Sodafone

Feel that? The crisp tingle in the air? It’s fall. Fall ushers in the promise of eating,
seeing, and getting. It’s my favorite time of year. By now, kids are settled into
school, sweaters set free from mothballs, and it’s an amazing time to… BUY.

I don’t know about you; but for some reason this time of year lowers my normal
customer resistance to retail and turns up my desire to buy, buy, buy. And not just
anything. Products I’ve come to know have reliable value to me. You too?

Think about it. It starts with buying Halloween candy. Do you reach for the no-name
orange cellophane wrappers of chocolate dots, or do you buy the mini packages of
M&M’s? I know! Me too! Why is that? It’s the same thing! But, the brand of M&M’s
represents a certain quality that we have come to know as valuable. And left with
candy at the end of the evening, that’s what I want to be gobbling on. It doesn’t
matter how long the product has been on a shelf, an M&M is still an M&M.

A favorite thing I like to do in fall is cruise through the stores and see what “they”
think “we’ll” buy. This past weekend, I stepped into Crate & Barrel (a personal
favorite) and went weak in the knees!

I walked from beautiful table setting to even more beautiful table setting and I
thought about the perception that Crate & Barrel had created in me. As I drooled
over the dishes, I imagined how the quality of my life would change if I brought
them home. (A little bubble appeared to the side of my head. I saw an image of me
overhearing holiday guests comment about how beautiful my table was, and
subsequently how great I was.) The bubble faded as I dissected how Crate & Barrel
created that impression in me. How did they get me to think that?

I passed through living room settings that I would give my left pinkie toe to own (it’s
okay, I’m right footed). I ran my hand over the fabrics and textures. Rich leathers.
Deep colors. Luxuriant fabrics. All things I’d spend my money on to give my 10-year
old living room a facelift. They established in me a certain quality! And somehow
they knew what areas I needed to fix up… my boring dining room dishes, my tired
living room. Hmmm… Hmmm… a specific quality and knowledge of my problem.

At each display was a sign that had a certain look. A color. A typeface. Even the way
it was laid out on the page! It all matched the quality I got from the home décor
items I so desperately wanted. (By the way, I never knew I wanted an orange pear-
shaped leather vase before.) I picked up their holiday catalog. Lo and behold, not
only did it show the picture of the coveted pear-shaped leather vase, but the
typefaces and colors matched the signs in the store. Hmmm… consistent
communication and imaging. I started to tingle.

As I passed the jewel-toned velvet pillows, I thought, “Crate & Barrel is no different
from the companies and small business owners that we help.” They are no different
from YOU. Or are they? Let’s see…

You have:

• A product or service that is every bit as good and valuable as Crate & Barrel.

• You fix a problem or change the quality of life for your clients as much if not more
than Crate & Barrel.

After that, it can break down for small businesses and solo-preneurs.

You may not have:

• Consistent imaging (e.g., business card, website, brochures, leave-behind,
product packaging, etc.)

• The deep understanding of how to communicate “the brand” of your business that
can translate to your entire support team/staff. (This is easy and affordable to do
with BrandU. That’s why it was created.)

And most importantly, what most entrepreneurs tend to forget or, sadly, never
deeply establish:

• A huge, non-wavering belief in what you are bringing to people.

You have just as much of this as the people who created Crate & Barrel. They just
have more practice at it and had enough vision to bring in partners to help them
grow and communicate it.

The last three points are crucial to your business success and easier to address than
you think. Simply:

• keep up the value of your service and product AND,

• adopt a brand mindset!

It’s where EVERY brand starts BEFORE they’re a brand. In our upcoming book, Why
BrandU, we go into the reasons why it’s imperative for entrepreneurs to gain the
power of branding. You CAN have large business success, no matter what size you
are.

This holiday season, I share with you these TWO simple brand mindset tips:

• As you’re out (or online) shopping, pause a moment and think about the reasons
you buy the things you buy and,

• See how you can apply those reasons to your business.

After strolling around Crate & Barrel for over an hour (which flew by like 5 minutes),
I joyfully left with the most amazing vase for my table AND I was filled with a great
sense of delight and excitement; knowing YOU can be just as big!

© 2003 Castle Montone, Limited All Rights Reserved.

Written by Kim Castle, the Co-founder of BrandU the home of only step-by-
step process for developing your business as a brand from the inside out!

To get information on upcoming BrandU one-day workshops: http://
www.whybrandu.com/Public/events/workshop/index.cfm?semID=13

Get your Why You?!(sm) monthly ezine for easy-to-read tips and informative
insights on branding. To subscribe: http://www.whybrandu.com/

“BrandU Big Business Success No Matter Your Size”

Parades happen in every big city and many small towns. They are fun, relaxing and most people are there because they really want to be. Parades are a wonderful marketing tool if you know what to do! I recommend being a part of your local town parades. For most local home towns, it only takes a convertible and some decorations. The biggest parade in my home town is the Rose Parade because I grew up in Pasadena. There are not too many locals in that parade, but the little know Doo-Dah Parade is FULL of locals and locals watching it. When people like a particular float or group, they throw soft tortillas at them. Most local parades are covered by the local cable company.

As you pass by the announcers will give your information on television. If you are in the parade, you can increase your face-name recognition. If you judge the parade, you name and business will be announced to the crowd. Parades allow you to give out promotional items to the crowd. Parades also allow you to show off contest winners. If your business held a contest, get a convertible and the contest winners and get into the parade! Most parades are very low cost or free to participate in.

I love a parade because it can also get you interviews by local television, magazine and radio stations. Find out what is going on in your town. You usually have to sign up about 2 months in advance but if you just heard about something at the last minute, try and get in. I have seen people get into parades the morning of the sign up. But early sign up means, everyone will have your name and number. Publicity means being creative! Parades allow you to promote your business or website and support the community at the same time.

Copyright 2005

Dr. Letitia S. Wright, D.C. is a Stevie Award Finalist for 2004 and the host of The Wright Place TV Show. She interviews top entrepreneurs to find out the best current strategies. To Subscribe to the newsletter and get the report Five Fast Ways to Get on TV email : info1080-89555@autocontactor.com

INTRODUCTION

To get any business started successfully takes many ingredients. All requirements fall into one of the following four key categories: 1. Desire, 2. Knowledge, 3. Time, and 4. Available funds. This report deals only with the financial requirements of starting a mail order business. Hopefully it will help the reader to evaluate whether he is financially able to embark upon a business venture that will bring about success. It is generally true that it takes substantially less money to get started in many mail order businesses than in a variety of other businesses.

Many a promoter will want you to belive that it is possible to get started successfully for $50, $100, or even $200. However, it is totally false. It does take more than that. How much more depends on many factors which I will try to define as much as is possible here.

Since the mail order business covers a vast number of services and products I would like to define the contents of this report to deal with the selling of information products. This is where my expertise lies. While the same or similar conditions may apply to any number of other mail order businesses, there may however be some differences to selling information products such as books, etc.

The following makes a number of assumptions. The most important ones are:

1. The operator ( or operators) of the new mail order business is employed or has other means of income.. He will not need to derive any profit from his new business for a period of time.. How long will depend on many factors.

2. This is a home based business which has no employees.

3. The business, at the start - until volume reaches $3,000 to $5,000 per month - will utilize the drop shipping services of a wholesale company.

4. Basic office equipment such as desk, file cabinet, computer, etc… are on hand.

A WORD OF CAUTION AT THE START AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO YOU

This is an exciting business and it can be extremely profitable once it reaches a certain momentum. However, like almost all businesses it is a very cost sensitive business.

As you are getting started in planning and setting up your new business think and act with caution when it pertains to any expenditures. This is one of the most difficult things to do since you are probably very enthusiastic and want to do everything today. So you need to learn HOW TO CONTROL YOUR ENTHUSIASM or it is going to cost you lost of extra money.

In this state of enthusiasm we tend to think that there is nothing we can do wrong and since we will be making lots of money in a few months lets get all necessary and often unnecessary supplies and equipment. It would be much better to wait until profits of the business make it possible to acquire what is needed. In the meantime you can make do with less. To be able to do so is a most important quality for the owner of a small to do so is a most important quality for the owner of a small business.

If you are a parent think of your new business as a child. There will be a never ending sequence of surprises. And as the business grows so will its demands, and yes its expenses.

START-UP EXPENSES — INITIAL STAGE

The below listed expenses will be incurred in the very early stages of setting up your business. This is at a time when you probably are not sure as yet what you will be selling. You will be writing to different companies for information to come up with the right product selection. Once you have decided what it is you will be selling you have to line up reliable suppliers, This is also a good time to buy a few books to help you with your mail order education. Although most expenses incurred in this phase are relatively small they will add up quickly.

These prices are estimates. Prices will vary according to your location.

• Stationery and envelopes………………………………………..50.00
• P.O. Box rental………………………………….60.00 per year
• Miscellaneous office supplies……………………..30.00
• Postage…………………………………………50.00
• Educational……………………………………45.00
• TOTAL…………………………………………235.00

START-UP EXPENSES — SECONDARY STAGE

You have now reached the point at which you have decided upon one or more reliable suppliers for the product you wish to market. You may also be ready to have some promotional material printed. In addition you may be placing one or two classified ads for testing purposes.

Once again, please remember that these prices are estimates only.

• Dealership or distributorship (1 or more)……………………………………………80.00
• Small supply of brochures or catalogs………………………………………..50.00
• Printing of sales letter, order form, Return envelopes, etc………………………………………………90.00
• 1 test ad, classified (national magazine)……………………………………100.00
• Business or traders license………………………………………..30.00
• Postage……………………………………..25.00
• TOTAL………………………………………375.00

Until now you have only had expenses for your new business. You have not derived any revenue yet. In the next and final stage of starting your business you may have some revenues. Stage one and two may take from approximately 3 to 6 months.

START-UP EXPENSES — THIRD STAGE

You have now reached a stage were you will expand your advertising, or alternately you may go the direct marketing route and rent a mailing list. The comparison of expenses and revenue results of a direct marketing effort versus classified advertising need to be carefully evaluated. Since expenses for a direct marketing effort are generally higher than for a small advertising campaign, the below listed expenses focus on an advertising campaign,

Estimates provided for illustrative purpsoes only.

• Advertising — 3 classified ads………………………………………………………………280.00
• Postage for several hundred inquiries derived from adverting effort…………………………………………….75.00
• Miscellaneous office supplies………………………………………………………..30.00
• TOTAL…………………………………………………………385.00

SUMMARY

The combined expenses as listed above total just under $1000. They are based on broad estimates and may vary somewhat by area of the country and individual circumstances. The figures are reflecting a minimum amount. Some individuals may be able to cut expenses further. Since this planning period takes several months the expenses as shown above can be allocated over a period of 4-6 months.

The above figures represent a conservative start. For those who want to get started more aggressively expenses would be higher. While many of the basic start-up costs would be the same the expenses that would increase would primarily deal with additional advertising, printing and postage expenses. By how much would largely be an individual decision.

Since most new businesses fail because of lack of funds, it would be advisable for an individual who does not have the necessary funds to get started to wait until he does. In addition to the basic start-up expenses an individual should also consider that most businesses will loose money for several months and sometimes much longer than that. Unfortunately no matter how well you plan, circumstances often change and we must make allowances for those eventualities.

Copyright 2004 by DeAnna Spencer

Note to editors: To show my appreciation to the editors that use my articles, I offer a free solo ad. Simply send an email to me by using the form on the contact me page on my website to tell me the url the article was used on or send me a copy of the ezine it was used in.

Are you content with your advertising budget?
Schedule a coaching session with Frugal Solutions Expert, DeAnna Spencer.
She will design an affordable online advertising plan for you.
Contact her by sending an email to deanna.spencer(at)gmail.com
Visit this small business resource for more information.

People often come to me to assist them with developing
their brand because they are unable to accomplish the
business success they desire. They’re experiencing what
we call the Big Uneasy–the state of being when things are
hard. They are stuck in an idea, unable to make it happen,
and dreams are unfulfilled. Life is heavy, there’s a lack of
flow… the Big Uneasy has taken over.

Knowledge is needed to alleviate the discomfort– to grow
your business, to make the right decisions. In our
information-rich world of today there is a multitude of help
available.

Multi-day, multi-speaker and multi-vendor events have
become the norm. More help is coming to the rescue
everyday. These essential events open people up to a
greater world of possibility– as well as something else that
can be debilitating– the clouds of guess.

Yes, you heard me right, the clouds of guess.

The breeding ground for the clouds of guess is amongst the
amazing speakers sharing valuable experience and
powerful tools at many multi-day events and the wonderful
people seeking to grow and fully participate in success. I
recently discovered this excruciating phenomenon on the
speaking trail with my own company.

Like experiencing the marine layer as it gradually rolls in at
dusk from the ocean, during the first day of the event the
clouds were nearly undetectable–masked by the crowd’s
excitement and enthusiasm. But as day two and three day
rolled out, the clouds of guess were swirling overhead.
Hundreds of people became engulfed in these clouds. At
first I thought it was simply information overload, however
looking closer I found the “clouds” were really DECISION
overload. “How do I decide which expert to go with?”, “What
tool is right for me for the money?”, “What approach is best
for my business right now?”. These business owners were
trying to decide without having a solid method to make a
decision so…they were reduced to guessing.

By the end of the multi-day event they were unable to make
any powerful decisions for their business. Only a skillful few
were able to circumvent the clouds. What did they know, that
most others didn’t?

We often trip ourselves up by asking the wrong questions.
The question isn’t, what expert, tool or approach that can
assist you best. If you are listening to someone on the
stage they are most likely successful infopreneurs; and
certainly has something of value to share with you. The real
question is “where am I in my business, service or product
at this specific point and what comes first.”

We all take something for granted in our lives, myself
included. A member of the Producers Guild of America with
a background producing theatre, television, interactive
games and the Internet, and an education in architecture, I
often forget the value of the “process” perspective that I have
honed.

Please know that there is an indisputable process
necessary to produce anything– especially something of
value. And the process clears away the clouds of guess and
prevents them from ever returning.

However, if the order of the process is altered, or if a step is
skipped, something WILL go wrong. Not only will those
clouds return, the new question will be… how much and
how bad will it hurt?

The major milestones of a typical production process
(bringing a idea into manifestation) in the language of
entertainment is:

• Development (idea, concept & script)

• Pre-production (how will it be made, delivered, budgeting,
casting, etc.)

• Production (making it)

• Post-production (delivering it)

Translating these major milestones to manifesting any
business, service or product:

• Idea, Concept & Branding

• Productization - how will it be made or delivered, priced,
where it fits in the existing product line or market, etc.

• Making it

• Marketing it

Use ALL those steps and the success you seek is yours.

The discipline and excellence you put into each step and
every little thing you do is what allows success to manifest.
The very process that you use directly impacts the speed of
your result. Skipping a step in the process or doing it
incompletely WILL delay or even prevent you from making
your success happen.

Before your make any implementation decision, be clear
about where you are in the manifestation process. I
guarantee, operating in this place of clarity will keep away
the clouds of guess and turn your Big Uneasy completely
around.

Now that you know this, go out and make it happen!

W. Vito Montone, Co-founder BrandU, Co-Author of Why
Brand: Big Business Success No Matter Your Size, and
BrandU Bible, the only step-by-step workbook for
developing your business as a brand.
www.whybrandu.com.

© 2003 Castle Montone, Limited All Rights Reserved.

W. Vito Montone has produced over 25 stage plays including
To Oz and Back, the television show Entertainment Atlanta
for a CBS affiliate, three multi-million dollar award
winning CD-ROM projects for Disney Interactive: including
MathQuest with Aladdin featuring Robin Williams” and the
award winning broadband website,”Concept:Cure” for
Digital Domain and General Motors. He has consulted on
story structure on over 15 feature projects, and was
Executive Producer at Paramount Digital Entertainment
leading development of the next generation of entertainment
on the web. His vast array of work experience has earned
him the title of “Experience Architect.’ He is the Co-Founder
and President of Why Communications where in addition to
the day to day branding business, he explores next
generation digital entertainment & branded virtual
experiences. He co-created BrandU, the only step-by-step
process of developing your business as a brand, and
co-authored the BrandU Bible, and the upcoming Why
BrandU: Big Business Success No Matter Your Size

The best brands always try to do the right thing, so that their reputations will remain unsullied. But beyond that they grow, evolve and get better with time, while maintaining their special qualities from the past.

We all have a personal brand with social, cultural, intellectual, and personal needs that may not necessarily be addressed in our daily work. Address these needs and you begin to improve your brand. Here is my agenda for building your brand.

• Join and participate in community and professional organizations
  
• Generate media coverage about your brand
  
• Stay in touch, or renew old ties with friends, family and business associates

Let’s examine how each one improves your brand.

Join and participate in professional and community organizations
The best brands grow, evolve and get better with time, while maintaining their special qualities from the past.

Professional and community organizations provide ample opportunity to learn and grow.

They provide professional development opportunities. They allow you to network with peers as well as with people you would not necessarily ever meet in the normal course of your workday.

For instance, I am a member and served on the board of our local International Association of Business Communicators chapter. This allowed me to broaden my contacts in the corporate communications world, as well as form a number of friendships I probably never would have developed. I’m also a member of the North Carolina Citizens For Business and Industry. Here I meet people from all walks of life and all work disciplines. Finally, I am involved with Charlotte Reads, a local non-profit that focuses on literacy issues. This allows me to use my communication experience in support of an issue I feel very strongly about.

But it’s not enough to just join groups: you must participate to benefit fully. As a participant you have the opportunity to stretch, to gain confidence in yourself. Learn to lead by involvement on the board or in a special project.

If you are a communicator by trade, try being treasurer for the group to exercise the other side of your brain, or take on a special project about which you feel strongly.

Generate media coverage about your brand
All that professional and community involvement will certainly lead to opportunities to leverage that involvement into news about the brand called you. And, of course, there will be promotions, new assignments, and awards at work, too. More opportunities to make headlines.

Your achievements are of interest to local print, broadcast, and online media, particularly the business pages. In Charlotte, the Observer has a weekly feature called On The Move spotlighting someone in a new position. The Charlotte Business Journal has a similar feature called Moving Up. If it is a big enough move and your company won’t do it, pay the estimated $150 to place it on BusinessWire or PR Newswire. Consider it an investment in your future. Don’t forget trade publications serving your industry and alumni publications.

Seek out speaking engagements and write guest articles, too. This is yet another way to publicize your brand. And don’t forget to do news releases when you make a speech or write an article. It’s all about merchandising.

To stay top of mind, you might even want to develop your own monthly e-newsletter like Think, the Hoover ink publication. Keep it mostly informational and limit the commercial material.

Stay in touch, or renew old ties with friends, family and business associates
Everyone you know can be a brand ambassador for you, so stay in touch or reach out to those you haven’t talked with for a while.

Yet another reason for having a monthly newsletter that shares your expertise.

The network of contacts you have built over your lifetime will be instrumental if you decide to start your own business, or change jobs.

So, heed this word of advice: always deal fairly with people. One bad experience with your brand can negate 10 positive ones.

Now, get out there and start branding.

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR,

http://www.hoover-ink.com. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Brent Dees Financial Planning, Duke Energy,

Levolor, North Carolina Tourism, Ty Boyd Executive Learning Systems, VELUX and Verbatim.

Many businesses of today areoften driven tocompetestriclty on price, quality, and features of their products and services. Companies who prosper over the long term don’t simply offer the best deals, the best quality, or the most impressive bells and whistles. If you want to win big in today’s cutting edge world of business, you have to begin by thinking differently and by challenging the status quo.Whether you are a new or an established business owner, these ten powerful strategies will position your company for big success.

(1) Adopt the philosophy of “Givers Gain.”

In 2003, the members of Business Network International (BNI) passed over 2 million referrals to each other. Founded by CEO Ivan Misner, BNI is a business and professional networking organization that offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and most importantly, referrals. Misner founded BNI based on the philosophy of “Givers Gain,” which is the belief that in order to get business, it is important to first give business. One of the critical factors in achieving success rests in the ability to develop reciprocal relationships where two parties naturally refer business to each other on a consistent basis. “It’s not what you know but who you know” has never been so true as it is in today’s competitive world of business. For more information on Ivan Misner and his philosophy of “Giver’s Gain,” access an interview here:

http://www.cvcommunity.com/utility/showArticle/?objectID=1452

(2) Focus on Soft Innovations

In today’s competitive marketplace, the old equation of spending more on advertising to increase profits it not working as it once did. In his latest book, Free Prize Inside, author Seth Godin, makes a strong case for using soft innovations as a way to get noticed in this crowded and noisy world. Soft innovations are the small yet insightful ideas that can take your product or service from good to remarkable. They are often hidden, and they usually solve a problem that is ” peripheral to what your product is ostensibly about.” At first glance, you think the soft innovation does not mean much, but once you have it in place, it becomes an essential part of your product or service. Examples of soft innovations include Starbuck’s Cards, Dinosaur-shaped pasta for kids, and Amazon.com cutting its ad spend and offering free shipping with the money saved. For more information, read an interview with Seth Godin in Today’s Coach here:

http://www.cvcommunity.com/utility/showArticle/index.cfm?objectID=1524

(3) Re-groove!

How do you operate when the heat is on? How do you respond to chaos? When new skills or new behaviors are needed, how do you respond? Knowing what to do and how to do it is one thing but being able to respond effectively and to keep your cool under pressure and on a consistent basis is a very different ballgame. As leaders in today’s world, it is crucial to learn how to work differently and how to be able to shift and bend to meet expectations which here one day and gone the next. The half-life of a great idea or a new product or service has never been shorter, and it is up to you as a business owner to become masterful with reshaping strategies, adding new perks to old products, and to stay on top of your game in the face of dramatically changing circumstances. You may find that your strength of achievement was required to get your company up and running but that same strength is now squelching the creativity of your team. It’s time to Re-Groove! It’s time to unlock the incredible potential that is inside of you that is required to get the job done under present day demands. If you are dedicated to re-grooving (getting past the old worn out grooves of your past conditioning,) it is essential to work with a coach or trainer who can coach you through the new behaviors quickly and in real time. By learning to re-groove, you will be able to create incredible opportunities for your company and for yourself.

(4) Make your brand a “state of mind”

Are you winning when it comes to style, a smart and accessible mix of products and services, and first rate customer service? If so, Bravo! However, this is just a part of the equationof what it takes to truly succeed. In order to create a brand that is trulymemorable, it is crucial for you to live an inspired life and to make your brand a “state of mind” for your customers. This state of mind could be a feeling of trust and confidence, a sense of well being, or a state of knowing that you are buying from a company who has your best interests at heart. This state of mind cannot develop behind the confines ofthe walls ofyour business. It grows and develops when you are in the middle of your potential buyers…in restaurants, traveling, checking out the competition, playing sports, tinkering with a hobby,having fun and lots of it! If you areliving fullyand in relationship with others, you will be re-energized every day and you will give your customers a vision of what an inspired life actually looks like, because you are living one! Your brand will become much more than your trimmings…it will become the connection that others feel when they think of you as a valued person in their lives.

(5) Become masterful at mobilizing resources

The ability to galvanize resources, both human and monetary, and to build effective and efficient projects with them is a critical component of success in today’s marketplace. We are quick to look first at the monetary costs of a project and quickly get cold feet, when the reality is that we have valuable resources hidden in our personal and professional lives which may not cost adime. Social capital is one resource that is one of the most valuable assets available to business owners of today. The term social capital emphasizes that very specific benefits are made available from the trust, reciprocity, information, and cooperation associated with social networks. The value of social capital is that people can draw on the wisdom of each other to solve common problems, especially as it relates to money, time, and resources.

(6) Buck conventional wisdom

In 1971, Rollin King and Herb Kelleher decided to start an airline that you might say…was different and a little bit quirky. They began with one simple notion: If you get your passengers to their destinations on time, at the lowest fare possible, and make sure they have a fantastic time doing it, people will choose you over a competing airline. This is the story of Southwest Airlines, who chose to move beyond the status quo by offering services and a sense of style that bucked conventional wisdom. With their focus on fun, games, and “Love Southwest Style,” Southwest has made its mark with its strong focus on stellar customer service and conveniences such as allowing customers to proceed to their departure gate without stopping at the ticket counter, skycap, or self-service kiosk. Most importantly, Southwest has honed in on searching for important personal qualities in those they hire– the perfect blend of energy, humor, team spirit, and self-confidence to match its famously offbeat culture. Southwest was once dismissed as a maverick, as their strategies seemed strange to the “airline powerhouses.” These same powerhouses are now looking in awe at what this “maverick” has built. The strategy of originality worked…It had the sticking power required for success.

(7) Become a Talent Farm

When recruiting new employees, what are you looking for? Raw talent? Raw communication skills? Intellect? Athletic ability? Commitment? Skills? Flexbility? What about all of this and more? If you are a company who wants to operate at the leading edge, where change is the greatest and success is the goal, you will want to recruit the most talented group of people you can find…those people who are self- starters and who are living boldly in the world. By developing a “talent farm” culture, you can instill a mindset of excellence from the top to the bottom of your organization. This culture encompasses a deeply held belief that having high caliber people is crucial to your success. With this “talent farm” approach to recruiting, your company will also be required to recruit great talent every day. Successful businesses and organizations have a strong sense of what they are looking for, and they are always on the look for new talent and ways to retain them for a lifetime.

(8) Embrace your core values

What is it in life that you most value? Do you value beauty, leadership, creativity, stability, or family? You can choose to orient your life around your wants and needs or the list of things you feel you “should” be doing, but if you embrace your core values and build your life around them, you will find experience inspiration and joy at a level you never thought was possible. Whole Foods Market is one of the fastest growing supermarkets of today, because its commitment to fresh, nutritious products is a value that keeps customers coming back for more and employees happy, hard working, and committed. When you focus your business on doing what feels right and what fulfills you, you will have no regrets, because you have been true to the very core of your being.

(9) Become a “white hot center” of influence

A “white hot center” of influence is an organization or group that you most want your company to be aligned with tightly and in a relationship which is reciprocal. One connection into a strong center of influence can position your company to attract a stream of qualified opportunities. (Example: You are an interior designer, and you want to be in the middle of Southern Accent or Better Homes and Gardens Magazine.) In order to attract a “white hot center” of influence, you have to become what you want to attract. Be well educated, highly skilled, experienced, trained and innovative in your product development. Fill your network with other business owners who are up to big things in the world and who are experts in their respective fields. Attract talented people into your company, and tap each and every talent and skill available in your company. As you begin to raise your bar in all areas of your business and enhance your network, you will eventually become a “white hot center” that will attract others by the thousands.

(10) Just Begin!

Start where you are, and begin today to create success in your life. Drop the excuses, reasons or people to blame, dis-empowering attitudes and behaviors and get on with the business of living the life you know you were born to live. Do what you know you want to do, and do it with passion. Begin today to create the tomorrow you want. As Peter Drucker said, “The best way to predict the future is to create it”

This piece was originally submitted by Bea Fields and Kimberly George, Business Coaches, who can be reached at bea@coachville.com and kim@coachville.com, or visited on the web atwww.CoachVille.com. www.FiveStarLeader.com or www.RebelBusiness.com.

Feel that? The crisp tingle in the air? It’s fall. Fall ushers in the promise of eating,
seeing, and getting. It’s my favorite time of year. By now, kids are settled into
school, sweaters set free from mothballs, and it’s an amazing time to… BUY.

I don’t know about you; but for some reason this time of year lowers my normal
customer resistance to retail and turns up my desire to buy, buy, buy. And not just
anything. Products I’ve come to know have reliable value to me. You too?

Think about it. It starts with buying Halloween candy. Do you reach for the no-name
orange cellophane wrappers of chocolate dots, or do you buy the mini packages of
M&M’s? I know! Me too! Why is that? It’s the same thing! But, the brand of M&M’s
represents a certain quality that we have come to know as valuable. And left with
candy at the end of the evening, that’s what I want to be gobbling on. It doesn’t
matter how long the product has been on a shelf, an M&M is still an M&M.

A favorite thing I like to do in fall is cruise through the stores and see what “they”
think “we’ll” buy. This past weekend, I stepped into Crate & Barrel (a personal
favorite) and went weak in the knees!

I walked from beautiful table setting to even more beautiful table setting and I
thought about the perception that Crate & Barrel had created in me. As I drooled
over the dishes, I imagined how the quality of my life would change if I brought
them home. (A little bubble appeared to the side of my head. I saw an image of me
overhearing holiday guests comment about how beautiful my table was, and
subsequently how great I was.) The bubble faded as I dissected how Crate & Barrel
created that impression in me. How did they get me to think that?

I passed through living room settings that I would give my left pinkie toe to own (it’s
okay, I’m right footed). I ran my hand over the fabrics and textures. Rich leathers.
Deep colors. Luxuriant fabrics. All things I’d spend my money on to give my 10-year
old living room a facelift. They established in me a certain quality! And somehow
they knew what areas I needed to fix up… my boring dining room dishes, my tired
living room. Hmmm… Hmmm… a specific quality and knowledge of my problem.

At each display was a sign that had a certain look. A color. A typeface. Even the way
it was laid out on the page! It all matched the quality I got from the home décor
items I so desperately wanted. (By the way, I never knew I wanted an orange pear-
shaped leather vase before.) I picked up their holiday catalog. Lo and behold, not
only did it show the picture of the coveted pear-shaped leather vase, but the
typefaces and colors matched the signs in the store. Hmmm… consistent
communication and imaging. I started to tingle.

As I passed the jewel-toned velvet pillows, I thought, “Crate & Barrel is no different
from the companies and small business owners that we help.” They are no different
from YOU. Or are they? Let’s see…

You have:

• A product or service that is every bit as good and valuable as Crate & Barrel.

• You fix a problem or change the quality of life for your clients as much if not more
than Crate & Barrel.

After that, it can break down for small businesses and solo-preneurs.

You may not have:

• Consistent imaging (e.g., business card, website, brochures, leave-behind,
product packaging, etc.)

• The deep understanding of how to communicate “the brand” of your business that
can translate to your entire support team/staff. (This is easy and affordable to do
with BrandU. That’s why it was created.)

And most importantly, what most entrepreneurs tend to forget or, sadly, never
deeply establish:

• A huge, non-wavering belief in what you are bringing to people.

You have just as much of this as the people who created Crate & Barrel. They just
have more practice at it and had enough vision to bring in partners to help them
grow and communicate it.

The last three points are crucial to your business success and easier to address than
you think. Simply:

• keep up the value of your service and product AND,

• adopt a brand mindset!

It’s where EVERY brand starts BEFORE they’re a brand. In our upcoming book, Why
BrandU, we go into the reasons why it’s imperative for entrepreneurs to gain the
power of branding. You CAN have large business success, no matter what size you
are.

This holiday season, I share with you these TWO simple brand mindset tips:

• As you’re out (or online) shopping, pause a moment and think about the reasons
you buy the things you buy and,

• See how you can apply those reasons to your business.

After strolling around Crate & Barrel for over an hour (which flew by like 5 minutes),
I joyfully left with the most amazing vase for my table AND I was filled with a great
sense of delight and excitement; knowing YOU can be just as big!

© 2003 Castle Montone, Limited All Rights Reserved.

Written by Kim Castle, the Co-founder of BrandU the home of only step-by-
step process for developing your business as a brand from the inside out!

To get information on upcoming BrandU one-day workshops: http://
www.whybrandu.com/Public/events/workshop/index.cfm?semID=13

Get your Why You?!(sm) monthly ezine for easy-to-read tips and informative
insights on branding. To subscribe: http://www.whybrandu.com/

“BrandU Big Business Success No Matter Your Size”

The power of image has determined that it takes thirty seconds to form impressions about educational ability, capability, level of sophistication, personality, integrity, social ancestry and sense of humor. Many decisions not to hire or do business with someone are based on your appearance. People who are well dressed and groomed are liked more, demand higher fees, and are considered more intelligent, successful and competent.

Men have the power to do all of the above. What are clothes saying about you? It is not always easy to know because people do not always tell you whether or not your appearance is appropriate (do people always tell you if you have a piece of broccoli stuck between you teeth?).

Color is extremely importance as we are judged over 60% alone on this nonverbal communication. People perceive this character attributes:

Red = power

Pinstripes = authority

Briefcase = efficiency

Studies also show that that presentation can even influence the perceived quality of one’s work:

Polished shoes = will produce detail oriented work

A tailored suit = will produce advanced results

Baggy khakis, v-neck sweater = will take a casual approach to a problem
Your second assignment is to ensure that your message is
CONVEYED:
I am competent and I belong!

Dr. Joyce M. Knudsen is known for two specialties: (1) International Home Study Certification Program for Image Consultants, Worldwide. (2) As a Certified Behavioral and Values Analyst she provides assessments on personal lifestyle development, DiSC Classic, DiSC General Characteristics, Time Mastery, Indra, Team Dimensions and so much more.
Dr. Knudsen is the author of six books on the subject of self-image, a distinguished IMMIE Recipient, honored with the Award of Excellence for Education and was the very first Master Status Member (highest level of achievement) of The Association of Image Consultants, International.

Experience powerful new skills in dressing for success, business etiquette and social skills. You can read more about Dr. Knudsen on her web site at http://www.imagemaker1.com and you can test yourself to excellence on http://www.testingforexcellence.com

I was chatting with a couple of friends, all of us are either copy writers or graphic designers…or both….in the advertising industry, so, naturally, our conversations leaned towards the topic. This one particular friend who works in an American advertising firm is now an Art Director, so, needless to say, he considers himself a notch higher than us mere freelancers and employees. After all, he is the one person who decides on the direction of a whole advertising campaign. He is also in-charge of a couple of large International brands of products. And during this conversation, he told me about this story that inspired me. He says that branding is so important to a product that it can either make or break a product…or even the company.

For instance, he was trying to come up with something unique for a particular brand of body wash (he thought the smell was awful because it smelt like mud…wet and totally disgusting). Guess what he did? He went the NATURAL WAY……

Obviously, it worked wonders for the product! He came up with headlines like

“So natural, you’d roll around in it”

“Just like a second skin”

“Aroma-therapeutic”

“Go back to nature”

…and the likes.

I was impressed. So happens that he brings back a lot of samples of products each time he comes back to Malaysia and this time he had the said product handy to show us - to although I didn’t think it was disgusting (he has a way with words, shall I say?”), it wasn’t your conventional bath wash. It sure didn’t smell like anything else I can get here in supermarkets.

Joe, my friend from America, said that he steered the product in the realm of conservation of the environment, going natural, using natural products, natural cleansing properties….etc and it worked wonderfully. When combined with a superb design and ad, the product sold like nothing else he had known! This was the product he thought smelt like mud, remember? And with good direction, copy and design, the product is as good as sold.

The theory is that, people’s mind accepts what they want to accept. Let me give you some examples of beautiful copy work for International brands.

“milk bath” - Johnson and Johnson. Sounds simple enough? But accordingly, many people bought the products, not because it was superb or any better than all the other Johnson and Johnson products or bath gels, it was because the ‘milk bath’ copy suggested that whenever you use the product, you’d be bathing in milk, pampering yourself, making your skin whiter and smoother. Asians will buy anything that you say can turn their skin white.

“Not perfumed, Not coloured. Just kind” - Simple.

This is a very unique stance taken by a skincare company because Simple is the first brand that suggested that you don’t need anything extra have superb skin. Simple is….well, simple, but it gives you good skin because it doesn’t make your skin look worse.

“Against animal testing” - The Body Shop.

The products being sold by The Body Shop, without a doubt, is produced without being tested on animals. This, they claim, is because the properties used to produce their products is very natural. I think placing the words “AGAINST ANIMAL TESTING” in bolded letters in all of their labels is a good idea. Anyone who loves natural products and are animal lovers will definitely stay true to The Body Shop.

“The beer only a true man knows how to appreciate”

This is a tagline being used by a well-known beer company. I am not certain of the exact words being used, therefore, I decline to name the brand and beer type. Anyway, this tagline suggests that if you’re a man at all, you’ll like this beer…..and if you don’t, you’re not a TRUE man. I am a woman and I like the beer because of its richness in taste but I absolutely object to their tagline. I suppose they have their reasons. Their target market were mostly men and if they were women who drink, they will let the tagline slide because they like the beer so much.

So, you see, the kind of branding, the kind of tagline and headlines that you use determines the direction of your product. If you use a tagline like ‘lustrous long hair”….don’t expect a lot of male customers who takes you up on your offer. So, decide on a tagline once and for all for each and every one of your products, take them very seriously and if you can’t think of anything, hire someone to do the thinking for you. Branding and copy writing is SO IMPORTANT that you’d rather pay for it than be stuck with one that gives out mixed messages.

Marsha Maung is a freelance graphic designer and writer who has been working from her home in Selangor, Malaysia the past 6 years. She is also the author of “Raising Little Magicians”, “No products to sell” and the popular “The Lance in Freelancing” and other books. For more information, please visit http://www.marshamaung.com and for more info on her books, please visit http://www.lulu.com/marshamaung

If you own a web-based business, you’re probably aware of the need for things like link exchanges, lead-purchasing, SEO copy, banner ads and all of the “traditional” ways to get exposure on the World Wide Web.

But did you know that article marketing is by far the best way to build your brand while at the same time increasing your exposure?

Web articles. They’re hot. Why? Because people have realized that when you submit an article for distribution on the web, you’re dangling your URL in front of an endless stream of prospects, all of whom are already interested in what you have to offer. Why is this? It’s due to the categorical nature of web article marketing itself.

Article distribution sites are arranged by category. So, if you write an article about sea rays, your article is going to get picked up and placed on other websites that are related to aquatic life. It’s highly likely that the people who visit that site will be interested in your subjectmatter and want to read what you have to say. So the potential interest is there even before your article hits the page.

When you write web articles, you soft-sell your brand to your potential customer by giving away something they need before they even know your name. How so? Within the body of your article, you’re including a chunk of valuable information for your reader to absorb, learn from and remember you by!

Let’s say you’re a “marketing mom” who wants to sell mail-order hand-painted gifts on the web. How will you go about branding your name? First, isolate your key customer. That would be MOM. Where does she live and reign on the web? In bazillions of online mommy groups and forums! So start writing articles about gifts that speak to your number one prospect, Mom. If you’re a mom too, you’ll likely have lots in common, so get those articles going and start talking Mom to Mom. In your articles, offer your prospect a few ideas she can use in her business and her life, then gently introduce her to your hand-painted gifts. Roll out article after article, and submit to every place you can find on the web that might be a hot spot for the work-at-home web mommy.

Your full-out article marketing campaign will take careful strategizing, time and effort, but the end result, brand recognizability, is worth the extra energy you put in. Right now, there’s no better way to build your brand on the web and do it quickly. Saturate your market with articles that position you as an expert in your field, and the leads will follow. Soon you’ll be pulling in orders for your hand-painted collectibles faster than the little Korean ladies you hired can paint them!

Branding is establishing trust and faith in your company name. Branding cements relationships. Branding keeps your customers coming back year after year! What better way to let your future clients get a better idea of who you are and what you can do for them, than talking to them in well-written articles that help to brand your good name?

If you haven’t already, start thinking about an article marketing campaign. Target your key customer, and then lay the foundation for your brand… one article at a time.

Copyright 2005. Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

Dina Giolitto is the author of ARTICLE POWER: Create Dynamite Web Articles and Watch Your Sales Explode… a 49-page manual covering every aspect of article marketing on the web. Learn about article marketing, copywriting and more at http://www.wordfeeder.com