Do you constantly say “yes” to all the wrong things, leaving you absolutely no time or energy when the right opportunities come along? If you’re an entrepreneur and you can’t relate to this, I’d love to meet you. We all worry about saying “no” to business, partnerships and even advertising opportunities. What if this is my one chance to attract a boatload of customers? What if this is the only … [Read more...]
What you can learn from Virgin America
OK, I have a major brand crush on Virgin America. Huge. I swoon when I see their logo at the airport, thrill when I’m able to fly them on quick trips down to San Francisco, and dream about hanging with Richard Branson over cocktails sometime. I talk about them a lot in my new book, Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget. There’s a lot you can learn … [Read more...]
Does anyone really care about “brand?”
No matter how many heads I get nodding about the importance of brand or how many people “get it,” I still feel like brand strategy is the “nice-to-have” while people get on with the business of selling products and services. And really, how can I fault a company that is successful in spite of itself? Many companies know they need to sit down and map out their brand strategy, but few make it a … [Read more...]
View your brand from the outside in
How does this DaVinci quote relate to your brand? “Every now and then go away and have a little relaxation. To remain constantly at work will diminish your judgment.Go some distance away because work will be in perspective and a lack of harmony is more readily seen.” (Leonardo DaVinci) While I love this quote for its important lesson about balancing work and play (yes, talking to you, Mr. “Look … [Read more...]
Ask the Expert: What’s your brand promise and what is it wearing?
Forget the hype of marketing alternatives swirling about you. It’s all about the fundamentals, regardless of which channel you use to broadcast your message. There is indeed a reason that Snuggies sell so well, as you will learn below. One of my favorite people in the world, and the man who teaches me so much about branding and advertising, is Scott Montgomery. Scott is Principal and Executive … [Read more...]
Well, hello there, Rockstar!