Creating Sustainability in Marketing and Branding

Green Sea Turtles
Originally uploaded by davidagalvan

The word “sustainability” has become a strong new buzzword the last year or so. I’m seeing it in the green movement, business models and even in executing a marketing plan

After creating a marketing plan — you know a little strategy about who you want to attract, what you want to communicate, what action you want them to take and then all the little action steps of the tactics — sustaining the efforts can sometimes feel like more than you bargained for.

Finishing the new webpage, writing the next press release, updating the prospect database, finding the right trade show — all the steps take time but mostly take perseverance.

Figure out a way to help yourself and your staff take those steps to make marketing part of your everyday routines. Sustainability. Sticking with it for the long haul, even when you get distracted, don’t feel like, aren’t sure if it’s the right course or just feel discouraged.

To establish your brand and keep your branding in top of mind with your potential audience, you’ve got to continue to execute. We live in a world where yesterday’s news is seems so much older now… now with instant Twitter communication, AIM, and Texting, even email seems like old news.

In order not to burn out, remember the turtle and the rabbit (okay, an updated version of the tortoise and the hare) it’s not the fastest, it’s the most consistent routines that will win the race.

SOB Con '08 at the Orb!

SOB Con '08 at the Orb!
Originally uploaded by cmcbrown

SOB Con '08 at the Orb on Friday May 2nd before the boat ride.

(Back left to right) Stephen Smith, Erik Potter, Susan Quandt, Tim Johnson

(front left to right) Chris Brown, Stephen Hopson, Phil Gerbyshak

Great Content and Even Better Meet Ups

I'm at SOBCon '08 in Chicago this weekend and have met some amazing people!

The session Saturday was so packed full of ideas that inspired me and lightbulb moments that my brain was numb by the close of the session.

Some highlights:

Brian Clark of Copyblogger.com:

• "People ignore advertising, but look for content."
• "The word blog will fade into the background"
• Not a journalist, I'm an entrepreneur and marketer
• It's about the right product/service, to the right audience with the right price offer.
• No one will link to offer sites. Use your blog to create the authority site as the hub and build the niche of content that will attract the audience.
• Carve a tight niche out of a huge audience. His example: blogging and internet marketing is huge. He has carved out copywriting.
• Use your pages to for creating an offer.
• Don't sell banner ads on your site, banner ads don't convert, but just gives the advertiser branding -- make people pay to be in your sidebar.

Chris Garrett from Chrisg.com and co author of ProBlogger with Darren Rowse -- He offered great practical ideas for working your writing:

• Mind mapping your ideas.
• Keep a blogging notebook - he suggests a moleskin. Especially great for commuting. Jot down ideas wherever you are or you'll lose the idea
• "A really good question is better than a really good statement!" If you say everything there is to be said, no one will have anything to add to the conversation.
• Revisit topics over and over again, don't be afraid to repeat yourself but add a new perspective. Revisit your old posts and look at it from a slightly different way.
• He had great visuals which I'll add when I get back home (writing from the hotel right now) but he forgot to brand his slides with his logo, URL and phone number.
• Liked his Rubber Ducking principle if you have to write quickly: Hold the rubber duck in your hand and say: I want to write a post about ___________ and this is important because 1_______, 2________ and 3________. Of course the duck doesn't answer, but now you write what you told the duck.
• He inspired the 5 minute post writing

Marketing and Branding Books to Review

One great thing about having a popular branding and marketing blog is getting branding and marketing books to read and review.

I'm behind in my reading -- I've jumped in and starting reading/skimming each of these, but not ready to write the reviews quite yet.

Branding & Marketing Still Tops in the Google Search

Although I moved this blog to http://brandandmarket.com/ in January, the blogspot version continues to come up extremely high in the search engines। Perhaps because blogger is a subset of Google. Perhaps because I transferred all my 500 old posts to the new blog and Google saw the new blog as a copy?

I turned off the Settings that told Google to crawl this blog, but for some reason, Google loves this one!

Each day I learn a little more about WordPress. It's much much more powerful than Blogger with lots of options. But also much much more complicated. Today I was trying to learn how to create a sitemap of my wordpress blog. Got about 1/2 way thru and decided just to do a blog post.

If you continue to read in this blog, you're missing some great branding and marketing content that is posted over at Branding & Marketing.

Top Branding & Marketing blog

Even after I have moved this blog to http://brandandmarket.com at its own domain, this blog continues to have top ranking by some ranking sites.

See updated content at our new Branding & Marketing location!

What's Your One Word... One Color?

What's the significance of these colors?

Quick – who stands for:

Change
Experience

For the answer, check out Branding & Marketing's new home.

What's your Digital Brand?

This blog has moved, read more at Branding & Marketing

What’s My Line? Tag Lines that Work

Simple marketing tag lines/headlines stay with us. The longer and more complicated the message, the more difficult it is to communicate. I believe the longer they are, the... read the rest at the new location

Be Prepared. Plan for Trouble. Watch your Marketing Results Improve.

The weather – tornados and avalanches across the country – has dominated the news this morning. We’ve had so much rain here in NE Ohio, many people are dealing with floods.

Being prepared and knowing what to do makes a huge difference to the getting through it and the resulting outcome.

There’s a real analogy here with business. We've moved... Read the story at Branding & Marketing: Be Prepared. Plan for Trouble. Watch your Marketing Results Improve.

Word of Mouth is the Best Marketing

Beyond all the fancy marketing techniques of SEO and Web2.0, all the competitive analysis and regression plotting...

read the rest of this post at the new home of Branding & Marketing.

Increasing the Brand Value of Your Business

Does your company work at increasing brand value?

• Do you consistently and repeatedly communicate your message like a mantra?
• Are you consistent in the use of the style of your logo? (don’t change colors, shape or style on a whim)
• Do your customers get what they expect? Or do you often hear things like: “Oh, I didn’t know that’s what you guys did.”

After watching the commercials at the ...

Read the rest at: Increasing the Brand Value of your Business at Branding & Marketing's new address.

Artful Messages - Using Objects as Graphic Design Elements

There are several message generating websites that can help you deliver a message with a unique twist.

More at Branding & Marketing blog's new home:

Artful Messages - Using Objects as Graphic Design Elements


Please change your bookmarks and blogroll links.

This blog has moved to www.brandandmarket.com. Thanks!

Using Facebook to Network, Connect and Market Your Business

Facebook’s growing popularity seems to have stalled, but definitely leads that of LinkedIn... more at Branding & Marketing blog's new home: http://www.brandandmarket.com.

Two GREAT Viral Marketing Opportunities

If you are a marketer or a blog writer, you will be very interested in two viral opportunities that are available right now.

Read more at Branding & Marketing blog's new home. Here are the specific links: Age of Conversation and Best Marketing Secrets.

Visual Fun With Crosswalk Ads -- But Does it Brand?

Advertising has to get attention. These visuals are fun and attention getting, but I have to believe that they also are distracting to the drivers. MORE at Branding & Marketing.

What are your KPI's for your Marketing Program?

Do you use KPI's in your business?

Key Performance Indicators

What's a KPI? It's the number of things that you track that tells you that your business is ... read the rest at Branding & Marketing

Marketing with a Rising Tide: Going Green

bag at Flickr
by thingermejig

It seems everywhere I look "Going Green" is more than a popular trend, it's taken on a life of its own.

When selecting a marketing position for a product or company, I've always found that looking at popular trends helps to ...

more at Branding & Marketing's new home.

Call to Action -- the secret of the next step

Getting a prospect to move along the stairs from being aware of your company, knowing your products/services, matching a need they have to a product/service you provide and then overcoming any objections is where marketing and sales blend.

I think a crucial step... more

Marketing a Move to a New Location or a New Demographic

As most of my loyal readers know, I've moved the blog to http://www.brandandmarket.com/ and now I'm trying to move the traffic flow to the new address as well.

If you've ever tried to move your business or website or blog, you know that beyond trying to physically move, you've got to think like your customer to help them find you. Or in the case of a blog, think like the reader.

Here is a post that helps me think about moving my marketing with the generations:

Surprise: Age demographics of the USA by generation - As the generations age, that elusive 18-34 demographic thinks differently when faced with a different set of experiences. The Millenial generation at 78 million strong will have experienced 9/11, plastic money, the greening/global warming, the Clintons, IM and Internet as major imprinting during their adolescence. How differently should you market to this always moving demographic? They won't have land lines, but cell phones. They stay in touch via IM and Facebook, not email.

Luckily I'm not trying to change my demographic, just my location. I'm still trying to attract business professionals with an interest in branding and marketing. It's just that those business professionals may range from early 20's to late 70's, right?

If you don't mind revealing your age, please leave a comment with your age demographic. I'd like to take a survey of my readers.

Thanks!

Transition Marketing -- Making a Switch

Moving from Paper to Electronic...and moving from one electronic address to another electronic address is a challenge.

Transitioning readers, customers and potential customers is a real challenge for marketers. During a marketing committee breakfast meeting this week, we discussed how to send regular direct mail out to get the mailing list switched to an electronic email list.

The amount this non-profit organization spends in printing and especially postage is a major factor in the marketing budget. Switching everyone or many to electronic communication would amount to a huge savings. But there are challenges: like are the ones who don't get it electronically some of the most important volunteers and financial donors? What about the ones who do switch to the electronic versions, what about if our communication hits at a very busy time for them and they just hit the delete key?

Moving from one electronic medium to another is just as hard -- for instance this blog. Oh yeah, "top 5000 stats" from technorati, top 25 marketing blog in Viral Garden, top 150 by AdAge... these will all go away with the new blog and have to rebuild over time. Hopefully a short time, but definitely over time.

Today I'm switching the Feed over. Those of you who subscribe via feedburner will see the new site, rather than the old blogspot site when you read the feed. In theory, you won't have to do anything, but continue reading. Those who bookmark this site rather than use a feed, may have to re bookmark it. Those who got here from an old link, will have to click one more time to http://www.brandandmarket.com.

February 2009 is going to be a big switching month for marketers -- right!?! Isn't that when the digital channels all kick in and the folks who don't get cable or direct satellite TV find that their old antennas up on the roof don't do anything.

Maybe this whole area needs a name: Switch Marketing. Transition Marketing. Moving the channel, the feed, the audience. With the US Post Office, you've got NCOA - National Change of Address. With websites, you've got redirects.

Managing and marketing change is a skill with a lot of details and check lists. One thing for sure, it's a process where there will be some fallout.

Ever changed your email address? Phone number? Sometimes it is easier than other times.
Do you have any tips and tricks to smooth the transition?

Branding & Marketing has moved to www.brandandmarket.com

Branding & Marketing has moved from Blogspot to its own domain at Branding & Marketing.

My address is no longer http://www.brandandmarket.blogspot.com/ but rather http://www.brandandmarket.com/.

The change allows me to have more flexibility with comments, the template, prewriting posts for when I'm on vacation and a whole range of other big and little advantages.

Originally I went with blogspot because it was "easy" and I was just starting out. I thought because Google was behind it, Blogspot would have more and more

Over the almost 2 years I've been blogging I've been frustrated several times when I couldn't get Blogspot to do what I've seen in other blogs -- for example, separate pages for about me, blogroll and so on.

The last straw was when I found out blogspot wasn't allowing my readers to comment. One of my readers said they registered etc but for some reason blogspot was protecting me from their comments. With wordpress I have the option of using a spam blocker and can really moderate comments. I was about to try to install a halo plugin to have added comment flexibility like I saw in Robyn McMaster's "Brain Based Biz" but then I figured my time is better spent making the switch.

I've found that messing with the blogspot template was like trying to change your settings in AOL. Blogspot's template choices were already made for me, which was GREAT when I was starting, but grew increasingly more frustrating as I tried to go beyond. The whole thing has training wheels on it. Of course now I've created a ferrari when I'm still in the early stages, but it's to the point now where blogging at 2 places for the "same blog" is getting tedious.

I imagine my ranking will quickly drop on this blog and hopefully my new address is picked up quickly by my readers, technorati and google blog search.

To all of you wonderful bloggers who have my address bookmarked on your blog, please take a minute to delete the blogspot between the http://www.brandandmarket/ and the .com.

Thanks & see you at my new address!

Image courtesy of: Flickr creative commons Ahh Yeah.

Working through a "Refresh" -- Moving the blog to Wordpress

For anyone who has ever rebranded their business, moved their office, changed the name of their company or even just updated a website, the punch list of to-do's can be lengthy.

Several months ago I posted a to do checklist for changing a company's name. Today I'm posting a to do list for moving a blog from a "free" service onto your own domain.

I'm still tweaking the blog with a giant to do list. Although I've moved most of the posts from my blogger account of http://www.brandandmarket.blogspot.com/ onto http://www.brandandmarket.com/ as well as some of my blog roll, there is still tons to do before I'm really in business with the refresh. Here's my to do list:

• Figure out what software or platform you want to use. Judging from all the research I did, the choice was between WordPress and TypePad. WordPress won, but I think TypePad would be fine too.
• Select a host. Try to find one that plays well with the software you're going to use. Wordpress suggests several hosting companies that makes the job easier.
• Select the domain. Buy it.
• Set up a free domain at wordpress.com and first move the blogspot blog to there. Then move it to your new domain.
• Keep reading the posts about 1-2-3 how to move the blog. Lorelle of the Blog Herald has a very helpful one with lots of links
• Only a few of my photos are hosted on Flickr, so I have a lot of work still to do to move the photos from blogger
• Change all the internal links from pointing to the blogspot blog to the domain blog
• Find the right theme (not a template like in Blogger, Wordpress calls it a theme) I keep downloading versions, but I'll probably end up creating my own, sooner or later.
• Notify all my blogging buddies of the new address
• Get all the categories straighten around
• Delete the description from the blogger footer that ended up in every post
• Upload the new header
• Keep reading other blogs posts of what they did to make the move smooth
• Blog, blog, blog -- oh yeah! Don't forget to write some posts!

It's been a fun, but tortureous experience -- mostly because I'm not patient. I expect myself to know everything all at once. And then get it all done at once!!

What does your Marketing Program Need in 2008??

It's the beginning of a new year and you're ready to work on your marketing for 2008. But where to begin?

It's great to say, "I need a marketing plan that is orderly, well thought out and logical."

And I'll be the first to second the motion. Plans are crucial. But it's hard to get everything right and perfect before you even start marketing. Especially if you have a 9 month lead time for new customers and you're already in January looking at no new customers until September or October... even if you start right now. Yikes!

Since January is INVENTORY time, when many businesses start the year off by stepping back, taking stock and analyzing where they are, I thought that taking a marketing inventory this month would make sense.

Here's a tool that I call the Marketing Needs Analysis Checklist that you can download. It helps you take inventory of the marketing tools you have and which ones you think you'll need. It's also available at the Marketing Resources & Results website.

It can give you an idea of something to start on while you're planning the perfect marketing plan. Yes, you may have to go back and redo something because you got the cart before the horse, but it's better than never starting because you never got your plan perfect and in writing and all set before you started.

Procrastination is one of the biggest obstacles to success and I think procrastination is a result of trying to create perfection. "Perfection is the enemy of excellence" is a phrase I've heard repeated numerous times. At first it seems harsh, but when you think about it, doing some marketing is better than not doing any marketing because you're trying to get it perfect before you even start.

Special thanks to Eric Emch, our summer intern, for coming back during his Christmas break to do the layout for this checklist. He's a senior at Ohio State this year majoring in Design and Communications.

Happy New Year - 2008!

Resolutions and goals seem like twin sisters!

What are your branding & marketing goals for 2008?

Does your business have a written marketing plan that includes target market, message, media plan and measurement?

Is your branding message consistent -- both visually with the colors, logo, style and look along with the written message, reinforcing your mission, passion and rallying cry?

Are you using the technology to most effectively reach your market?

My short term goal is to get this blog moved to wordpress. Made more headway over the holiday. I'll let you know soon when it's time to look at the new domain.

Meanwhile! Happy 2008!

Why so few posts? Moving to WordPress

I've had several inquiries why I have been posting as much as usual. The straight answer is that I've been planning and working on my blog's move to its own domain in Wordpress.

Although many folks assured me how "easy" it is, I somehow can't get out of my own way. Probably because I want the cake and eat it too... not just a simple blog. And I'm trying to do it myself so I can learn and understand what I did and how I did it.

It's just I'm not as patient with myself as I am with other people (or maybe I'm just not patient period!!)

Anyway, I've been spending my "blogging time" researching and moving things, making mistakes and undoing things.

Some of the headway:
1) picking out a domain name
2) picking out a host
3) registering it
4) uploading (or is it downloading) Wordpress
5) Backing up the blog
6) Watching a couple videos from other people who did it (oh, so easily!! click click!)
7) Reading a bunch '0 posts explaining how bad & frustrating Blogger is compared to the ease and flexibility of WordPress. (yeah, right)
8) Setting up a database (why do I need a database again? and what's a SQL server?)
9) Trying to figure out what page I go to to log in. That's where I'm stuck now. Seems silly doesn't it? I'll figure it out in another 10 minutes.

Seems like every decision has ramifications... and by luck I guessed a few of them correctly. As a marketing person, I've stretched my IT language about as far as it goes and back again.

I reminds me of playing tuba in the marching band in college. I started playing tuba in high school because I went to a small school and most of the boys were on the football team and the ones who weren't mothers wouldn't let them play because people got hurt on our team. We were in the wrong division I think... Some seasons were zero wins and there were always kids carted off in the ambulance. In 7th grade, one boy died on the field. but I digress.

Anyway I played tuba in high school but never learned to play bass clef. I was actually a tenor sax/ bari sax player. So I watched everyone else's fingers and memorized the music, thinking treble clef all the time. Tuba is pretty easy, carrying it is the hard part!

In college it caught up with me. The squad leader was a music major. Worse, a tuba music major. And wow, he was so serious. I was having trouble getting by during marching band season. There was a group of us that were taking band for "fun" and I remember him shouting at us, "NO!! Major Triads! Major Triads!"

That's how I feel today when I read and re-read the "Easy Installations: 5-minute install" -- It's like someone shouting Major Triads! Like that is clear as mud.

Yesterday I walked away from the computer in disgust and watched people working out to lose weight on tv... while I was laying on the couch being a couch potato instead of going to the gym to work off some of the stress incurred from trying to switch to wordpress. Grumble, grumble.

I have been planning this switch since last May when I went to SOBCon '07. Or maybe planning is the right word, I just decided, I didn't really plan. And when I saw that Terry Starbucker switched just recently... and of course Matt Collier switched a long time ago. Well that sealed it. I'm pretty sure Robyn at Brain Based Biz is thinking about it if she hasn't already because she's got a different program doing her comments in blogger (I hate how no one can seem to leave comments without some special deal in blogger.) Maybe everyone else got help.

Ok. Enough rambling. Enough top of mind reminiscing.

Oh yeah. The guy that died on the field, it was a brain aneurysm... not really anything to do with football, but we were all traumatized for a long time. He was a senior -- a star player -- and I was a 7th grader & he sat across the table from me in study hall. They ended up naming the football field for him.

Happy new year.

Rebranding to help Marketing the Message

Rebranding efforts help companies communicate their message better. Here's an example of a new version of old product that has been refreshed and rebranded its offering for 2008:

1) Valassis, one of the major FSI couponing companies, markets its mailbox coupons under the shopwise brand. After the first of the year, they will rebrand their product and bring it to an on line portal site: RedPlum.com. According to ClickZ:

The site will contain product information, coupons and ads for local and nationwide businesses, many of which will be updated by widgets built into the site. Unlike other widgets, the RedPlum versions will have a limited ability to be grabbed and replicated on a consumers Web page or social network page.

Sounds like they'll be looking for some nice strong blogs to carry coupons too.

What I don't want to forget about 2007!

This past year was one of learning for me and I don't want to forget it's many lessons! Here are just 3 things I don't want to forget about 2007:

1) It's never to late to just jump in: I've heard this over and over this year. Just start where you are. You can begin in the middle. We're all in Beta. Everyone had their first time.

2) The only one standing in my way is me: I just have to remember to ask for help. This year I've learned more than ever to delegate and if I actually step back and let people do their job, they'll do a better job than I would. People want to help. It's hard to let go, but the results can multiply.

3) Time away helps to give better perspective: The last few years I've really be investing in the business and trying to get all the pieces in place to help it grow. That meant I hadn't taken a vacation in a while. My boardroom group helped me to realize a little space is a good thing and hoping on a plane to London gave me a whole different perspective. So much so that I took off in April and May to Chicago.

More end of the reflections to come... what do you want to make sure you remember about 2007??

The Warmth of Making a Difference

Drew reminds us of the difference the Age of Conversation book sales have made in his recent post

All the proceeds of this remarkable book were donated to Variety, the Children's Charity. Because we wanted the money to represent the international make up of our authors, we earmarked the money for one of Variety's programs, Lifeline.

Merry Christmas everyone!

David Airey Hacked?

Wow. Time to back up the blog and change all the passwords. If David Airey gets hacked, who is safe?

Practical Networking Etiquette Tips - Intro, Shake, Cards 101

Firm Grip & 2-3 Shakes
Flickr by oooh.oooh

When you network at an event do you try to sell everyone in the room on your services? Or are you on the shy side and prefer to talk to one or two people during the "mixer" time?

Here's some strategies that may help you -- and the others around you -- benefit more from the networking at business
events.

Try to move around the room and meet people in different areas of the room.

• Don't get into a deep conversation with the one person you already know -- that's not the point of a networking event.
• Limit your 30-second introduction to just that 30 seconds of your elevator pitch, commercial or what ever you want to call it. Don't spend 5 minutes telling someone about your business and forget to ask them what they do!
• Hand shake tips: the I See You Everywhere PR blog has some great tips on handshakes and introduction etiquette like:

"In terms of rank, clients are afforded higher status than your
colleagues, so address your client first and introduce your colleague to the client: “Ms. Top Client, I would like you to meet John Doe, the head of our litigation department.”

I've heard some recommendations of passing out at least 10 cards at an event. Or gathering at least 10 cards. I think it's better to focus on who YOU can help futher their business and look at networking as a reciprocating, team building type of event... rather than scoring goals. Networking usually builds over time.

One last word: in most probablility, the people you meet will not be a potential client. But they may know a potential client and be in a place to recommend your services. Your 30 second commercial/elevator pitch needs to be memorable, repeatable and compelling.

Have you worked on it lately??