8 Creative Ways to Brand Yourself with Content

by Kenya Halliburton

You know that you need a strong personal brand to succeed today, but how do you go about establishing one? Personal branding is a long-term strategy that pays off down the road, but you have to start somewhere. Here are 8 ideas on how to creatively set yourself apart from the herd.

Blog

Writing a blog is the absolute best way to brand yourself online. It allows you to share your expertise, show your personality, and get your fans involved. These are all essentials for branding yourself and a blog lets you kill all of those birds with one stone.

Signature Words and Phrases

Sit down and try to write a short sentence or simple phrase that communicates to people exactly what you do and how you benefit them. This is what's known in the marketing world as a 'tagline.' For example, if you're an SEO expert, you might write something like, 'I get you found online.' It serves both purposes - telling what you do and emphasizing benefits.

Your Brand Photo

Like a logo, a brand photo instantly identifies you. It also gives people a good first impression which might be the only one they get. Make sure that you look good in the picture and that you're smiling if you want to convey a friendly image. Be consistent with your image, using it everywhere you go. You might consider making a few different versions; for example, a more professional suit-and-tie picture for LinkedIn and something more relaxed for Facebook.

Regular Events that You Run

Get involved and start hosting regular events. Events show people that you're passionate about what you do and it's a great way to get them involved directly in your brand. Events are also a wonderful way to network. Online you can do podcasts and webinars. Both are cheap options that offer global reach.

Speak in Front of Groups

Look around for opportunities to speak in front of groups. When you're a recognized speaker, this boosts your credibility and gives you instant expert status. Like hosting events, it also gives you a chance to network. If you're not a great public speaker, don't worry; a little practice will turn you into a confident speaker quickly.

Mentor Others

Offer coaching and mentoring, even if you don't get paid well for it. This adds immensely to peoples' perception of you as an expert. If you can teach others about your subject matter, this shows that you really know your stuff.

Create an Infographic

Infographics are all the rage now and you can create one that's all about you. Your own personal brand infographic is like a visual resume. There are online tools that you can use to create your own infographic cheaply and easily.

A Compelling Story

People love a good story and it's an important component to your branding. For example, you're a city kid who grew up poor and then discovered Internet Marketing. Or, you're a stay-at-home mom who does freelance writing. A unique story about how you got here makes your brand more memorable and helps you to stand out.

Remember that the purpose of all of your branding efforts is to set yourself apart from everybody else. Use these creative methods to show how you're different and the unique value you bring to what you do. Branding really takes off when your personal passion comes through, so let it shine.


Do you want to know how to win clients & cash with your content?
Kenya Halliburton specializes in helping busy entrepreneurs who hate to write create compelling content and install proven marketing systems to grow their business online hands-free & stress-free.  Sign up for her highly-acclaimed and miraculously free 6 Figure Content + marketing Formula and find out how to build a client-getting, profit-winning web presence in 6 easy steps.

Great Brand Resources Direct from Brandidos

Personal branding tips from Brandidos

Advice is a great source of information. Recommendations on Good Reads, quality sources to investigate, and ultimately comparative goals that other businesses pursue can be informative and useful, even when they don’t relate directly to you. In other words, they are references you would use to write your own essay on how to conduct your business activities.

"And remember- everything and everyone has something to teach you"  [tweet this].

Books of interest and how they help your BRAND grow

Reading is the ultimate source of learning, and oftentimes offers helpful hints that we can learn from or incorporate into our lives, even if they are fictional. Books contain insights in many forms, even when they aren’t good (we learn to avoid a particular style or approach).

Highly recommended are books such as “Brand Thinking" by Debbie Millman, “Social Marketology” by Ric Dragon, “Engage” by Brian Solis, and “Business Stripped Bare” by Richard Branson. But, it all comes down to what you are looking for in a book. What education and insight do you seek?

What current sites or online resources do you use daily as a Brandido?

Quality resources can begin with keeping track of your client investment. Newswire can be used effectively by searching industry/company to monitor news and updates for clients. Additionally, the New York Times advertising and media section is completely relevant to developing or adapting trending marketing strategies. Other sources might include Smashing Mag, Jakob Nielsen, Mashable, and B2B of course. But, some are convinced that a wider variety of online newsletter content tends to generate numerous ideas. It is good practice to look outside your industry and learn new techniques to apply to your own pursuits. The key here is to seek out multiple sources in order to generate different ideas and visions of the world.

What conferences, seminars or webinars are a MUST in your annual plan

For a majority of the business-minded, the free ones are perhaps the top choice for their economical value. But consider what is free? Time always costs something, so you need to target the right opportunities to gain the most benefit from your experience. Focus on what you need. A good starting point should be tradeshows in your industry and client-focused events that provide quality instruction on how to approach and handle customer situations.

Some even recommend that one save even more time by paying attention to what others have to say such as in social feeds and “unorganized” webinars or irregular coffee conferences. What are people discussing regularly? Despite the unorganized characteristics, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in regular webinars and seminars that are not properly titled, but offer some great information.

For the most part, it is always wise to seek a fresh perspective when possible. Search for new opportunities and avoid the same song and dance. Keep your eyes peeled for fresh and trending material that you can source from to better your business pursuits and search outside of your field to see what new theories and techniques you can apply to your brand.

What is on your list of things to do? 

What's on your bucket list as a branding professional? Consider who you’ve wanted to work with and what you’ve always wanted to do with your brand. Perhaps you’ve wanted to work with the people from the show: Shark Tank, most of who are often great thinkers and artists when it comes to generating new ideas. And while these fantasy ideas are good to have, there are more general targets in mind. Could your target be a region- a city- perhaps an individual?

Looking towards the future is perhaps the most prioritized item on our bucket list- and why? Because it never ends. We are always looking to better ourselves and prepare for tomorrow.

At the end of the day, we all teach each other something, but it is up to us as individuals to learn and adapt those teachings into our brand applications. Consider what others have to say, even if it is bad advice or quality information, because somewhere in your brand, you will learn something.

Can We Just Hangout?

Google+ may be the newbie in the social networking scene, but the excellent and unique features it offers within the site is really becoming popular among its users. One of the best features of the site is the Google+ Hangouts, which lets you video chat with up to 10 persons privately, and even do an “on air” broadcast that any viewer in the world can see. As a personal or small business brand, how do you use this to your advantage in social marketing? Here are some tips:

     1. Interact with your clients and customers without having to meet with them in person

Sometimes, it just isn’t convenient for you to meet with clients and customers in person. Exchanging emails and even talking over the phone seem to be too impersonal, so why not use Google+ Hangouts so you can interact with them virtually face to face? This is a great idea especially if you plan on talking to numerous people at the same time because you won’t have to repeat instructions to multiple people over and over again. Video chatting lets people get a real glimpse of you too, which helps you connect better with them.

     2. Organize a meeting

If you want to meet with your business partners or employees, but there’s just no time for everyone to gather in the office or meet in a certain place, then why not organize a meeting using Hangouts? It allows up to 10 people to have a private video chat, so you can talk, shop, and discuss things with your partners and employees even in the comfort of your home. This gives everyone the chance to become more at ease unlike in a regular meeting in a conference room. And the more relaxed people are, the more likely that they’ll be inspired with more ideas.

     3. Schedule a free seminar or demonstration

The “on air” feature of Google+ hangouts allows any person in the world to tune in to your page and watch you. By offering a free seminar or demonstration, you can really promote brand awareness and even convert buzz to bucks. For example, more and more musical performers are using the “on air” feature to promote themselves and their music. Using this feature is truly an excellent marketing strategy for personal brands and small businesses since it allows you to reach more people and effectively market your brand.

     4. Announce events

With the “on air” feature of Google+ Hangouts, you can announce new products and upcoming events, effectively creating buzz around your brand. You can invite your target audience to tune into your page at a certain time, so they can learn about the things you’re planning for your brand.

     5. Offer customer support

You can even offer customer support through Google+ Hangouts. This enables you or your representative to come face to face with the person who has an issue or a problem, and be able to offer the best solution. They can even show you exactly what the problem is, and you can demonstrate how they can fix it. This helps build trust with your brand, since customers are able to see you or your representative face to face.

     6. Network with brand advocates and influencers

One of the best social marketing strategies is to empower and reward your brand advocates and influencers. These are people who are loyal to your brand, and will go to extra lengths for you. Google+ Hangouts can help you network and connect with them, so you can let them know that their efforts in sharing your brand with others are very much appreciated.

     7. Record videos for playing later

Another excellent feature of Hangouts is the fact that it integrates with YouTube, and you can record your broadcasts and easily share it in the video sharing site, effectively reaching a wider amount of audience.
Beyond video chat, there are so many other things you can do with Google+ Hangouts to effectively promote your brand and change buzz to bucks. So don’t ignore this excellent feature – learn what you can about it, use it wisely, and effectively market your personal or small business brand using it.

How to Effectively "Game" Your Brand

Successful brands of today know that the key to success is connecting and engaging with the audience. You can’t just capture their attention – you have to learn how to keep it. You want your audience to stay longer in your website, interact more with you in social media, and effectively remember your brand and spread the word about it to other people.

This is why most brands now utilize an array of marketing strategies to promote their brand. And one of the most interesting and fun ways to do this is to “game” your brand.

So what exactly does “gaming” your brand mean? Well, it’s all about giving incentives to your customers, encouraging them to play, and giving them tangible or intangible rewards. Basically, people enjoy gaming – getting rewards, winning prizes, unlocking mysteries to discover new things.

Sometimes it’s not even about the incentive or reward, but the game itself. People enjoy being challenged – they like the thrill of solving a puzzle, and they love competing with fellow gamers.

But how exactly do you effectively launch a brand campaign that includes gaming? Here are some things you should first answer:

     1. Does your brand and gaming fit well with each other?

Not all brands and gaming go hand in hand. There are certain products or services that just don’t fit well with “gamification”, and it may brand’s like that more harm than good if they pursue gaming in their marketing campaign.

On the other hand, if your brand is all about fun and creating your own culture, then adding gaming to the mix can definitely give your brand a boost and encourage more interaction between your brand and your audience.

Think about how gaming fits into your brand’s current marketing campaign. Does it seem like the odd one out, or does it blend well with your other strategies? Don’t force gaming for the sake of adding it to your marketing mix – think of how well it fits in with your current plans first.

     2. Are your customers comfortable with “gamification”?


Before you even begin “gaming” your brand, you should start with understanding your audience. What do they like? What tickles their bones? Are they willing to try anything, or are they more cautious about new products and experiences? Would they be comfortable with “gamification”?

By knowing your audience, you can get a rough idea of whether they would be interested or not in gaming, and if they are, you’d be able to create a gaming experience suited especially for their tastes.

     3. What do you wish to gain from “gaming” your brand?

It would be silly to simply include games into your marketing mix without understanding your goals and knowing what you wish to gain from it. Do you want to promote brand awareness? Encourage brand interaction? Obtain more customers?

Getting into gaming should be more than just copying what everyone else is doing. You need to understand why you’re doing this and what you want from it.

     4. Is the game relevant to your brand and community?

It is essential that the game you put out for your brand is relevant to your community; otherwise, how would it work in promoting brand awareness? You want your audience to play the game, yet continue to remember your brand while playing it. You don’t want them to simply enjoy the game and then forget about you.

This is why the game you create should be something that relates to your brand, something that keeps your brand at the forefront of people’s minds. Think of Oreo Pinata and how the game really showed the consumers’ passion for Oreo. It wasn’t just about winning the contest, but the enjoyment of the game and how the community rallied around the brand that they loved.

     5. Does the game create a community around your brand?

This is perhaps the most essential question you need to ask yourself. If the game doesn’t form a community around your brand, then why release the game at all? You don’t want people to mindlessly immerse themselves in the game and forget the world. What you want is for them to enjoy talking about the game and your brand, share the game with other people, and encourage others to play. Otherwise, what’s the point of creating a game for your brand?

“Gamification” can definitely help you create brand buzz, but it’s important that you evaluate whether your brand fits with gaming and understand what you want to gain from it. Don’t just get into gaming simply because other brands are doing it – you want to ensure that gaming works for your brand, not against it.

The Rule of Three

Here's another excerpt from Maria Ross' new book, Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget (2010, Norlights Press).


By Maria Ross 

Maria Ross is the founder and chief strategist of Red Slice (www.red-slice) a branding and marketing consultancy based in Seattle. She has advised start-ups, solopreneurs, non-profits and even large enterprises on how to craft their brand story to engage, inform and delight customers. The following is an excerpt from her new book, Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget (2010, Norlights Press).

When putting together your marketing plan, it’s important to know where your ideal buying audience goes. Try to be in those places. And so you don’t lose your sanity trying to promote and advertise everywhere, go deep rather than broad. By this I mean identify a few key publications, websites, or events that are exactly the right fit for you and create an integrated marketing package with each ad sales rep. Most small businesses don’t have the budget to do a lot of advertising and marketing in every single place their ideal customer might be. So pick a few partners and try to do as much as you can with each one, versus a one-time shot across many different vehicles.

I call this following the Rule of Three. In a given month or quarter, depending on your budget, focus on three publications, three website partners, three events, etc. Engaging in fewer activities, but more of the right ones, will be more effective for you than skipping a stone across the lake and barely making a splash with each marketing vehicle. For example, you might partner with a website that fits your audience profile and negotiate the following add-ons:

* a dedicated email to their subscriber base

* exposure at an event or webcast they’re sponsoring

* online ads in different forums over a three or six month period, rather than just once

* permission to write an article or blog post on a brand-related topic.

Many ad sales reps are delighted to get creative and you can put a multi-touch or integrated marketing program in place to get your brand and promise in front of the right people multiple times and in multiple ways.

Praise for Branding Basics for Small Business

“As someone who has worked with thousands of small businesses, I have seen a lack of a clear, focused brand strategy cause people to waste time, energy, money and flounder in the marketplace. Never fear, Maria breaks down branding so that anyone with a business, or who is thinking of launching a business, can understand why an investment in branding is make or break for creating a thriving business. Don’t launch without it!”

- Beth Schoenfeldt, Co-Founder, Collective-E, an Entrepreneur’s Agency and Community

“In today’s social economy, every business is a brand, regardless of size. And when Ross states that every new hire is a brand ambassador, she proves unequivocally that she ‘gets it’. The question small business owners must ask is if they want to be the ones controlling that brand or the ones left to salvage it. In this book, you’ll learn how to nail down your brand before you spend valuable resources on marketing and people that simply don’t fit your company’s core values.  Your brand is more than just a logo.It’s everything you are and the ticket to positive ROI.”

- Lisa Barone, Chief Branding Officer, Outspoken Media

“You’ve got such a wide and clear scope on what makes successful brands so… successful. Great coverage. And great inspiration to be true to your values and think big.”

- Danielle LaPorte, creator of WhiteHotTruth.com, lead author of Style Statement: Live by Your Own Design

Branding Basics for Small Business

Past "Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success" radio show guest, Maria Ross is having a big launch of her new book, Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget

You have a chance to win a copy of Maria's book as part of a special contest!

Post your comments below and tell us what your favorite brand is, and why. You can choose your own brand, or another one that you admire.


Let us know you think in the comments section below!


I'll be posting the results on my Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/womenentrepreneurs - so stop by there on Friday to find out if you won. Can't wait until Friday? Get your copy today on Amazon.com!


Shattering Five Branding Myths 


by Maria Ross

Maria Ross is the founder and chief strategist of Red Slice (www.red-slice) a branding and marketing consultancy based in Seattle. She has advised start-ups, solopreneurs, non-profits and even large enterprises on how to craft their brand story to engage, inform and delight customers. The following is an excerpt from her new book, Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget  (2010, Norlights Press).


Excerpt from: "Branding Basics for Small Business: How to Create an Irresistible Brand on Any Budget." 

When people think branding, they often just think it’s a logo or business card. Or they think of the opposite extreme like Apple or Virgin and assume they will never have the budgets to “brand effectively.” While dazzling branding is more than just pretty pictures, it also is something that is easily attainable, if businesspeople put the right thought and effort into it. Dispelling five popular myths about branding is key to starting that process and transforming your business.

Myth #1: Branding is hard

Branding is not rocket science. It simply requires focused thought about what you want your business to stand for and to whom, and then a commitment to communicate that message through everything you do visually and experientially. With my clients, I offer a simple 10 step process to building a firm brand strategy. But once built, you are never “done” nor do you ever stop being a steward for your brand once all the processes, websites and logos are in place. You need to constantly be vigilant and regularly do a “system check” on your materials, business practices, customer service and messaging to ensure your brand is clear and consistent. You also just need to commit to living your values and ensuring all of your employees and partners can verbalize and live those values as well.

Myth #2: Branding is expensive

Effective branding can be done on any budget. I’ve worked with $12 million dollar budgets and $1000 budgets. The real key to effective branding is making sure you have your ideal audience detailed out and that your business messages speak directly to their needs and the benefits they value. Once you have those thoughts together, you can then work more effectively with a designer to put together your logo or website experience and a writer to craft your brochure and website messaging.

Consistency and clarity in messaging (visual and verbal) is what makes a brand effective and creates rabid fans and evangelists, not how much money you spend promoting it. So if you can only spend $200 on a logo, you can still ensure it communicates exactly what you want to whom you want. True, you may not be able to do multi-million ad campaigns or sponsor extravagant sporting events. But with clear, consistent and strong messages, you ensure that even those 3 or 4 activities you can afford to do are laser-focused.


In addition, since brand is more than just your logo or advertising, you can live your brand through aligned corporate policies and processes. You can easily and cheaply craft a voicemail message or email signature that furthers that brand. You can extend the brand to free social media that captures customers with limited dollars. And you can ensure your product or service quality and price maps consistently to your brand promise. Those are all things you need to do anyway to run your business, so you may as well align them to a strong brand for maximum “oomph.”

Myth #3: Branding is Just Fluff

Brand equity can make or break a company. And if you think branding has no financial impact, just ask private equity firms who “buy” brands for billions of dollars, all for the brand cache or loyal customer base. It’s the reason people will pay 3 times as much for a white t-shirt at Nordstrom than they would at Target. Brand translates into bottom-line sales when done effectively. You can’t deny that if you build a strong foundation and communicate it to the right people at the right time, you will attract just the interested customer you seek.  In addition, a strong brand guides all the other marketing decisions that fuel your company’s growth: where to advertise, who to partner with, how to price your product, etc.

Myth #4: All Designers are the Same

All designers and branding firms are not the same. While you can save lots of money thinking through a brand strategy on your own before you engage with a designer on communicating anything visually, some designers get it and some don’t. And sometimes, you do get what you pay for in this regard. If you are talking to a designer who does not ask who your target audience is or what you are trying to convey to them through your visual elements – merely asking you what colors or concepts you “like” – you need to run the other way.

While you might be only spending $100 on them and think it’s a steal, you will lose more in sales and customers by not communicating the right message visually. Good designers understand how imagery, font, color and spacing impact the subconscious connections people will make about your company and what it offers. And they should be experienced enough to make some clear recommendations in that regard. It’s worth it to spend a bit more on this if you can and work with someone good who asks about your brand and your ideal customer.

Myth #5: Branding Works Immediately

Branding and direct response marketing are two different things. People need to experience your brand multiple times before it sticks.   You will need to have it out there, present in all of your customer touchpoints, before being able to decide if it works or not.  Branding is about awareness and “mindshare” – what spaces do you occupy in people’s minds when they see your logo or hear your name. This takes time to build. The Nike swoosh did not have meaning within the first 3 months it appeared.

Avoid the temptation to change branding every few months in an effort to chase quarterly sales growth. Yes, if you get feedback that things are not working, you should make changes, but hopefully, you will have put the upfront thought and effort into the brand strategy and messaging before implementing it, so that maybe only slight tweaks are required.  Branding and messaging can be refreshed over time – but not before customers get a chance to respond to it. And while you might be sick of your brand and messaging after 3 months, remember, your potential customers may not even have seen it yet, with all the noise that is in the marketplace.


© Copyright 2009-2010, Red Slice LLC.  All other companies or works cited remain the copyright of their respective owners.

Magical Marketing - Learning the Ropes From Mickey

by Paula Pollock
After returning from a week in the heat and rain of Florida theme park hopping, I wanted to share my marketing take-aways from my consumer experience. Some are pretty obvious, but since we can all learn from other businesses I wanted to share something fun at the end of the summer. Here's my 2cents from my Disney, Universal and Cape Kennedy visits.

Postives:

Make it Easy for me to Buy -  Parents like photos of their kids having fun. Disney is the best at this, but they can get in your face a little. My favorite was the gal at Blizzard Beach water park who took photos of kids crossing fake icebergs under a rope bridge. She would place a rubberband with a laminated ticket for you to see your photo. No one is carrying a camera in a water park. Perfect!

Keep Sufficient Inventory - Every major ride ends in a themed gift shop. That captive marketing and lends itself to the immediate sale (not to mention the stores are air-conditioned.) One suggestions - keep them well stocked. We had to go to three different shops to find "Mickey gloves" not "Minnie gloves". And, all the  Hermione Granger wands were sold out.

Beat the Theme into the Ground - After standing in lines with thousands of sweaty tourists, anyone would need a drink (not in the Magic Kingdom - fyi). Eating, drinking and shopping in theme takes the edge off the blatent capitalism. My top three: Pommery Champagne in France (Epcot), Apfelkorn schnappes in Germany (Epcot), and Butterbeer in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter - creme soda with a butter froth - that really does give you that thick foam mustache.

Negatives:

Be Honest - Some of these parks are not for younger kids. There were very few parts of Epcot or Universal's Islands of Adventure that young kids would enjoy. For Disney Parks, you can use the Fast-Pass system at some of the rides, but often if you don't get your pass first thing they are all distributed by 11am for every good ride. Universal's special pass that allows you to jump the line costs an additional $50 per person per day. The alternative is waiting 30-90 minutes per ride. That's not how to create brand loyality.

Plan Your Staffing - During the first two weeks of August, Orlando looses close to 32,000 employees who go back to their country and school (according to a 12 year Disney employee.) In this weak economy, they could have planned ahead for their exodus and have a trained team ready. Closing attractions because you're under staffed while still charging the same rates is absurd.

Used Car Tactics Always Annoy - Like lipstick on a pig, mouse ears on the Vegas strip doesn't cut it. Sadly both Universal City Walk Downtown Disney get C- for their attraction value. As a paying ticket holder you must walk through City Walk at Universal to get to anything. It's loud, in-your-face and sets the wrong first impression. Downtown Disney is less obnoxious and you don't need to go there, but they do count it on your ticket as a "Fun Plus" visit. The reason I don't give them both F grades? Their target is not me. It's the local teenagers with money who can come every Friday and Saturday night. It's their version of the Mall.

You're Never "Too Cool" to Market - Cape Kennedy was great...if you're a space/astronaut enthusiast or over 40. Otherwise, you have a lot of kids who couldn't care less. They ARE competing with Disney and Universal. These are children of the Internet and video games. (NASA: If you are listening. I can help you with your marketing.) While I know that the men and women who train, test and get blasted into space are some of the bravest people on earth my son doesn't get that. You need to create your next market.
Okay - so there it is. Marketing according to Paula, Mickey Mouse, Universal Studios and Cape Kennedy. Each have pluses and minuses. What we can learn is you can never stop testing your brand and your marketing. Your audience evolves and has new and different needs. If I had to pick a winner it would be Disney. They understand that the grandparents have the money. While the grandchildren drive the entertainment choices, they know how to appease the "wallet". Universal and Cape Kennedy need some lessons there.


Paula Pollock is CEO of the Pollock Marketing Group, further assisting good companies in becoming great through outsourced marketing services with her team of professionals. PMG supports business marketing at all levels from DIY, short-term projects and Virtual CMO/Marketing Department. You can sign up to receive her Marketing Tips newsletter at www.paulapollock.com

"Women Entrepreneurs - The Secrets of Success" for Wednesday, July 7th

Maria Ross

Maria Ross’s mission is to engage, inform and delight audiences and keep them coming back for more. A born storyteller, she has over 16 years experience building brands, crafting marketing strategies and coaching businesses on how to tell the right story to the right people at the right time.

Maria is founder and Chief Strategist at Red Slice, a branding and marketing consultancy, and has worked with large companies such as Accenture, Business Objects, Discovery Networks, Monster.com and Microsoft as well as technology start-ups and small businesses like CRAVE and Mudbay in Seattle. She is the author of Branding Basics for Small Business (2010, Norlights Press).

In her free time, Maria is a volunteer, a published lifestyle writer and an actress. Maria received a B.S in Marketing, with a minor in Spanish from Indiana University, Bloomington. She lives with her husband Paul and their black Lab mix, Eddie, in Seattle, Washington

3:00 pm EDT
Listen to the live or archived show at:
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/CoachDeb

Free Teleseminar: Brand Prescription 101

Date: April 29th
Time: 8:00 pm EDT
Location: Your Telephone

Register here: http://www.imagebrandcompany.com/brandprescription

Are You Asking These Questions?

   * You are not sure where you should start to gain more visibility.

   * You ask "How do I make my service unique and stand out from the crowd?

   * Should I Brand my Name or my Business Name?

   * Should I use Social Media To Brand My Business?

   * How Do I Develop A Powerful Brand On A Shoe String Budget?

   * Should I have a regular website or a BLOG?

   * What type of Logo should I use?
( Hint: There are at least 4 logo formats you should use)

This event is about having a major breakthrough that can actually DOUBLE your income over the next 12 months.

I'll be joining several experts who will share their best kept strategies and Brand Strategist, Nikki Curry will be teaching some of her NEWEST and never seen before content.

Get ready for an amazing 6 weeks!

Register here: http://www.imagebrandcompany.com/brandprescription

Publicity Tips for Entrepreneurs

by Melissa Cassera

Are you resolving to get more publicity for your business in 2009? In today's economy, publicity is an excellent way to spread the word about your business. As a small business owner, you have the chance to secure interviews, profiles, anecdotes and by-line writing opportunities with media outlets as big as New York Times and as small as your local daily.

Here are my Top Tips for entrepreneurs to gain publicity in 2009:

1. Helpareporter.com
Peter Shankman is an amazing publicist, and now he's sharing his reporter contacts with you. In the form of a 3x daily free email, Peter will send around 50 leads per day from media outlets looking for sources. Not every email will apply to you, but the easy-to-read format lets you weed out the leads that don't apply, and find the ones that are perfect for you. Sign up today at www.helpareporter.com

2. Don't Ignore the Little Guys
While hometown media may not reach the audience that Oprah does, media coverage in smaller outlets can lead to great things - often you will be splashed on the cover or receive a prominent story with plenty of pictures, helping to build a local buzz about your business. I've also seen these local stories grab the attention of the larger media outlets. Try your local dailies, college alumni publications, trade publications, local radio and TV stations, township newsletters and blogs.

3. Don't Rely on your Press Release
Press releases are often used as 'back up' information to your story - your PITCH is what peaks a reporter's interest. Personalize your correspondence to the person you are pitching. Let them know you are familiar with their work. Don't pitch them something they've already covered. Give them something fresh and newsworthy.

4. Find Media Contacts Online
Having trouble finding media contacts? Make a list of the top media outlets you want to be featured in and start googling. Most websites list a masthead to find editor's names. The Wall Street Journal lists every reporter's email address at the end of the story online. Use Google News - type in keywords for your industry and see who is covering your industry.

5. Create an Online Press Room
Make it easy for reporters to cover your business by creating a press page on your website. Dedicate one page featuring your contact information at the top and have the following items available for download: press releases, biography, company background, product images/description, headshot, sample interview questions, company logo, testimonials, video (if applicable), book excerpts. Post links to current media coverage you've received.

6. Brainstorm Various Angles
You can’t expect to pitch the same angle to Oprah that you would your local news station. Brainstorm angles every day that would be perfect for you to pitch. Think outside of your product or service. Can you comment on business surviving in the economy? Working with family members? Finding unusual ways to fund your business? Think of tie-ins to the economy, holidays, and other hot topics.

7. Think of Yourself as an Expert
Even if you’ve only been in business a short time, you still know more about your industry than some others. Don’t think of publicity as being ‘egotistical’ and don’t feel ‘undeserving.’ Reporters are always looking for stories and quotable experts.

8. Pitch Smart
Successful pitching is all about doing your homework. Study the media outlets you are pitching. What do they cover? Identify the appropriate contact to pitch. Check out what they’ve covered previously. Send a note of introduction before pitching anything to start building a relationship.

I hope these publicity tips will assist you in planning for a successful 2009! If you don't have the time to design and manage a publicity campaign, please contact me at (856) 816-3413 or casseracommunications@gmail.com for a consultation and publicity services proposal. I work with clients on a national level, and specialize in working with entrepreneurs, speakers, experts and women-owned businesses. I also offer coaching services for those that want to DIY - with a little guidance.


Melissa Cassera is the owner and operator of Cassera Communications, a publicity and marketing firm. Her firm helps small business entrepreneurs become successful on a local or national level through personal branding. Melissa’s services blend traditional marketing and publicity strategies with ‘new media’ such as blogging, social networking and article marketing. These elements combined with showcasing a client’s talent and charisma help create a winning personal brand. www.casseracommunications.com

Melissa Cassera on Women Entrepreneurs Radio™

Model Melissa Cassera spent much of her life appearing in local print and television ad campaigns. Now she’s focused solely on achieving that same exposure for her clients.

Melissa is the owner and operator of Cassera Communications, a publicity and marketing firm. Her firm helps small business entrepreneurs become successful on a local or national level through personal branding. Melissa’s services blend traditional marketing and publicity strategies with ‘new media’ such as blogging, social networking and article marketing. These elements combined with showcasing a client’s talent and charisma help create a winning personal brand.

As a former model and actress, Melissa also offers insider knowledge for coordinating commercial campaigns, securing photographers and models, and providing appearance and media coaching to clients. Clients that prefer to stay behind the scenes can also hire her to serve as their spokesperson.

Melissa Cassera has extensive experience in the publicity, journalism and marketing fields and has executed many successful campaigns for her clients. She is a graduate of Rowan University and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications and Public Relations.

Melissa worked as a commercial model and actress in addition to providing public relations/marketing/advertising services to various industries including entertainment, health care, finance and publishing. She started her own successful firm at the age of 26. Her company website can be viewed at http://www.casseracommunications.com

Melissa was also named the 2007 'Woman of the Year' for the Southern New Jersey Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and is dedicated to serving the community through various philanthropic efforts.