Archive for the ‘Grow Your Business’ Category
Case Study: BrandingAndWebsites.com
On New Year’s Day, I resolved that 2013 would be my LEAP Year! By teaming with small business owners for 8 years, I have “cracked the code” on micro-biz branding. My goal is to step up as the Thought Leader on branding for solopreneurs.
The first order of business?
My website needed a significant update and facelift.
To ensure a solid foundation – or a launchpad! – I stepped through my Nail Your Brand™ system, just as I do when guiding clients to clarify their brand.
Here are my Brand Elements™
MY NAME & TITLE
Before: Patrice Rhoades-Baum, Branding & Website Expert
After: Patrice Rhoades-Baum, Marketing Consultant & Branding Expert
TAGLINE
Before: Let Your Expertise Shine!™
After: Shine as an Expert. Step up as a Thought Leader.™
MY PHOTO
Before & After:
The result?
Yours truly believes this new website is more strategic, on-target and dynamic, thanks to starting with a clear brand. What do you think? CLICK TO VISIT.
MY WEBSITE
Before & After:
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Cats don’t “roll with the punches” – but small business owners can!
When we evacuated during the Waldo Canyon Fire last year, we packed up a lot of stuff, including shoving poor Cosmo Cat into his carrier!
Homeless for a short while, we gratefully moved into Terry and Laurie’s house. Life was extremely disruptive, stressful, and full of concern for friends, neighbors, firefighters, and other first responders — as well as for the foothills, peppered with wildlife and favorite trails.
Mike and I, and even our dog Jake, adapted to the situation fairly quickly.
But not Cosmo Cat.
He yowled. He wouldn’t eat or drink. He crawled under a bed and wouldn’t come out.
For more than a week, we were in transition: packing stuff, evacuating, settling in with T&L, moving back home, unpacking some stuff, yet staying alert — sleeping with one eye open. Throughout the ordeal, we tried to be resilient.
But not Cosmo Cat.
That’s when I concluded: Cats don’t roll with the punches!
This year, I’ve been expanding my comfort zone. (Put another way, I’m finding opportunities to “stretch and stress”!) As small business owners, we must expand our comfort zone every time we encounter an opportunity, setback, or surprise change in direction.
Unlike Cosmo Cat, let’s embrace change. Let’s roll with the punches!
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Case Study: Cecilia Izquierdo, Author
Author needed website and blog to promote her book – and to support others
The Situation
The days following the tragic death of Cecilia Izquierdo’s young son were numbing and fog-like. Soon, she began discovering signs that her son was still with her, and was in peace. As she opened her heart to these signs, she found comfort on her journey of healing.
Through her book, Cecilia shares her story of loss, understanding, and peace – her journey of healing – with the hope of helping others who are mourning the loss of a loved one. She shares this simple message: Death is not the end of life; it simply marks a change in our existence.
Solution
To support Cecilia’s journey to publish her book and share her message, our team:
- Created the cover design and layout for her book, Signs from Heaven.
- Wrote her website copy.
- Designed and developed a website that promotes and sells her book.
- Created a blog to enable her to have supportive conversations with others who are in mourning.
Results
“I enjoyed working with this team,” Cecilia shared. “I’m very pleased with how Patrice captured my thoughts and feelings to write the right message for my website. And I’m thrilled with my website design – it’s beyond beautiful! I couldn’t have asked for more!”
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Case Study: Diana Repko, Life Coach
Life coach propels her business to the next level
Challenge
When Diana Repko came to our team, she was bursting to expand her business to fulfill her vision: Create a sophisticated life-coaching business with nationwide presentations and workshops, weekend retreats, and a select coaching clientele.
However, she had not yet created a company name, clarified her top benefit messages, identified her target audience, or clarified other essential elements for a powerful brand and compelling marketing materials.
Diana needed our help! She requested our complete branding and marketing communications package.
Solution
- First, Patrice Rhoades-Baum teamed with Diana to create a new tagline for her brand: Conscious evolution for life!™ We also brainstormed business names that would communicate her vision, yet wouldn’t box her in as her business grew. We selected: Inner Change Enterprises.
- Next, we created a logo that communicates “evolution” and subtly reflects a meditation labyrinth, which is important in Diana’s work.
- These elements – her tagline, company name, and logo – laid a soli
d foundation for Diana’s brand. Next, Patrice wrote copy for Diana’s speaker one-sheet and website; the team designed and printed her business card and letterhead (stationery package), and speaker one-sheet; and the team designed and developed her new website.
Results
As we moved
through the branding, copywriting, and logo design stages, we helped Diana clarify her target audience and benefit messages – and even her 4-stage coaching process. As a result, the on-target website and marketing tools are helping Diana grow her business and achieve her vision.
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Solopreneur: What does your photo say about you? About your brand?
Put thought into your photo — it’s a vital Brand Element™.
Is your photo fabulous? Does it convey confidence and sparkle with personality?
Or is it a basic headshot? Does it simply portray you as a nice person?
Hands-down, a powerful photo taken by a professional photographer is critical for your business and your brand. If you’re a professional speaker, business coach, life coach, corporate consultant, or other infopreneur, your photo should be featured prominently on your website’s Home page, your speaker one-sheet, and even your business card.
Why? Because YOU are your business. You bring your unique skills, philosophy, expertise, depth of experience, education, and track record to solve your clients’ challenges.
Pictures speak louder than words, so let’s look at examples!
~ BEFORE ~ ~ AFTER ~
Suzanne Smith, owner of Pilates With Suzanne, personally teaches every class with enthusiasm and expertise. Can you tell?
Frances Rios, Professional Speaker and Communication Expert, empowers companies to grow by transforming their employees into Influential Communicators.
John J. Hall, Author & Speaker, presents his “Do What You Can!” 6-step system, empowering audiences and readers to achieve extraordinary results in their business and personal life.
Yours truly, Patrice Rhoades-Baum, Marketing Consultant & Branding Expert, guides solopreneurs to create a clear brand, strategic website, and polished one-sheet, so you can shine as an expert — and step up as a thought leader.
Before you update your website or one-sheet, put thought into your professional photo. Remember, it’s so much more than a simple headshot!
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WIFM drives all your marketing activities, including branding your business
Tip: Read the following with an announcer’s voice:
Your clients are always tuned in to radio station WIFM: “What’s In it For Me?”
Over 3
decades ago, I received this timeless marketing advice — the single most important advice in my marketing career.
In marketing, WIFM is your touchstone. Do not lose sight of this.
When I presented my “Nail Your Brand!” workshop for NSA’s Colorado Speakers Academy a few weeks ago, we started the workshop by discussing, and underscoring, the importance of WIFM in all aspects of marketing your business.
Obviously, you use a WIFM approach in advertisements. Plus, it’s the approach to use for website copy, your speaker one-sheet or company brochure, and even your brand.
When clarifying your brand, it’s important to communicate who you are and what you do. And it’s critical to convey what THEY get — the benefits and results your clients, customers, and audience members receive.
No matter what type of marketing activity you’re working on, including clarifying the brand for your small business, keep this in mind: Your clients are always listening to radio station WIFM: “What’s In it For Me?”
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It ain’t “easy”: Beware of sweeping generalizations when crafting your tagline
A client and I are completely repositioning her brand. She’s a solopreneur and service provider. In a high-energy conversation, we thoroughly discussed:
- her target market and their needs (including their end goal)
- the value she offers (often referred to as the unique selling proposition)
- and the key benefit/result that her clients receive (often referred to as the promise statement)
With this foundation, I brainstormed multiple taglines and gave her a list of options to review, so she could choose her favorite. (I’ll provide all branding details later, in a full case study. This branding project will be a great example for other small business owners.)
Meanwhile, a colleague gave her some advice: “You need to add the word easy in your tagline, because everybody wants stuff to be easy.”
Whoa, Nelly!
So you’re saying all business owners need to include the word easy in their tagline, because all prospective clients want stuff to be easy? Is that really everyone’s end goal? Also, easy speaks to a process, not a destination.
In her gut, my client knew this advice was not on target. She told me, “With the service I provide, my clients aren’t looking for ‘easy.’ They’re business owners who are looking for results. They’re looking for return on investment. That’s what they really want. And that’s what I need to emphasize in my tagline.”
Bingo.
Whenever we think about clarifying our brand, promoting our business, and planning strategic marketing campaigns to connect with our prospects and clients, we must keep in mind what they really want. When they hire you, what do they hope to achieve — in the near term and long term? What’s their end goal?
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Shedding light on the fuzzy topic of branding: My Branding interview now live on SiteProNews
My interview with David Jackson, owner of Free Marketing Tips Blog, is now live on SiteProNews, “the Net’s most widely read webmaster news source.”
During our interview, David asked a series of excellent questions, all focused on shedding light on the fuzzy topic of branding for solopreneurs and small business owners. For example, David posed this question, “What are a few strategies someone can use to differentiate herself from others in the same field?”
Here’s my answer: “Many of my clients will ask about strategies to differentiate themselves from their competitors, and I tell them, ‘Don’t worry about it.’ If you’re a corporate media trainer, you have competitors. If you’re a sales trainer, you have competitors — LOTS of competitors. In my view, the best approach is to gain a crystal-clear picture of what you offer that’s unique to you. In my branding process, I like to look for that ‘gem,’ polish it, and make it central to my client’s brand, website, and marketing materials. Instead of worrying about competitive differentiators, we make sure the gem shines and that it’s extremely attractive to prospective clients.”
If you’re seeking clarity on the fuzzy topic of branding, I invite you to read my interview with David Jackson on SiteProNews.
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Jumping on the “soapbox”: My Branding interview on David Jackson’s Free Marketing Tips Blog
Recently, I had the honor and pleasure of being interviewed by David Jackson, a prominent marketing consultant based in New York. In his Free Marketing Tips Blog, David offers tips to teach small business owners how to promote their business. Plus, he features interviews with other experts on a wide range of strategic marketing and business topics.
In our interview, David encouraged me to jump on my branding soapbox! He asked a number of great questions about branding and, in particular, branding as it relates to solopreneurs, entrepreneurs, and small business owners. Because he consults with small business owners, his questions were insightful and pertinent to this group.
For example, he asked why branding is important for small businesses. My response: “I believe a clear, on-target brand helps you quickly tell your prospects what they get. … For example, when someone lands at your website they immediately see key messages that let them know they’re in the right place — that they’ll get the help they’re looking for. On the other hand, if your brand is confusing, if prospects can’t immediately see that they’re in the right place, then CLICK, they’re gone!”
Speaking of clicking, CLICK HERE to read my interview with David Jackson.
While you’re at David’s Free Marketing Tips Blog, take a few minutes to check out other articles written by David and his guests. Over the years, David’s blog has acquired a wealth of guidance, ideas, and advice for small business owners. I encourage you to tap into this wealth to promote and grow your business!
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Choices, choices: Some email marketing providers
Are you considering sending an email newsletter to your clients to stay “top of mind”? If so, a grea
t way to learn about email marketing campaigns and permisison marketing is to visit a few providers’ websites. I’m impressed with the information and guidance many offer in their articles and blogs.
How do you decide which provider is best for you? The answer is good-ol’-fashioned research to compare and contrast. Think about how you’ll use the service — and how often. Anduse their live-chat service to see if their agents are helpful, knowledgeable, and friendly and, of course, to get answers to your specific questions.
To get started, here’s a list of providers that many of my clients and colleagues use:
