcoming book, Branding Basics for Small Business, due out this Spring/Summer: A strong brand strategy does not remain stagnant; it can evolve to adapt to changing demands and dynamics while still staying close to its roots. Sharelle Klaus, Founder and CEO of […]

How to reply to a PR query- and how not to

Many small biz owners and marketing pros use  HARO – Help A Reporter Out – for free media queries. It’s DIY PR, served up in 3 daily emails.  But listen up, people: as with everything DIY, you must “do it right” to get results. And many folks do not. Having seen the other side of […]

Marketing Tools, Advice and Real Ideas You Can Use

Promo time: Seattle business owners, there are a few spots still left for our Oct 28 workshop, Ignite Your Marketing. Forget the fluff and hype: Whitney Keyes and I provide real, actionable, easy marketing advice that will save you thousands of dollars of time and money – and will increase visibility, press and sales for […]