The winner of the February Challenge is Jeric! Congratulations! Be sure to email me at vera @ small-business-branding.local within 3 days.  Now onto the March challenge…

As part of my interview series with “Thought Leaders,” consultant , speaker and author, Jaimy Weiler from “One Heart Waking – Business and Executive Consulting” shares her wisdom with us. Jaimy and her company “One Heart Waking” are truly unique in their delivery of effect and balanced work environments. Ed Roach: Considering the fact that a brand is essentially your reputation and adherence to brand values is critical in maintaining a brand that resonates with customers, what have you found in your consultation with businesses are the biggest barriers to living up to these established brand values? Jaimy Weiler: Because…

Networking Opportunities Made Possible by Guest Blogging Just like in the offline world, sometimes it is “who you know” that counts. In online business, there are many ways to network with other business owners. One way is through guest blogging. You are building your business and making your mark in cyberspace. As a complement to your business, you start a blog. It is a place where readers and customers can interact with you, find out about new product offerings and get business information. Networking is important for business owners. You can find new partners for business ventures, resources for upcoming…

There are people in the Internet business scene who are “big names.” When they are mentioned, others stand up and take notice (where is E. F. Hutton?). You can use their influence to gain a higher visibility in your business arena. All sorts of people visit blogs. They are not just people who see a catchy headline and stop in for a peek. Successful business people, offline companies, moms and others from different spheres of influence are reading, commenting and taking notice of who posts on their favorite blogs. This is good for you. Here’s the scenario: You are a…

Blogging is such a big business these days. It is a great way to communicate with other business people as well as customers or even just friends. As an online business owner or professional blogger, writing for others can get you noticed and build your reputation. What is a brand? It is your unique stamp. With big product companies like Pepsi-Cola or Nike, it is their trademark product and tag lines. But, they didn’t start that way. No one knew who either of them was or that they were solid products until they were marketed and that brand reinforced with…

One of the most common questions people ask me about email marketing is, “How often should I email my subscribers?” Well, for that there is definitely no one-size fits-all answer. Some publications are suitable for daily email, some will do well several times per week, once per week or even once per month. But in all honesty, I wouldn’t recommend once per month as you’re probably losing your marketing oomph. We already talked about it, but if you’re doing a longer publication (and that may be one reason why you email less frequently), you’re not keeping your reader focused on…

Do you ever think, “I wish I’d thought of that?”  Chances are you have. We have all from time to time recognized a great idea for its value, and of course wished we’d been the one to have the idea. The truth is, you can have great ideas of your own. All you have to do is think outside of the box. What does outside-the-box thinking mean? Inside the box is where we live 99% of the time. It’s where the rules are. It’s where our habits, beliefs and limitations keep us. Inside the box is safe because it’s what…

I’m currently reading a new marketing textbook that was just released called, “Consumer Behavior: Human Pursuit of Happiness in the World of Goods,” written in collaboration with Professor Banwari Mittal and six of his colleagues. If truth must be known, Professor Mittal mentioned me in his book and was kind enough to send me a copy upon its release. The book is a treasure trove of consumer behavior data, opinion and observation. Being a textbook, I bounce from one section to another in no particular order. What inspired this article was in the chapter on consumer motivation. The example in…

As an entrepreneur you may hear a lot about networking and wonder what all the hubbub is about. Networking, both online and off, is a wonderful way to build connections in your industry. It’s a great way to increase awareness for your business and to build your customer base and ultimately your profits. And you probably know that already. What you may not know is networking is also a great way to motivate yourself. Networking exposes you to other business leaders, entrepreneurs and motivated individuals. Even if you don’t have a single competitive bone in your body, when you network…

Brand peeves are those things you hate about other company’s brands. It could be copying icons, such as the Nike swoosh. Maybe it’s using well known music classics in commercials. Maybe you hate logoed merchandise. It doesn’t matter what it is, I just want to give you an opportunity to get it off your chest. Your brand peeves like my own don’t necessarily mean that they are wrong, just that they are wrong for you and me. My number one brand peeve is acronyms for start-up businesses and small businesses that don’t have a lot of years behind them. (Acronyms…