Blog Write Now!

What We Can Learn From the Most Recognizable Brand in the World

2013-03-04T19:44:14Z

"Create Something Awesome" - A Pep Talk From Kid President

2013-02-05T16:38:39Z

Brand Confusion: What Did Jesus Do?

2013-02-03T04:09:47Z

In my last post, I wrote about learning brand development from celebrities. The biggest, most world-renowned figure throughout history is Jesus Christ. Today, let's discover how to prevent brand confusion from Him.

"What's my brand?" Jesus asked Peter. Okay, he didn't quite say it that way, but it is recorded in Luke 9 that He did ask, "Who do the crowds say that I am...Who do you say that I am?"

The answer was incongruent. The public incorrectly perceived Him to be various things, but Peter, who was closest to Him, got it right. He said, "You are the Christ of God."

Jesus had a problem with brand confusion. Why? While Jesus didn't send mixed messages about who He was, initially He didn't come right out and boldly proclaim it either. He had to do more showing than telling. I can see why folks had have their doubts. The Christ? The Messiah? The Son of God? Yeah, right.

What did Jesus do?

Brand Development (What We Can Learn From Celebrity Brands)

2013-01-31T20:57:25Z

At some point during planning your new venture, you have to think about developing your brand. What is a brand? There are many definitions of a brand, but here is my take on it:

A brand is the identity that you present to buyers and potential buyers, along with their belief in who you say you are.

In order to have a strong brand, it is not enough to tout who you are in symbols, logos, messages, and other marketing materials. Your potential buyers must “buy in” to this complex packaging of your image.

Lately, I have learned so much by watching the brands of celebrities. Some celebrity brands have become a strong platform for good. Others are shaky at best. Much of what I see surprises me. There are inconsistencies between the private person and their public persona.

Can you think of a celebrity whose image is profane and vulgar, only to find out later that they were decent folks? Most of the time, it goes the other way. I won’t call names, but I bet you can quickly think of your fair share of celebrities that publicly appeared to be squeaky clean, only to discover that they were simply scandalous in their private behavior.

In general, people feels duped and even betrayed when their favorite celebrity does not live up to their public image. Some celebrities re-brand and recover. Others aren’t so fortunate because they were overcome by their private demons. Strange contradictions will always cloud their legacy.

So what can we learn from celebrity brands?

Aligned Plans, Greater Prosperity in 2013!

2013-01-04T19:01:36Z

Merry Christmas from my Family to Yours

2012-12-12T22:54:28Z

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, & Cyber Monday

2012-11-17T00:18:00Z

I Have Been A Little Under the Weather

2012-11-16T21:18:14Z

Planning Begins With the Real YOU

2012-08-25T19:00:12Z

Often times on our first "get to know each other to see if this is a fit" call, new clients go straight into their idea or vision and while they are talking I am listening for their motives or intent. I am attempting to decipher if their values align with my values. What do I value? I value making a difference whether it be big or small and reaching for something bigger than we are. You get the idea.

Therefore, I don't want to jump right into the mechanics and components of writing the business plan. I want to connect heart to heart. I want to join you in your efforts toward greatness. I used to think passion was enough. It's not. Passion is an emotion and when the dog days of running your own business hit, and trust me they will, passion can get snuffed out by other emotions, like fear or even anger.

Marketing Circles Not Pyramids

2012-07-31T21:11:46Z

Whenever I write business plans, I utilize a strategy pyramid like this one. I not only use it with my clients, but I also use it when I am creating my own action plan. It is nice, clean, and logical. I can fill in the blanks with the overarching marketing strategy, then think tactically about the short term actions that support the strategy. Finally, I fill in all the activities and tasks for optimal implementation.

To my surprise, my client, Connective Hub, a new collaborative workspace in Dallas, didn't like the pyramid. Its shape goes against one of the things they value most - connected members. The pyramid is hierarchical. I tried taking the information and turning it into circles. It just didn't seem to work.